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Clyburn on SC State investigation: Don’t rush to judgement

July 28, 2010 By

Majority Whip Clyburn warns against rush to judgement over how SC State used federal funds

Congressman Jim Clyburn is saying very little as state and federal investigators take their look into a SC State University facility to be named for him.

About $25 million in tax dollars are unaccounted for–half of $50 million given to the school to develop the James E. Clyburn University Transportation Center.

The facility was to conduct student academic research in transportation issues. Now the Legislative Audit Council and the U.S. Department of Transportation are trying to track the funds. Congressman Clyburn supports the investigation, called for by legislators when the center did not take shape after taking the funds.

Now Clyburn urges the media to be patient.  In a statement to SCRN he says:

  We have recently witnessed the dark side of a rush to judgment in the Shirley Sherrod case. Now we have the same sordidness being directed towards South Carolina State University. I would hope that people will allow the Legislative Audit Council and the U.S. Department of Transportation to perform their functions before reaching uninformed conclusions.

Filed Under: Education, News, Politics & Government

SC infant deaths lowest in 20 years

July 28, 2010 By

South Carolina’s rate for infant deaths is lower than it has been in 20 years. The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control announced that the state’s infant mortality rate for 2008, the latest report, was 8 deaths per 1,000 births. That’s six percent lower than the rate of 8.5 in 2007.

This drop in deaths marks the lowest rate South Carolina has seen in 20 years and also represents the third straight year that black and other infant deaths have decreased. DHEC says parents should follow simple guidelines such as: place the infant on his or her back when sleeping, avoid exposing the infant to second hand smoke, and take the child to a healthcare provider on a regular basis.

Filed Under: Health & Medicine, News

Graham: WikiLeaks compromised safety of coalition forces

July 28, 2010 By

Information that was published on the website WikiLeaks Sunday caused quite a stir. The documents included details about US troops in the Middle East accidentally killing civilians and Pakistani intelligence assistance to insurgents in Afghanistan. It also mentioned corruption in the US-backed Kabul government.

Senator Lindsey Graham on Fox News Wednesday, disagreed, and says that the leak put coalition forces in Afghanistan at risk.

“It undermines the war effort and will make it difficult for allies in the future to share information with us, if they believe it’s going to be leaked to the press. I would be willing to prosecute anybody who led to undermining the war effort.”

The reports were written by military and civilian officials in Afghanistan between 2004 and last year.

Robert Gibbs, the White House press secretary, says the leaks uncovered no revelations, no important issues that have not already been brought to light.

Graham says the leak put lives at risk in Afghanistan and compromises the supported that coalition forces will receive, at least in the short term.

“What you’ve compromised is the ability to collect information in the future. It will get out pretty quickly in Afghanistan that the people who cooperated with coalition forces are now known to the enemy. So put yourself in the shoes of someone in Afghanistan. If you had an American commander come up and ask for your assistance, wouldn’t this make it more chilling for you?”

Graham says the leak should not be a reason to stop fighting in Afghanistan, but an opportunity to let the people there know that such behavior won’t be tolerated and guilty parties will be prosecuted. 

National news stories say Pentagon officials are investigating whether the source of the leak is Bradley Manning, a 22-year-old Army private who was already charged in July with providing information to WikiLeaks, including video showing an Apache helicopter attack in Iraq that killed a journalist.

The L.A. Times reports that the information leaked showed that U.S. commanders had specific information that Pakistan’s spy service was helping Afghan insurgents.

Filed Under: Military, News, Politics & Government

North Charleston man sentenced for counterfeiting

July 28, 2010 By

A North Charleston man was sentenced in federal court Tuesday for counterfeiting.

35-year-old Jessie Short was sentenced to 31 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Short, a co-defendant, and another individual were detained by authorities during a May 20, 2009 traffic stop when it was determined that the vehicle was being used to pass counterfeit currency. Officers discovered $140 of counterfeit cash in the car, along with a car battery that was purchased with bogus money. A followup investigation by the U.S. Secret Service determined that short was making counterfeit $20, $50, and $100 bills at his North Charleston residence. Authorities determined that short produced over $14,000 in counterfeit currency with the equipment seized at his home. Short’s co-defendant Philip Robinson has entered a guilty plea and is awaiting sentencing.

Filed Under: Crime & Courts, News

Escapee captured in Anderson County

July 28, 2010 By

An escaped inmate who has been at large since he walked away from a minimum security prison in Rock Hill six months ago is now back in custody.

William Newcomb, who walked away from the Catawba Pre-release Center in Rock Hill on January 2, was taken into custody Tuesday in Anderson county at around 11 am at a Wal-Mart. Authorities are charging Newcomb with credit card fraud, grand larceny, and breaking into a motor vehicle. He may face additional charges in connection with crimes he committed while he was at large. Newcomb also faces a felony escape charge, which carries a sentence of one to 15 years in prison.  Before his escape, Newcomb was serving a three year sentence for financial identity fraud he committed in Lexington County.

Filed Under: Crime & Courts, News
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