WIS News 10 - Columbia, South Carolina | SC politicians, lobbyists owe millions to Ethics Commission

SC politicians, lobbyists owe millions to Ethics Commission

By Logan Smith - email

COLUMBIA, SC (WIS) - South Carolina politicians, candidates and lobbyists -- including the state's own treasurer -- owe a combined total of more than $2.5 million to the state ethics commission, the agency said Tuesday.

According to the commission's website, a debtor's list was compiled under the Ethics Reform Act, which details public officials, public members, public employees, lobbyists, candidates and committees who fail to pay late filing penalties and enforcement fines.

Topping the list was Eastover Town Council candidate Richard E.R. Johnson, whom the list reported as owing more than $520,000 in back payments.

Ethics commission spokesperson Ami Franklin said Johnson's fines were the result of failure to file a Statement of Economic Interests form or a Campaign Disclosure form. Franklin said the fine began at $100 per form, increased by $10 per day per form for the first 10 days, and $100 per day per form after that.

The highest-profile name on the list was state Treasurer Converse A. Chellis III, who owes the commission $100. Chellis' office disputed the fine, saying the form in question was indeed submitted on time. Chellis said he has paid the fine "as a show of good faith despite evidence to the contrary" until the matter can be resolved.

"Treasurer Chellis takes very seriously his compliance with all State Ethics reporting requirements," said Chellis spokesman Scott Malyerk.

Chellis and Johnson weren't the only ones to make the list. Others from the Midlands owing the commission $1,000 or more include:

• Arnold Karr, Superintendent of Education candidate ($133,263)
• Pat Jones, Bamberg County School Board candidate ($94,100)
• James L. Price, Richland #2 School Board ($72,989)
• South Carolina Working Families, committee ($31,300)
• Bill Branton, 2002 gubernatorial candidate ($28,345)
• Sharon P. Jackson, Richland County Council candidate ($16,507)
• Moses H. Clarkson, lobbyist ($9,600)
• Donald D. Bradley, Social Work Examiners Board ($5,200)
• Timothy N. Glover, Winnsboro Town Council ($4,700)
• Rudy Williams, lobbyist ($4,000)
• Jonathan Mangum, Lexington #5 School Board trustee ($2,600)
• Johnny T. Wood, SC Commission for the Blind ($2,600)
• Anthony Gibson, Eastover Town Council ($1,900)
• Samuetta V. Marshall, Orangeburg County coroner ($1,652)
• Charles Bamberg, Branchville Town Council candidate ($1,400)
• Anthony G. Mizzell, Richland County Council candidate ($1,000)

The ethics commission website says some people on its list may have removed their debt since it was posted on August 26. Commission officials say they are in the process of removing those people from the list.

Once collected, all fines will be kept by the ethics commission. If they're not collected, liens will be filed in person's county of residence and sent to the Dept. of Revenue for collection.

To view the full list of candidates, visit the South Carolina State Ethics Commission website.

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