COLUMBIA, SC (WIS) -
The leader of South Carolina's Republican Party called a press conference on Monday, but it didn't go as expected. The intention was to criticize Democrats for supporting trial attorneys running for office.
The news conference was supposed to target what GOP Chairman Chad Connelly said were Democratic candidates acting on behalf of a special interest.
"That's why I'm standing here in a vacant lot at Bernstein and Bernstein trial lawyer offices. These law offices represent the place of business for one of Dick Harpootlian's top legislative candidates in Beth Bernstein," said Connelly.
Connelly issued his remarks on property next to the law office of Democrat and House District 78 candidate Beth Bernstein. He said she was one of several Democratic trial lawyers running for legislative positions in the Midlands, and trying to carry out what Connelly called a "hidden agenda."
"They all have one thing in common: their running against hard-working defenders of the taxpayers and business people like Kirkman Finlay, John Courson, and Joan Brady," said Connelly.
What followed was a bit awkward for the Republican leader. Connelly and the Republicans were on Bernstein's property. Her brother and husband quickly appeared and ordered the chairman and his news conference props onto the sidewalk.
Minutes later, Bernstein appeared to flatly deny she'd ever worked as a trial attorney.
"I don't practice criminal defense law. I'm not a trial attorney," said Bernstein. "If I was, I'd be happy to admit it. I do real estate and probate law. Right now, at the time of this press conference, I was meeting with some folks on a probate matter at 1 o'clock. I was closing a refinance."
Bernstein is running against incumbent Republican Joan Brady. She got some additional backup this afternoon from Democratic Chairman Dick Harpootlian, who points out that earlier this month, supporters of GOP incumbent Sen. John Courson had a fundraiser at the home of former US Attorney Pete Strom, who, at one time, headed the state Trial Lawyer's Association.
Harpootlian says, "Romnesia is obviously contagious."
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Chad Connelly
