After our MyrtleBeachSC News article went live concerning campaign filings by Conway Mayor Barbara Blain-Bellamy, a Conway area resident officially filed an ethics complaint.
The filings by Blain Bellamy record a contribution from Duplicates Ink owner John Cassidy of $3,500. It is illegal to contribute more than $1,000 per person per cycle to a candidate running for office.
Said Cassidy, “I have never donated any money nor provided any free printing to any politician.” Cassidy appeared upset about Blain-Bellamy’s filing when we reached out to him by phone. Blain-Bellamy has of this date not corrected her filing.
PENALTY FOR SUCH VIOLATIONS AS PER SC LAW
SECTION 8-13-130. Levying enforcement or administrative fees on persons in violation; use of fees and costs.
The State Ethics Commission, Senate Ethics Committee, and House of Representatives Ethics Committee may levy an enforcement or administrative fee on a person who is found in violation, or who admits to a violation, pursuant to Title 2 or Title 8. The fee must be used to reimburse the commission, the appropriate legislative Ethics Committee, or combination thereof, for costs associated with the investigation and hearing of a violation. The costs associated include:
(1) the investigator’s time;
(2) mileage, meals, and lodging;
(3) the prosecutor’s time;
(4) the hearing panel’s travel, per diem, and meals;
(5) administrative time;
(6) subpoena costs to include witness fees and mileage; and
(7) miscellaneous costs such as postage and supplies.
These fees and costs are in addition to any fines as otherwise provided by law.
Donald Smith is the campaign manager for Blain-Bellamy. If Smith did the filings himself for the mayor, he would also be considered an accessory to her unethical actions.
Smith hires a local, liberal blogger as a mouth piece for the Mayor’s campaign efforts. His “rarely read” mouthpiece largely practices yellow journalism. This writer consistently writes on the same topic over and again Ad nauseam.
The actions and tactics of Bellamy’s campaign manager are obsolete at best, as well as, ethically concerning. Of recent runs, Smith loses more than 70% of the campaigns he has managed for local candidates. High profile losses include his campaign efforts to win a House of Representatives seat for Case Brittain and a scatter shot campaign Donald Smith ran for former North Myrtle Beach County Councilman Harold Worley.
Worely was favored to win his seat but lost to an upstart in Jenna Dukes, while spending $84,000 in a nonsensical campaign effort put forth by Donald Smith of Lucky Dog Promotions.
Case Brittain ultimately won a seat as an S.C. House Representative, but only after wasting tens of thousands with Smith.
Ethics were a big part of Smith’s efforts in this campaign as well as he took monies representing both Case Brittain, and his opponent, Alan Clemmons during that same election cycle.
MyrtleBeachSC News has since learned that Smith’s global political tactics are likely to be a part of a soon coming lawsuit.
Ethics Complaint Filed on Conway Mayor by MyrtleBeachSC news on Scribd