Murrells Inlet, April 8, 2019 – Steve Hoffman has announced his intention to endorse Ed Carey for the new Chairman of the Horry County Republican Party. The Party will have its biennial convention this coming Saturday at the Ten Oaks Middle School in Carolina Forest where new party officers will be elected.

Steve has stressed the need for a positive campaign that will unite all factions of the Republican Party within Horry County and even has kind words for the previous Chair and Vice Chair; “Dreama and Gerri were indeed the “Dream Team”. I want to personally thank Dreama for stepping up to the plate as Chairman after Robert Rabon could not seek reelection two years due to health reasons. Dreama had experience in the party as the treasurer under the Rabon administration and she had years of experience with the National Federation of Republican Women. And her running mate, Gerri McDaniel is probably one of the best political organizers and campaigners in Horry County, as verified by her outstanding performance leading the Trump for President Campaign in Horry County.”

However, Steve adds; “it soon became readily apparent that there was trouble in River City. Attendance at both membership and executive committee meetings began to decrease. The five standing committees directed by the HCGOP By-laws remained unfilled. After I became Vice Chair of the Party my goal was to at least get the By-Laws Committee and the Planning & Operations Committee formed, which I established in short order. Also, strategic planning, budgeting, and public relations activities were overlooked and basically non-existent during these past two years.”

Steve emphasizes that; “During normal times, these issues would not be too
alarming since as everyone seems to believe; “We are a Red State, a Red
County…and we will always elect Republicans”.

Ladies and gentlemen…the times they are a changing…
All you have to do is look at our neighboring states of Georgia and North Carolina where the Democrat Party has made significant inroads. Even the once solid Red state of Texas recently saw an upsurge in the number of Democrats elected to their statehouse. And then may I remind you that we lost an almost certain Republican Congressional seat down in Charleston just last year.

The Democrat Party now has its eyes on South Carolina. They are organized, well financed and one of their priorities is to turn Horry County Blue. Don’t believe me, just look at the Horry County Democrat Party web page, www.horrydemocrats.org. Their site is loaded with information on their organization, current issues, news, an events calendar packed with Democrat Party activities that are occurring each month throughout our county, and other information on how to donate your time and money to their party.

After reviewing the opposition’s web page, what you do not want to do
(repeat…do not do this) is to visit www.horrycountygop.com . Yes, it is that bad; no calendar of events, not even a tab to join the party or donate your time and/or money.”

It should be obvious to all that the Horry County Republican Party is in dire need of reform. Unfortunately, our current Chairman does not have the skills to reform the party. Worse yet, she does not have the leadership skills to get thing accomplished through people, she like to do things herself without delegating.

The effort to reform our party will take hard work and dedication from a large number of executive committee members, precinct presidents, and volunteers from the Horry County Republican community. It will take a leader who knows how to motivate people to accomplish the necessary tasks and ensure that the HCGOP can effectively counter the Democrat Party threat.

Again, I’d like to thank Dreama for stepping up to the plate during the party’s time of need two years ago, but it is now time to turn over the leadership reins to someone more capable of leading a large political organization.

That person is Ed Carey.

In Liberty,
Steven A. Hoffman
Vice Chairman – Horry County Republican Party

Last Month, MyrtleBeachSC news covered the investigative report put out by the Greenville News. See it here: https://myrtlebeachsc.com/taken-usa-today-reports-82-mbpd-seizures-of-black-peoples-property/.

The report exposes how local government police forces and sheriffs offices are taking millions of dollars in asset seizures without charging anyone with a crime. Reason.com covered this same article and explained how South Carolina police seized more than $17 million over a three-year period.

Representative Smeared By Press?

When we published our report, Representative Alan Clemmons took to social media and stated he had been working on this for years. A press conference was soon called in Columbia featuring Clemmons among other state legislators. Clemmons promised to pass new legislation to end this injustice.

However, Fitsnews reported days later that Mr. Clemmons applied for the job opening for Myrtle Beach City Atttorney. That article turned out to be true. Mr. Clemmons is one of four candidates applying for that job.

ROGUE CITY GOVERNMENT LOBBYING

The City of Myrtle Beach then came out full force in the local press stating through Myrtle Beach Police Chief Amy Prock: State civil forfeiture law may be damaging to local law enforcement, police chief says

NOW THIS

On April 4th, State Representative District 38, Josiah Magnuson took to Facebook writing, “What a travesty. I regret to inform you that the civil asset forfeiture bill (H3307 as previously amended) which was passed by a huge margin in the House was “reconsidered” by House leadership and an amendment was passed to essentially strip the bill of real meaning and instead do a study committee on the issue.”

The House leadership Magnuson speaks of is none other than Alan Clemmons. Representative Clemmons gutted his own bill. Why? What happened? (see bottom of page)

One Rogue City, One Bad Council Woman, One Good Representative

After the bill was gutted, local Representative Rusell Fry took to social media as well. Wrote Representative Russel Fry, S.C House District 106, “I expected resistance from law enforcement on this bill. They don’t support the bill – understood. And I have been open with them in discussing the issue and trying to find common ground, if possible. I believe they recognize there exists a large issue. I support their work tremendously, but right now, on portions of this legislation we do disagree.

And I’m sorry that councilwoman Mary Jeffcoat from MB finds my support for the Constitution disturbing. I find it more unsettling that she is so willing to ignore the rights of our citizens in exchange for a few dollars. Money should not trump constitutional guarantees.

Disappointed as well that My Horry News never thought about at least asking any of the 80% of legislators who support reforms to respond before painting a truly one sided piece that absolutely fails to understand the issue.

In any event, if I was asked by the “news media”, here would be my response: the 5th amendment to our Constitution guarantees that you cannot be deprived of life, liberty or property without due process of law. 40% of all asset forfeiture cases result in either NO criminal charges or the criminal charges being dismissed. Yet the property is often not returned. Think about that for a moment. Your money is taken, you aren’t charged, and you NEVER get back your money, car, house, or asset.

40% is not a few bad apples, as described by in the “news” article. Only if you’re savvy enough or wealthy enough are you able to get it back. Many don’t, obviously which is why that 40% is so disturbing. Additionally, the standards of proof are vastly different in civil courts. Asset forfeiture should be in criminal courts, period. It is far too easy to take property in the civil realm. You don’t answer an incredibly time sensitive and confusing lawsuit? The government just takes your property with virtually NO due process. You shouldn’t have to make a “claim” for your property when it is seized wrongly, and if you don’t or don’t understand how you never get it back (per the article, MB does this).

And finally, police serve an executive branch function at their core – by enforcing the laws. They should not therefore have legislative functions over the power of the purse. Having both the power of the sword and the power of the purse invites abuse. Local governments, councils, or legislatures, who routinely appropriate money to police functions, should be appropriating any lawfully seized assets. By retaining these assets, without review and appropriation through a budget process, civil forfeiture invites the “policing for profit” motive and leads to abuse.”

LEGALLY STEALING

Tourists who visit the city of Myrtle Beach are told by police officers, if you simply surrender your (cash – or valuable asset taken), no charges will be filed and you won’t have to show back up in court. The seizures are often under $300 in cash or cash value.

As those same tourists need to be back on the job in OH, NY, PA, etc on Monday morning, surrendering the money is easier and usually cheaper than coming back to Myrtle Beach and fighting for their legal rights in court.

Say other legislators including Russell Fry and Magnuson: No crime, no charges, no justice. and the city of Myrtle Beach is enriched by the entire process.

” Hiring Benchmark Consulting and creating opportunity zones are two admissions by the city, itself, that some changes are needed. The question remains as to whether the city is truly ready for change.“

After experiencing over 20 years of promises from the Myrtle Beach Downtown Redevelopment Corporation, the city did another recent tax funded study. In 2018, the city hired Benchmark Consultants. It was a pricey choice in an ongoing saga of hiring similar consultants over the past two decades.

In 2009, MyrtleBeachSC news began putting a bright spotlight on City of Myrtle Beach government. No one had previously done ongoing investigative work into the day to day operations of city government.

We paid special attention to the city’s relationship with the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce, which it funds at over $24 million annually in tax payer monies. Those funds are used for promoting the Myrtle Beach city brand.

We also closely examined it’s fee based relationship with the Downtown Redevelopment Corporation (DRC) which the city pays around $1.8 million annually in parking fee (tax) subsidies to run the organization. We examined the 20 year results produced by the DRC and questioned the merits of funding that organization in news article after news article. We also examined how the organization harassed downtown business owners who later sold their properties to either the city or a DRC board member under duress. Lawsuits are being filed ongoing now because of such.

We continue to highlight the city’s promoted promises and “supposed” results that city government, the chamber, and DRC make headlines in delivering.

While Myrtle Beach City Government cried foul and hired a professional social media critic in 2018, who also cried foul, we continually asked our readers ongoing, “Does Myrtle Beach really need change?”

If so, is the City of Myrtle Beach ready for change?

City leadership will meet at the Breakers Resort this coming Friday to discuss opportunity zones. This is Mayor Brenda Bethune’s latest tax funded (credit) idea to accelerate what city leaders call positive change. Hiring Benchmark Consulting and creating opportunity zones are two admissions by the city, itself, that some changes are needed. The question remains as to whether the city is truly ready for change.

Noted author Rick Thomas writes and speaks about the 8 signs apparent in a person’s life who is ready for real and positive change.

While the City of Myrtle Beach is a government, we thought it would be helpful to look at those signals in deciding if Myrtle Beach is ready for true change.

We note, practically every qualified therapist states: change is for those who want it, not for those who need it.

Here are the eight signs.

1 – Humility

The repentant person will be a humble person. If they are not humble, they will not think they need to change (Luke 5:32). Actually, it is impossible to change without this characteristic (James 4:6). There’s no such thing as a proud (self-righteous) repentant person. The two cannot cohabitate in the same heart at the same time (Matthew 6:24).

A humble person will focus on themselves in regards to their issues and own what they are responsible for. They will be keenly aware of the enormous log protruding from their own eye, not the speck in their downtown merchant’s. (Matthew 7:3).

Question: Do Myrtle Beach City Leaders have humility?

2 – Responsibility

There will be no finger pointing or talk about the other person’s [downtown merchants, Horry County Government, Local bloggers who only speak negative about the city] issues. . There won’t be any excusing or justifying. They won’t water down what they are doing poorly [beach bacteria issues] and try to minimize their actions. In fact, they will specifically label and call their issues what they are, e.g., mismanagement, greed, heavy handed collusion, fostering high crime, misplaced priorities. (1 John 1:7-10).

Their confession means they are in complete agreement with God about their own issues. (Psalm 32:5). They will take full responsibility for what they have done and make no qualms about it.

Question: Are City of Myrtle Beach leaders truly responsible?

3 – Other-Centeredness

They will be more concerned for the person they sinned against than the unpleasant consequences they are reaping as a result of their actions. The city will be grieved they hurt their residents/business owners/tourists and offended their Savior. They understand their sin is ultimately against a holy God (Genesis 39:9; 2 Samuel 12:13).

Question: How other centered are City of Myrtle Beach elected and staff leaders?

4 – Contriteness

The repentant person will show remorse and have a contrite spirit (Jeremiah 31:19, Psalm 51:17). They won’t just be sorry for what they’ve done; they will commit themselves to doing what is right (2 Corinthians 7:10-11).

Question: How contrite are City of Myrtle Beach elected and staff leaders?

5 – Active Obedience

They will be actively putting off (stop) the old heavy handed, misplaced priority, collusionist behavior, and putting on (start) the new right behavior (Ephesians 4:22). They will not only say they desire to do what is right but will take action to carry it out (Matthew 3:8).

They will look for ways to practically serve and love their city and then like the Nike slogan says, they will “just do it.” You should be able to positively identify specific fruit being manifested in their lives. Things like joy, peace, patience, and all that other good stuff (Galatians 5:22-23).

Question: How actively obedient to our local residents and merchants are City of Myrtle Beach leaders?

6 – Patience and Perseverance

The person that was sinned against has been hurt. A trust has been broken. The repentant person will factor that into their thinking. They will not place demands on the offended person to instantly reconcile. They may even feel like they don’t deserve to be forgiven and restored to their community after what they have done.

They will display patient endurance as their merchants/residents/tourists work through the layers of their heart and hurt. The changing person will persevere and do what is right, regardless of what their constituents do in response (Galatians 6:9). Their aim is to glorify God, even if they don’t get what they want (1 Peter 3:13-14).

Question: How actively patient and perseverant are City of Myrtle Beach leaders?

7 – Transparency

There will be an openness and honesty about the details of their meetings [Example: I-73 meetings with Horry County leaders]. Things like their whereabouts [closed door meetings with DRC, MBACC, key business owners – Brittain family], what they’re planning, how they’re spending their time, our money, and such will be disclosed. Instead of covering up, being vague, and hiding their secrets, they will be forthcoming with information to the questions you ask them (Proverbs 28:13, James 5:16).

Question: How transparent are City of Myrtle Beach leaders?

8 – Seek Help

When a city is caught in a spiral of continuing failure, it will need Spiritual help walking through the process of repentance (see the The Doctrine of Repentance), they will want to have trusted Christian [Spiritual] friends help them in the process.

They will see their need for guidance and input for their decisions from the resident community. The repentant person seeks advice and accountability and then, here’s the kicker, they submit themselves to it. They readily do this because they know their heart’s propensity to self-deceive (Proverbs 12:15).

Question: Has City of Myrtle Beach elected leaders and key staff admitted their heart’s propensity to self-deceive ?

At MyrtleBeachSC news, our job is to turn lights on in dark rooms. The light is now brightly lit for the most part.

Is the City of Myrtle Beach ready for change?

A high profile and highly acclaimed malpractice attorney has filed charges against Henrietta Golding, formerly of the McNair Law Firm. A jury trial has been requested.

Beaufort, South Carolina lawyer Thomas Pendarvis filed a complaint today in the 15th circuit court. The suit specifically lists charges against Henrietta Golding and accomplices that include: 1. Conspiracy, 2. Aiding and Abetting – Breach of Fiduciary Duty, 3. Breach of Fiduciary Duty, 4. Professional Negligence, 5. Negligent Supervision, 6. Breach of Contract

Henrietta Golding is well known locally for her former work representing the City of Myrtle Beach in personnel matters. More recently she was hired to represent the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber as it defends a complaint that the Chamber siphoned millions of tax dollars into crony companies it helped create. That suit continues.

 
The suite states: In 2014, Peggy Jo Rabon hired Henrietta Golding to represent herself and her company, Rabon & Rabon, Inc., with regard to disputes arising with her daughter, Ms.Mitchell, and her son-in-law, Mr. Mitchell.

Over the course of the next four years, the defendant attorneys destroyed not only the financial legacy of Peggy Jo Rabon, but the interpersonal relationship between her children.

The complaint goes on to read: This campaign of destruction was by design. Rather than meet the stated goal of Jack Rabon, the client, by attempting to preserve the assets and reconcile the family, the Defendant lawyers unilaterally waged a war of inflammation and destruction against the assets of both family companies (Rabon& Rabon, Inc. and MB Boardwalk Entertainment, LLC) and the children of Peggy Jo Rabon.

According to the suit: The intentional actions of the Lawyers were for a singular purpose: to fleece the remaining assets of the Rabon Legacy for the financial benefit of the lawyers. Along the way, David Hicks and his law firm assisted in destroying the family and insuring that the most important asset of the family, MB Boardwalk Entertainment, LLC, remain insolvent.

Henrietta Golding – McNair … by on Scribd

As we have reported previously, the complaint includes the actions of former McNair Attorney Lane Jeffries and a contested voided sale of land in downtown Myrtle Beach. Mr. Jeffries reported directly to Mrs. Golding at the McNair Law Firm.

Since the actions, the McNair Law Firm was sold to Burr & Forman, LLP

The entire group of those named in the complaint include: David Hicks, Esq.; MACDONALD& HICKS, P.A.; Lane D. Jefferies, Esq.;Henrietta U. Golding, Esq., MCNAIR LAWFIRM, P.A., n/k/a BURR & FORMAN, LLP

The former Ibiza Club and Natalie’s Bar & Grill have joined in the seemingly unending legal fights against the city of Myrtle Beach over the Superblock, downtown overlay, Karon Mitchell/MBACC, county schools et al. This week’s suit was filed against the city, the Myrtle Beach Downtown Development Corp., David Sebok and John Pedersen (personally).

It is the second lawsuit filed just this week alone in Horry County against Myrtle Beach over superblock properties.

The suit claims police intimation and scare tactics were used against the two businesses. The suit also claims the city used city resources to create a “public smear campaign” against the businesses.

As WMBfnews reported: According to the suit, the city’s harassment became weekly, almost daily, to hinder the completion of the two businesses. Those efforts included rejecting certain improvements and then rejecting the alternative solutions; limiting the leasehold space “without any rational justification or legitimate purpose;” and requiring unnecessary HVAC units that were exorbitantly priced.

City Manager John Pedersen continues to pile up a mountain of lawsuits city resident taxpayers are forced to financially pay for.

Tuesday, March 26th witnessed two coastal towns, Myrtle Beach and Surfside Beach, equally in full tilt.

Myrtle Beach City Council authorized the city of Myrtle Beach to go into secret inter-governmental meetings with Surfside Beach, North Myrtle Beach, and Horry County [among others] over I-73 funding. However, shortly into the city council meeting it became clear that the process was being run by the city attorney, Tom Ellenberg, who is leaving office in June.

The town did not release the name of who the city’s representative would be in holding these negotiations. The town preferred to keep that identity secret, leaving Horry County Council Chairman Johhny Gardner as the only named person negotiating these secret meetings.

This lack of transparency allows the city to lay 100% of the blame on the Chairman when the funding negotiations either do not occur or fall apart. Sources close to city government informed us Myrtle Beach would prefer the $15 million in new tax revenues above funding I-73. The city made a token offer of $7.5 million annually, but is looking for a way out of that offer.

Current city of Myrtle Beach lawsuits with Horry County government allow the county to become the perfect patsy when the funding negotiations collapse.

SURFSIDE BEACH LAWLESSNESS

Last night in Surfside Beach, Surfside Beach City Council dismissed all but one on the city’s planning commission. This after the planning commission sued the city for risking the town’s CRS [flood insurance] rating when removing storm water requirements for the E District.

The town quickly reversed itself and put the storm water requirements back in place.

However, Surfside Beach Mayor Bob Childs, Councilman Randle Stevens, Councilwoman Debbie Scoles, and Councilman Bruce Dietrich voted to terminate practically the entire group last night. A packed auditorium felt the vote was payback for the lawsuit.

In a most appropriate surreal twist, on that same night, the Surfside Beach police chief put in a request that included closing the city’s jail.