Adam Fogle just sent this release out:
Benjamin raises over $108K in 2nd QuarterColumbia, SC — Columbia Mayor Steve Benjamin raised more than $108,000 for his re-election campaign during the second quarter of 2013, according to a campaign disclosure report filed with the SC State Ethics Commission at ethics.sc.gov.“I am humbled and honored that so many individuals across our great city are willing to share their hard-earned treasures in support of our campaign,” Benjamin said. “These generous donations give us the momentum we need to go to November and win.”
Added Benjamin, “Whether it’s $25 or $250, our donors share our vision of One Columbia — a city that is a safe, that fights for taxpayers, that spends wisely and thinks boldly, with a growing economy and plenty of good-paying jobs to support our families. I thank each of them for investing in that vision and joining me as we work together to make it a reality.”Over 300 individual donors made a financial contribution to Benjamin’s campaign in the last three months totaling $108,304.53. The campaign now has over $100,000 on hand to spend with more than a full fundraising quarter remaining before the November 5 election.Benjamin is seeking a second term as mayor of South Carolina’s capital city.# # #
The mayor might need all that and more. I’ve been seeing a lot of “Moe!” signs around town. If you’re riding with me when I see one, you can tell, because it causes me to do my Curly impression.
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Interesting story re: Capt. Novarro & Interim Chief Santiago over at WISTV: http://www.wistv.com/story/22844064/cpd-captain-santiago-wanted-me-to-plant-gun-drugs-in-top-city-officials-car
Very interesting, if true…
What would motivate Captain Navarro to pursue this unless it was true? It’s basically a scorched earth
approach.
And why won’t Theresa Wilson talk to Jody Barr or let Interim Chief Santiago talk to Jody Barr? What’s up with that?
Don’t know, but not only is Ruben not like that, no one with any experience with Allison Baker would believe that he is involved in cocaine. He is a straight arrow if ever there were one, and ueber-calm.
Navarro’s story is nutsy.
Why would Ruben think Randy would move into Allison’s spot, or that Ruben would be promoted. Les Wiser, for one, was disappointed that HE didn’t get appointed interim!
This deserves its own thread.
Kathryn – Yeah, the whole “Alison Baker on coke” thing struck me as beyond the pale of likelihood, although stranger things have happened. My interaction with Alison Baker, IC Reuben Santiago has always been positive, and even my limited interaction with Ms. Wilson was satisfactory.
Navarro’s affidavit is definitely nutsy.
Plus, if Reuben was the “King of Signal 9” why would he even want to be Chief? Wouldn’t chief be a demotion from king?
That being said, I hope that SLED or the FBI will investigate the entire thing. The allegations, while farfetched, are serious enough to warrant an external investigation. Particualrly if the department’s internal affairs unit is compromised.
Do you think we will ever go a month without seeing a story about corruption and/or incompetence in the city of Columbia?
Yes, mos def bring in SLED or the Feds! We hope the mayor has learned that!
Teresa Wilson said the Navarro was fired for taping conversations. Why would Navarro be taping conversations if he didn’t have some reason to suspect that something fishy was going on?
Is it really OK for Mayor B’s campaign to report a $100 contribution from “Anonymous Anonymous”? That seems to violate the whole principle of campaign contribution reporting.
I wonder if Anonymous Anonymous is related to Major Major Major Major…
Steve’s donor list is basically a who’s who of Columbia, but I thought that Anonymous Anonymous had better sense than that….
Didn’t you mean a “who’$ who”?
It’s all about the Benjamins. You give me a little, I give you back a lot of other people’s money.
Mayor Benjamin better take note, the state ethics commission is getting serious:
http://www.wistv.com/story/22856863/haley-agrees-to-pay-fine-forward-8-donations
any payday lenders? The Major has always fancied payday lenders.
Hughes?
Hughes wasn’t on the list. However, many local developers were. Of course, they have some money, so that’s to be expected. Lots of lawyers, too (for Juan)….
Local lawyers often give to everyone, for good measure, I understand.
And why would they do that, Kathryn?
They don’t seem to have been quite so generous to Moe or Sypolt. Not that I blame them! Benjamin’s a shoe-in for reelection.
Teresa said he was fired for taping, not showing up at his new post and spreading rumors, etc. Taping is against personnel policy, which Navarro reportedly acknowledged. He also was spotted shredding extensive quantities of documents, some of which they are trying to reconstruct.
Seems like they are very quick to comment on Navarro’s firing but when pressed on Randy Scott’s departure, they clam up and hide behind “it’s a personnel matter”. Why so quick to attempt to smear Navarro?
This doesn’t pass the sniff test.
I think that’s odd too, Doug.
I can understand Capt. Navarro taping a conversation if he were trying to collect evidence against Santiago. He should have gone directly to the FBI with any evidence directly if he didn’t feel that he could trust CPD’s internal affairs division or SLED to investigate the matter properly. There’s so many connections between CPD, RCSD, SLED and the Solicitor’s office, it would be hard to go to any of them with a corruption problem.
because Randy’s leave of absence was medical-related, and there’s this HIPAA thing. Navarro was fired.
Kathryn, normally an employer isn’t a covered entity under HIPAA.
Employers cannot reveal medical information about employees to the public!!
Oh, yeah, that’s right. Poor man has a bad case of PTSD. So we shouldn’t hold him accountable for his actions…or the City for facilitating his charade.
PTSD is a real thing. I hope you never suffer from it.
What actions do you think he should have been held accountable for?
Is Scott cured now? Is he carrying a weapon?
I absolutely believe that PTSD is real. Trust me.
That is what makes me call B_S_ on Randy Scott. I don’t doubt he has problems, issues, whatever. That’s clear.
The City of Columbia is the one we ought to first hold accountable; Scott was just happy to accept the outrageous retirement plan that the City offered just for him. But the ex-Chief is still responsible for his actions (you know, the one’s the City doesn’t want to reveal) regardless of whether he had a mental breakdown or was just a guy who made a series of bad, self-centered, self-destructive choices and then got caught.
shoo-in. It’s from horse racing……
I honestly don’t know why some do. I see where, say, Nexsen Pruet might benefit, when its client Bob Hughes wants to deal, but small time criminal lawyers?
and it’s shoo-in, from horse racing
K – Thank you for the education on “shoo-in” versus “shoe-in”! Not sure why the comments are out of order though.
Got my first phone survey for mayoral election today — went with the ever popular “undecided.” Undecided never asks for donations.