Exclusive: Dan Cooper Bought and Paid for by Out of State Corporations

“Lexington County can’t be bought — not from New York City, Greenville or anywhere.” -Jake Knotts, The State, 6/25/08

“They’re outside of the state, trying to do a hostile takeover of state government. ”-Gene Pinson, The State, 6/2/08

“My contributions have been from people and or companies that I know, people I work with .” -Bill Sandifer, The Daily Journal, 5/31/08

“They’re trying to get a bloc of legislators that they control… They don’t care one flip about this state.” Keith Kelly, The Spartanburg Herald Journal 3/23/08

Over the course of the most recent primary season in South Carolina, few subjects were discussed with the same frequency and intensity as “out-of-state special interests.” Newspapers, talk radio and blogs have expended much print space and time in discussing the impact of “out of state” money on South Carolina elections.

In all the pious editorials about “outside influence” and indignant comments by incumbent politicians, the real story of out of state corporate-bought influence has been studiously avoided.

In reality, the politically motivated uproar has been carefully crafted to mislead voters by trying to convince them that out of state money in local races is a recent phenomenon exclusively tied to education reform groups.

The real situation is much bigger and far more disturbing.

Corrupt South Carolina politicians maintain power through an incumbency machine running on money from out of state, corporate special interests.