Our weekly Top Five feature offers big stories or views from the past week with policy and legislative implications.
- OUCH: Pascoe prevails, Wilson stung Statehouse probe, The Post and Courier, July 14, 2016
The S.C. Supreme Court ruled 4-1 Wednesday that 1st Circuit Solicitor David Pascoe may continue his Statehouse corruption probe. It’s a big loss for state Attorney General Alan Wilson, who tried to take back the investigation after initially giving Pascoe the authority to conduct it. In the 26-page ruling, the court wrote: ““Since we find Pascoe was acting with the authority of the Attorney General when he signed the initiation of the state grand jury investigation, we hold the initiation was lawful and valid. Because we find Pascoe lawfully authorized the initiation of the state grand jury investigation, the Attorney General’s purported termination of Pascoe after the initiation of the state grand jury was ineffective.”
- Scott describes police treatment, Associated Press, July 14, 2016
U.S. Sen. Tim Scott said he has been repeatedly pulled over by law enforcement officers and that he was once stopped by a capitol police officer, who didn’t believe he was a senator.
- Special House panel to review state’s retirement system, The State, July 13, 2016
Concerns over the state’s underfunded pension plan, as highlighted in our story last week, have led to a special House oversight panel to look into the fund and how its members are picked.
- Prosecutors consider task force on police shootings, The Post and Courier, July 12, 2016
The S.C. Commission on Prosecution Coordination will consider forming a task force to study how officer-involved shootings and allegations against law enforcement are handled in the state.
- Race relations at lowest point in 20 years, The New York Times, July 13, 2016
A new poll shows nearly 70 percent of Americans say race relations are generally bad. Six in 10 say race relations are getting worse — up from 38 percent just a year ago.
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