Latest Updates

  • Senators won't let go of magistrate control

    By RICK BRUNDRETT S.C. senators this year apparently had no interest in legislation to end the longstanding practice of allowing county magistrates to serve months or even years after their terms expired. There's probably good reason for their lack of enthusiasm: Senators largely control who becomes a magistrate and how...
  • True reform? S.C. justices say they won't investigate each other

    By RICK BRUNDRETT South Carolina’s top court has decided to remove itself from investigations of ethics complaints against sitting justices. But for now, members of the Supreme Court – whose six-figure salaries are paid by S.C. taxpayers – can still discipline a wayward fellow justice even with the creation of...
  • $1.8B mystery could cost SC taxpayers millions to solve

    By RICK BRUNDRETT The S.C. taxpayer tab for outside attorneys and accountants hired in connection with investigations into the mystery $1.8 billion could run up to more than $5 million, records show. And so far, no state agencies are claiming their share of the $1.8 billion, while a state task...
  • Mystery $1.8B task force advised by firm with Trump ties

    By RICK BRUNDRETT Update 7/3/24: Four days after we published this story on a global law firm with experience in federal securities investigations that has advised a state task force on the mystery $1.8 billion, the state issued a formal request for proposals – due by July 9 – to...
  • Governor's secret task force still mum on mystery $1.8B

    By RICK BRUNDRETT A task force created by Gov. Henry McMaster to investigate a mysterious $1.8 billion that reportedly is in a state account has met secretly at least six times in less than two months but hasn’t yet publicly released any specific findings. As The Nerve revealed last month,...
  • The multibillion-dollar state surplus that keeps growing

    Editor’s note: This is the first investigative story in a two-part package on massive state financial accounts. The other story can be found here. By RICK BRUNDRETT S.C. lawmakers don’t talk much publicly about this part of the state’s coffers, though it’s a huge chunk of money. Known as “other”...
  • Secret meetings of governor's task force end run around state law?

    Editor’s note: This is the second investigative story in a two-part package on massive state financial accounts. The other story can be found here. By RICK BRUNDRETT A task force created last month by Gov. Henry McMaster to investigate a reportedly unclaimed $1.8 billion in a state account has met...
  • SCPC, SCPIF dispute Commerce's spin on Scout ethics complaint

    May 16, 2024 MEDIA RELEASE The following is a joint statement issued by the South Carolina Policy Council and South Carolina Public Interest Foundation in response to a recent opinion column submitted by S.C. Commerce Secretary Harry Lightsey to at least two news outlets in the state:
  • SC Policy Council, SC Public Interest Foundation file ethics complaint against Scout Motors

    By RICK BRUNDRETT The South Carolina Policy Council – the parent organization of The Nerve – and the South Carolina Public Interest Foundation have jointly filed a state ethics complaint against Scout Motors related to the $1.29 billion state appropriation last year for the company’s electric-vehicle assembly plant under construction...
  • Capped out: State law hurts qualified judicial candidates' election chances

    By RICK BRUNDRETT Update: 7/2/24 - Gov. Henry McMaster signed into a law a judicial reform bill that, among other things, will increase the nominee cap from three to six per judicial seat filled by the S.C. Legislature and will allow the governor to appoint four members of the Judicial...