COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) - The Latest on the release of a State Grand Jury report on corruption in South Carolina (all times local):
4:25 p.m.
After a State Grand Jury report was released saying South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson impeded a Statehouse corruption investigation, Wilson is calling it a political attack and “repackaged and recycled garbage.”
Wilson tells The Associated Press that the grand jury and investigators had a duty to bring charges against him if they thought he did anything wrong, and they didn’t. He called that significant.
The grand jury report released Tuesday says Wilson’s inaction for 13 months meant the statute of limitations on some crimes like federal money laundering ran out.
Wilson says the report took innocent facts like his friendship with a political consultant and makes them look bad.
Wilson is a Republican. Four Republican lawmakers have pleaded guilty in the probe. None served prison time.
Wilson is running for a third term. His Democratic opponent is Charleston lawyer Constance Anastopoulo.
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2:20 p.m.
A State Grand Jury which investigated Statehouse corruption in South Carolina says state Attorney General Alan Wilson took actions that impeded the investigation whether they were intentional or not.
The report released Tuesday after a two-year investigation says authorities lost 13 months as Wilson sat on a report. Then he lost a fight over Solicitor David Pascoe’s authority. The delay meant the statute of limitations on potential federal crimes like money laundering ran out.
Wilson is a client of a political consultant prominent in the report and once called him a father figure. The Republican called it a political smear against his re-election.
The grand jury report also says lawmakers need to pass stricter penalties for ethics violations and more stringent rules on lobbying.
Four Republican lawmakers have pleaded guilty. None served prison time.
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