The curious case of Sen. Robert Ford
There are few attractions like one to someone who has been on the opposition, then coverts to your cause. Such has been the love affair between supporters of school choice and Democratic Sen. Robert Ford of Charleston.
Ford is known for his idiosyncratic tendencies, and buttressed that belief by signing on as a lead sponsor for this session’s attempt at getting a school choice bill through the General Assembly. Tuesday, he led off a news conference in the State House rallying support for the bill.
However, Ford’s support has some S.C. political observers raising an incredulous eyebrow at the Charlestonian’s conversion.
During his 2008 primary campaign, Ford received $8,000 from entities affiliated with New York City real estate magnate and school choice supporter Howard Rich. It lead to the speculation that he would join sides with other Rich-backed legislators this session. It should be noted that he paid the South Carolinians for Responsible Government and S.C. Club for Growth-affiliated (and Republican) consulting firm Richard Quinn and Associates $461.10 (The Copy Shop) on July 2, 2008 for 1,500 letters and $5,324.32 (Mail Marketing Strategies) on June 4, 2008 for mail, voter file access and postage.
Several weeks ago, Ford went on a junket with several other legislators to a school choice conference in Philadelphia. Ford has said he has met with Rich, which was most likely at this gathering. At that point, it was only a matter of time.
Ford’s stance is a marked departure from the recent past. In 2007, he voted against an amendment put forth by Sen. Larry Grooms that would have included vouchers into a school choice bill backed by Superintendent of Education Jim Rex.
In an article in The State, Ford admitted that Rich and others lobbied him to adopt his current position, and he was seen talking to Palmetto Policy Group lobbyist Katie Dunning in his office. PPG is the chief lobbying arm for SCRG, and recently had to part ways with associate J.J. Darby. According to sources close to Wolfe Reports, this was because Rich had pulled most of his lobbying money out of South Carolina. The funding mix for the current push is likely only to be known by insiders.
More cynical politicos have said that Ford is leading the school choice fight this year as a way to pull thousands of Rich-backed dollars for his long-shot gubernatorial effort. Though Ford said this was not the case, he admitted he would not refuse the money.
In support of the bill, SCRG produced a palm card, which has since made its way around Columbia. The card, and after an investigation, the SCRG Web site (alg22.timberlakepublishing.com), is parked on a Americans for Limited Government (alg31.timberlakepublishing.com) server, which is hosted by the Northern Virginia firm Timberlake Publishing. Rich is the chairman of ALG.
