To say that FITSNews‘ Will Folks and Columbia lobbyist/political consultant Larry Marchant are tight would be an understatement. One might make allegations of money exchanging hands, but we recall what happened last time we wrote about allegations that didn’t come with something official. Like a police report.

After the Free Times broke the news of Marchant’s DUI arrest, interested parties were no doubt drawn to see what Folks would write about his pal. If you want to reread it, joke’s on you. It’s not there anymore.

Gov. Mark Sanford nearly impeached for cheating on his wife in Argentina while taxpayers payed the tab.

Former State Treasurer and rising political star Thomas Ravenel sent to prison on charges he operated a cocaine ring.

Former Sanford spokesman Will Folks pleading guilty to criminal domestic violence.

Lobbyist and political consultant Larry Marchant thrown in jail for driving under the influence.

A four-star failure, and embarrassments, all of them. Thus has been the public lives of four of the major players in South Carolina’s antagonizing school choice movement. The policy proposal that was once considered the most divisive in the State House is now hurdling to Earth in a fireball of humiliation and seems set to peter out to the lonely sound of a lone blogger’s key strokes.

How many of these guys are going to implode this effort, one personal scandal at a time? And when are people going to start connecting the dots? This so-called “reform movement” is having a meltdown, principal by principal, consultant by consultant.

You can’t trust an issue being peddled to you when you can’t trust the people pushing it and the lawmakers writing bills about it.

Larry Marchant, the gentleman who runs the Palmetto Policy Group and shills for big-time insurance and private school choice, apparently won’t use his stacks of the long green to call a cab. God forbid — that’s what the poors do! So, he got pulled for driving under the influence just after midnight on Dec. 23.

You see, the thing about Larry is that he has a tendency to speed. That’s what led to this charge.

DURING THE LISTED INCIDENT DATE AND APPROX TIME REPORTING OFFICER WAS SITTING STATIONARY ON THE SIDE OF THE ROADWAY FACING WEST BOUND ON THE 2500 BLOCK OF DEVINE STREET RUNNING STALKER II RADAR. REPORTING OFFICER OBSERVED THE LISTED VEHICLE TRAVELING EAST BOUND ON THE 2400 BLOCK OF DEVINE STREET AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED. SPEED WAS CONFIRMED BY STALKER II RADAR AT 47 MPH IN A 30 MPH ZONE. REPORTING OFFICER INITIATED A TRAFFIC STOP ON THE 2600 BLOCK OF DEVINE STREET. UPON CONTACT WITH THE LISTED SUBJECT, WHO WAS THE DRIVER OF LISTED VEHICLE, REPORTING OFFICER DID SMELL A STRONG ODOR OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE COMING FROM INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. SUBJECT STATED THAT HE WAS COMING FROM HAVING A FEW DRINKS. REPORTING OFFICER ASKED SUBJECT TO EXIT AND STEP TO THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. SUBJECT HAD A STRONG ODOR OF ALCHOLIC BEVERAGE ABOUT HIS BREATH AND PERSON, SPOKE WITH SLURRED SPEECH, AND WAS UNSTEADY ON HIS FEET. REPORTING OFFICER CONDUCTED HORIZONTAL
GAZE NYSTAGMUS TEST, WALK AND TURN TEST, AND ONE LEG STAND TEST ON THE LISTED SUBJECT, WHO DID FAIL ALL THREE TESTS GIVEN. DURING HORIZONTAL GAZE NYSTAGMUS SUBJECT HAD LACK OF SMOOTH PUSRSUIT IN BOTH EYES, DISTINCT AND SUSTAINED NYSTAGMUS AT MAXIMUM DEVIATION IN BOTH EYES AND ONSET OF NYSTAGMUS PRIOR TO 45 DEGREES IN HIS RIGHT EYE. SUBJECT ALSO CONTINUED TO MOVE HIS HEAD DURING THE TEST AFTER BEING INSTRUCTED SEVERAL TIMES NOT TO DO SO. DURING THE WALK AND TURN TEST, WHICH WAS CONDUCTED ON A FLAT AND LEVEL SURFACE, SUBJECT WAS UNABLE TO KEEP BALANCE DURING INSTRUCTIONS, SUBJECT STARTED BEFORE BEING TOLD TO DO SO, AND WAS NOT ABLE TO TOUCH HEEL TO TOE WHILE WALKING AND STEPPED OFF OF THE LINE SEVERAL TIMES. DURING ONE LEG STAND SUBJECT PUT HIS FOOT DOWN TWICE, CONTINUED TO USE ARMS TO KEEP BALANCE AFTER BEING INSTRUCTED NOT TO DO SO, AND SWAYED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO KEEP BALANCE. SUBJECT WAS PLACED UNDER ARREST FOR DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE, AND SPEEDING 47/30. SUBJECT WAS THEN READ HIS MIRANDA WARNING. SUBJECT WAS TRANSPORTED TO CPD HEADQUARTERS WHERE HE WAS READ HIS IMPLIED CONSENT RIGHTS AND WAS OFFERED A BREATH ALCOHOL ANALYSIS TEST, WHICH HE REFUSED. SUBJECT STATED THAT HE DID WISH TO HAVE AN INDEPENDANT TEST OF HIS OWN CHOOSING CONDUCTED, BUT REFUSED TO ADVISE REPORTING OFFICER WHERE HE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE IT DONE AT. SUBJECT WAS THEN TRANSPORTED TO A.S.G.D.C. LISTED VEHICLE WAS TOWED FROM THE SCENE BY ELGINS TOW SERVICE LOCATED AT 1220 LAURENS ST. SUBJECT’S SCDL WAS MAILED TO THE SCMDV ALONG WITH A COPY OF THE NOTICE OF SUSPENSION DUE TO THE SUBJECT’S REFUSAL TO TAKE A BREATH ALCOHOL ANALYSIS TEST.

Lt. Gov. André Bauer has allied himself with Marchant, and considering Bauer’s adventures behind the wheel, this could turn out bad for his campaign. As well, there are rumors about other campaigns that may have enlisted the services of the Marchant consulting firm that was created in May, but we won’t know those for sure until the Jan. 10 disclosure reports.

The police report

Under imminent threat of litigation, we’ve pulled the post we put up about recent developments with Columbia lobbyist and political consultant Larry Marchant. It was a mistake to run with it, and we officially apologize, and officially retract what we said in the post.

Apparently, not all of Gov. Mark Sanford’s power base is transferring over to Rep. Nikki Haley in the GOP primary race for governor. Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer, who hasn’t always been on good terms with Sanford, has picked up part of that support, according to his second quarter disclosure report.

First is the fact that, beyond hiring Virginia consultant Chris LaCivita, he has also joined forces with lobbyist Larry Marchant. Marchant is known best for his firm, Palmetto Policy Group, lobbying on behalf of South Carolinians for Responsible Government. Bauer apparently is also locating his campaign headquarters in the PPG/SCRG/S.C. Club for Growth building at 3020 Devine Street in Columbia. We didn’t know before, but it looks like Marchant’s political strategy operation is called, “Black Label Strategy.” As of yet, we’re not sure if that relates to clandestine activities or an affection for a particular type of liquor.

Then there are contributions from close-circling planets in the Sanford system, Mallory Factor and Thomas Ravenel.

Contributions: $121,764.72
Expenditures: $50,553.05
Cash on Hand: $570,376.57

Of note:

CONTRIBUTIONS
Jim Miles Law Firm, $1,000
Former secretary of state
Margaritaville Enterprises, $3,500
Jimmy Buffett’s company
James D’Alessio, $500
VP of Government Affairs, Blue Cross Blue Shield of SC
Mallory Factor, $1,000
Power broker, &c.
Walgreens, $3,500
Drug store
Burnie Maybank, $500
Former director of S.C. Department of Revenue
Thomas Ravenel, $1,000
Former state treasurer

DISBURSEMENTS
3020 Devine Street LLC (rent), $200
Black Label Strategy (consulting), $2,000
Jessica Caswell (phone, reimbursement, retainer), $155.98, $186, $2,500 x2
Advancing Strategies (consulting) $5,000 x2
The Campaign Connection (fundraising), $2,758.93, $4,116