Barack Obama has a plan for our children. He wants every child across the nation enrolled in a government early education program.

Left wing academics and labor organizers hatched the plan. Sadly, their goals are social, not educational. They understand that government pre-Kindergarten isn’t academically effective. Obama’s own Department of Health and Human Services determined that among students participating in these programs “there was little evidence of systematic differences in [the] children’s elementary school experiences through 3rd grade.”

Thankfully, Barack Obama’s plan has been blocked in Washington by conservative Republican lawmakers, including our South Carolina delegation.

But somehow, a version of the Obama pre-kindergarten plan has been inserted into the South Carolina State Budget, and we need you to call and help get it blocked. This plan would expand a small court-ordered trial program in certain rural areas into a statewide government pre-Kindergarten program.

How the Obama early childhood education agenda worked itself into the budget isn’t yet clear. What is clear is that we must stop it!

Please click here to get the phone numbers of our Republican Senators and let them know that we need them to defeat this amendment.

We cannot allow the left to send taxpayer money to a controversial Obama social program in South Carolina; especially when they won’t let families make choices about where their children attend K-12 schools.

The time to stand up against Obama’s government-run early childhood program and for real options for students in elementary and secondary schools is right now!

Sincerely,

Chad Connelly
Chairman, South Carolina Republican Party

P.S. This vote will likely take place early next week, so make sure to make many calls this weekend! Please make sure your voice is heard!

IRS harassed South Carolina group, SCGOP Chair calls for independent counsel

Columbia, S.C.- In the past 24 hours, a South Carolina Tea Party group has come forward after being targeted by the IRS for nearly three years.

In September 2012, the IRS sent Laurens County Tea Party founder Dianne Belsom “a letter requesting extensive information about the group’s activities, including its Web site, Facebook page and other online accounts.”

The Laurens County Tea Party initially requested tax-exempt status in July 2010. The group has still not received an answer. (Source: http://www.viralread.com/2013/05/14/irs-tax-harassment-scandal-tea-party-south-carolina/)

S.C. Republican Party Chairman Chad Connelly commented, “The Obama Administration using the IRS to target political opponents and silence dissent is beyond reprehensible. It is dangerous for our constitutional Republic and must not be tolerated.

“On behalf of many South Carolina Republicans, I call on President Obama to immediately appoint an independent counsel and special prosecutor to investigate the political abuses at the Obama IRS.”

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Columbia, S.C. – At today’s S.C. Republican Party State Convention, delegates overwhelmingly re-elected current State Chairman Chad Connelly, giving him almost 75% of the vote. Connelly immediately begins his second term as SCGOP Chairman. He was first elected in 2011 from Newberry County.

Delegates gave of votes 15% to Samuel Harms of Greenville County, and 10% of votes to Stephen Brown, also of Greenville County.
Chairman Connelly previously defeated Brown in 2011.

After his win, Chairman Connelly issued the following statement:

“I am honored and humbled to have the confidence and trust of our state delegates. Over the past two years, I have enjoyed visiting them in every county across our beautiful state. The South Carolina Republican Party’s grassroots are truly stronger than ever, and we will never relent in the fight for conservative solutions to stop Barack Obama, Vince Sheheen, and the South Carolina Democrats’ destructive agenda.”

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Columbia, S.C. – South Carolina Republican Party Chairman Chad Connelly today issued a statement on the Ethics Reform proposal passed this week by the S.C. House of Representatives and sent to the S.C. Senate:

“Earlier this week, the House of Representatives passed the most sweeping changes to South Carolina’s ethics laws in 20 years and today the Republican leadership in the Senate made it very clear that they intend to pass the bill before the end of session. South Carolina is on the verge of becoming one of the most ethical and transparent states in the nation, and the only question remaining is will Vince Sheheen and his Democrat colleagues push this bill across the finish line, or will they stand in the way?

“These changes are too important to the people of this state to delay any longer. Senator Sheheen, the unquestioned leader of his Party, should focus his time and energy the remainder of this session to ensure that every South Carolinian gets the open and honest government we deserve.”

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In accordance with South Carolina Republican Party Rules and on behalf of the South Carolina Republican Party it is our pleasure to announce the convening of the 2013 South Carolina Republican Party State Convention for the purposes of electing state officers, and for other party business.

The 2013 State Convention will be held THIS SATURDAY, May 4, 2013  at the Carolina Coliseum in Columbia (the same location as the 2012 State Convention).

Registration for delegates and alternates will start at 8:30AM; the Convention will convene promptly at 10:00AM.

All delegates and alternates planning to attend this year’s convention must click this link to register for the Convention. Please be advised that no cash will be accepted at the door. Please register online. If for some reason you are not able to register online, only check or credit card will be accepted.

Some counties have pre-paid by check for all of their delegates.
If this is the case for you, there is no need to pay, but click the link, and select “other payment options.” This will allow us to know you are planning to attend!

HOTEL ACCOMMODATIONS 

When we picked this date for the convention we picked it on a weekend Columbia wasn’t supposed to be busy (no USC graduation!) However, it turns out now that Columbia is likely to be VERY busy the weekend of our convention. The Democrats also have their State Convention (Saturday), their fundraising dinner (Friday Night), and there is a huge concert at Williams-Brice Stadium (Saturday Night). If you are planning to stay in a hotel, please contact them soon.

Some hotel options are:
Staybridge Suites .9 miles from Convention $101 (803)-451-5900
Holiday Inn Express .7 miles from Convention $109 877-834-3613
The Whitney Hotel 1.7 miles from Convention $98 (803)252-0845
Hampton Inn Downtown .3 miles from Convention $179 (803)231-2000
Courtyard Columbia Downtown at USC (across from Convention) $179.00 (803)799-7800

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Our 2013.SCGOP.COM website has an in-depth list of “Frequently Asked Questions” as you prepare for the 2013 State Convention. A sample of these questions and answers are below. Other questions may be accessed here, and resolutions, changes to rules, and changes to the platform can be accessed HERE as they become available.

Silver Elephant Celebration: A Tribute to Sen. Jim DeMint featuring Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX)
On Friday, May 3, 2013 (the night before our Convention) South Carolina Republicans will gather for the 46th Annual Silver Elephant Celebration. The dinner will be a tribute to US Senator Jim DeMint and features rising Republican star US Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX)!

We hope you’ll join us this night to celebrate our party!
Click here for more details and to purchase tickets!

Chad Connelly, Chairman of the South Carolina Republican Party, issued the following statement:

“Governor Sanford demonstrated to voters tonight his deep understanding of the need to solve the massive debt facing our country—after all, it’s something he’s been fighting for his entire career.”

“While repeating tired talking points, Elizabeth Colbert-Busch showed an inept understanding of the issues. Instead of telling voters why to cast a vote for her, Colbert-Busch chose to continually launch personal attacks at Governor Sanford. This isn’t surprising given that Colbert-Busch is trying to hide her liberal views from the voters.”

“Voters in the 1st District know that Nancy Pelosi disciple Elizabeth Colbert-Busch is no centrist and is rather a rubber stamp for the unions and progressives. Voters know Governor Sanford’s exemplary record, and they’ll return him to Congress next Tuesday”

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I have some great news that I couldn’t wait to share.

Earlier this year, it was my honor to visit Israel with U.S. Senator Rand Paul. On our journey across the Holy Land, I invited Senator Paul to spend time with our great Republican activists and leaders in South Carolina:

CLICK TO PLAY VIDEO

Since then, Senator Paul and I have kept in touch and today I’m proud to announce that he will join us for a South Carolina Republican Party fundraiser on June 28. I appreciate Senator Paul’s friendship and know you’ll also enjoy meeting him.

More details will be coming soon – keep an eye on your email!

Until then, please make sure to join us at this year’s Silver Elephant Dinner featuring U.S. Senator Ted Cruz. We’ll honor Senator Jim DeMint’s great service and enjoy some time together before Saturday’s State Convention. (click links for tickets to each)

See you soon!

Chad Connelly
Chairman
South Carolina Republican Party

The 2013 Silver Elephant will be held on Friday, May 3, 2013. For more information please visit http://cruz2013.eventbrite.com

In truth, we appreciate Senator Sheheen’s belated involvement in this process, as we both hope and expect it means that he, as the self-desired leader of the Democratic Party, will be able to deliver to votes of his Senate Democratic colleagues on the final passage of an ethics reform bill this year – something that is far more important to the State of South Carolina than any political agenda.

However, since we have heard nothing from the good Senator until this morning, there are a couple of provisions in the indisputably non-partisan, non-ideological report on ethics reform released by the McMaster-Medlock Commission that would directly affect Vince Sheehen, one of South Carolina’s most prominent lawyer-legislators.

And being that he’s now decided to weigh in on ethics reform, we think the public would like to know what he thinks about the following recommendations:

Recommendation #4: Current law does not prevent lawyer-legislators from “influencing in any way” the appointment process for members of a state agency, commission board, department or other entity if that lawyer-legislator represents a client for a fee before that entity.   The McMaster-Medlock commission has recommended making such influence prohibited at every level.

Question #1: Does Senator Sheheen believe that current law, which allows a lawyer-legislator like himself to participate in the subcommittee and committee process of appointing someone that that legislator may later appear in front of as well as allowing that legislator to directly try to influence a Senate colleague’s vote on the appointment – is sufficient?  Would he support outlawing the current practice of lawyer-legislators like himself influencing the appointment process at all stages save the final vote?

Recommendation #5: Current law only prohibits lawyer-legislators from represent clients before state entities they have voted to place a member sitting on that entity for 12 months after that vote.  The McMaster-Medlock commission has recommended extending the 12 month ban to 24 months.

Question #2: Does Senator Sheheen believe that a lawyer-legislator like himself should be able to represent clients in front of individuals they have voted for after a “cooling-off” period of merely one year, or should that prohibition be extended to two years?

Recommendation #7: Current law requires lawyer-legislators to disclose income they earn by appearing before a state entity, but not when the state is the opposing party.  The McMaster-Medlock Commission has recommended that the reporting requirements be expanded to include fees to themselves or their firms for handling cases where the state of South Carolina or a state agency is the opposing party.

Question #3: Does Senator Sheheen believe that a lawyer-legislator like himself should have to report the money he derives from suing the State of South Carolina or her agencies, or does he believe that as is current law, the public has no right to know how much legislators like him are profiting from suing South Carolina?

Chad Connelly, Chairman of the South Carolina Republican Party, today issued a statement following the announcement that liberal Democrat Vincent Sheheen plans to run, again, for South Carolina Governor.

“The Vince Sheheen that announced for Governor today is even more liberal than the Vince Sheheen that voters rejected in 2010. Today’s Vince Sheheen fully supports President Obama’s failed policies. Today’s Vince Sheheen fully supports Obamacare, which will bankrupt our state. Today’s Vince Sheheen wants to raise taxes on South Carolina families, as he outlined in his new campaign manifesto. Voters rejected Vince Sheheen’s liberal policies once before and next year, they’ll do it again,” said Chairman Connelly.

“Governor Nikki Haley has an amazing record of fostering job creation in South Carolina. Yesterday, Boeing announced 2,000 more jobs. Governor Haley has made jobs announcements in almost every county and businesses are literally flocking to the new ‘it’ state, thanks to Governor Haley’s leadership. I have no doubt that South Carolinians will return Nikki Haley to the Governor’s Mansion.”

The South Carolina Republican Party also announced the launch of http://www.VinceSheheen.com which will highlight the positions of liberal Democrat Vincent Sheheen.

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