2012 Election

South Carolina Politics: Still Nasty, And Now With Electronic Records

By Michael Scherer | @michaelscherer | May 26, 2010 | +

The website of a South Carolina blogger who has confessed to an “inappropriate physical relationship” with Republican candidate for governor, Nikki Haley, has now published reams of electronic messages that certainly suggest the Haley campaign, which has denied the allegations, thought something was going on. At one point, according to the messages, the Haley campaign manager texts the blogger to say, “I think we both deny it. I think an affadavit is something we can beat down. Legally and politically.”

Later the same campaign manager texts the blogger, “I’m telling you man, we keep this under wraps and nh is going to win.”

Under wraps? There is still no clear evidence, in the text messages or elsewhere, that the blogger’s claims about an inappropriate physical relationship are true. Read all the published messages here. Haley, meanwhile, is blaming the allegations on political opponents.

Related Topics: 2010, nikki haley, South Carolina, 2012 Election

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  • nflfoghorn

    Y’all coulda warned us about f-bombs!

  • nflfoghorn

    …but they look so nice in italic font.

  • josephp55

    I’m no Nikki Haley apologist. But there are a few problems with Will Folks’ accusations:

    1. It doesn’t appear that he has any message from Haley herself—it’s all campaign aides, and one message from Folks to Haley.

    2. There is no way to know that these communications are authentic—Folks could be making them up or changing them.

    3. Will Folks appears to be a slimeball—why is he suddenly bringing this up now?

    I await further developments before making any judgments.

  • kevin

    Yeah, same here. Maybe this is true, maybe not. Right now it just seems like he-texted-she-texted.

  • gysgt213

    He said these texts were about the days leading up to the story breaking in the news. Not they were between him and her. A reporter was looking into the story already and the campaign people were apparently attempting to tell him STFU. That’s my reading anyway.

  • gysgt213

    Even Folks is telling the truth and they did have an affair. There probably is no way the guy can prove it, so why on earth would you even communicate with the guy?

  • billiecat

    I know y’all think those texts are too silly, immature and just plain dumb to be the work of actual adults who are seeking to run the government of a real, live state, and so you reasonably doubt the underlying tale. But, golly, that’s just par for the course here in the world’s largest open air insane asylum.

  • sevenoaks07

    This is becoming SOP nowadays. I guess because it is Sanfordland it takes on an additional piquancy. The level and quality of the exchanges does not reflect well on political operatives. Has it ever? Why have this text exchange in the first place?

  • artraveler

    Remember, this is South Carolina you are talking about. How can you forget “hiking the Trail” so soon?

  • billiecat
  • billiecat

    How can I forget when the hiker is still “my” governor?

  • allthingsinaname

    Well according to TPM no one is denying the Text msgs, and are actually acknowledging them, including her campaign manager.

  • kathy

    Utterly fascinating. Don’t remember reading one of these he said she saids where I didn’t have an opinion who was lying and who wasn’t, (or at least who was lying more) and I really don’t here.

    Either Folks is incredibly dumb to have tried to pre-empt the story by publishing it himself (I doubt he’s that dumb), or

    He’s pushing his blog, or

    He’s wanting Barrett elected governor, or

    He made this all up for some other reason, or

    Haley is one cool custormer who’s learned well from SPalin that lying with conviction is often successful.

    It is a little difficult to believe these are actual messages between actual adults. But then, remember when Gingrich (I think it was) was taped calling on a a cell phone, or when Craig left a message on somebody’s answering machine thinking it was his lawyer’s office?

    As a drama it’s lots of fun, but I’m quite sure it isn’t for real people living it.

  • allthingsinaname

    see my post 3.3

  • hellslittlestangel

    Nasty?

  • kathy

    billiecat: thanks for the link. Why do you suppose these people would like they’re having so much fun? What a place.

  • nflfoghorn

    Quite.

  • mfbattle

    I am sorry but if these email are true all these people are idiots. Who puts anything in writing that could come back and bite them? You must know that emails and text messages will stay out there, and can be intercepted (if you have seen the wire or law and order). I admit I have never been involved in any ‘cover-ups’ or any illegal activity, but I will not even sent an email to a workmate complaining about one of my students, because I know it could come back at me. I would not support this candidate because she and her staff are idiots (if the texts are true).

  • apr2563

    Are we sure Haley wasn’t hiking the Appalachia Trail with Sanford?

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