Anderson County Council Councilwoman Gracie Floyd handed out this letter which she has submitted to the S.C. State Ethics Commission.
Councilwoman Gracie S. Floyd
1201 Ramona Drive
Belton, SC 29627
November 18, 2013
The Ethics Commission
Attn: Herbert R. Hayden, Jr. Executive Director
5000 Thurmond Mall, Suite 250
Columbia, SC 29201
RE: Conflict of Interest re: M. Cindy Wilson
Dear Mr. Hayden,
I am writing to you as a member of Anderson County Council. A majority of Anderson County Council (Ms. Wilson included) voted to authorize a lawsuit against the former County Administrator, Joey R. Preston relating to the serverance vote taken on November 18, 2008.
After 3 years of litigation, including a multi-day trial in front of the Honorable Roger Couch, the court found that during the vote regarding Mr. Preston’s serverance, Ms. Wilson (along with Mr. Waldrop) was voting under a conflict of interest.
Throughout the process, Ms. Wilson has continued to participate in the process and has failed to recuse herself, even after the verdict and the clear finding that she was voting under conflict of interest.
Since that request, the Circuit Court Judge has now re-affirmed his decision and, again, detailed M. Cindy Wilson’s conflict of interest in voting on matters involving Joey Preston. Despite this, Ms. Wilson has an item on the agenda for our Council Meeting on 11/19/2013 to vote to appeal the case against Joey Preston.
I believe that Ms. Wilson’s failure to recuse herself, despite the Court’s finding of her conflict of interest, constitutes a violation of the State Ethics and Accountability Act land the Anderson County Code.
Accordingly, in to request a formal investigation into the actions of Council member M. Cindy Wilson to determine if any violations have occurred.
I am enclosing those orders for your review. I can be reached at the above address or at 864-226-3491. I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
The Honorable Gracie Floyd
Anderson County Council Member