House Speaker Bobby Harrell Has No Details on $325k in Self-Reimbursements

South Carolina Speaker of the House and District 114 Representative Bobby Harrell reimbursed himself in excess of $325,000 for expenses according to a story by Renee Dudley in Monday's edition of The Charleston Post and Courier. However, Harrell did not provide receipts for those expenses, which date back to 2008.

Legislators are required to document their expenses to confirm that campaign money is being used for political purposes only and not personal spending.

Harrell, who is a licensed pilot and has served in the General Assembly since 1992, flew from Charleston to Columbia more than 100 times according to the Post and Courier. He also was reimbursed for trips to the Master's golf tournament in Augusta, Ga., Miami and Key West, among others.

Harrell insisted in an email to the newspaper that he is in compliance with state ethics laws, but the Ethics Commission described his actions as "improper."

Ethics laws are enforced by the six-member Ethics Committee. Five of those members received campaign donations from Harrell's Political Action Committee, as did more than 100 other state legislators.

Earlier this year, Harrell was perhaps the most outspoken critic of Gov. Haley during her ethics investigation. Harrell is being challenged for his seat in November by petition candidate John Steinberger and Green Party candidate Larry Carter. 

You can read the full story from The Post and Courier HERE.