Bernstein and Brady Fight to the Finish Line

It’s safe to say Joan Brady and Beth Bernstein won’t be having dinner together anytime soon. As they compete to represent House District 78 in the General Assembly, in the final weeks of their campaign the race has grown increasingly acrimonious.

On Friday, Bernstein held a press conference slamming Brady with conflict of interest accusations. Bernstein noted that Brady has received nearly $30,000 in campaign contributions from embattled House Speaker Bobby Harrell or from Political Action Committees aligned with Harrell.

Harrell is likely to face ethics complaints when the House reconvenes in January. Brady is a member of the House Ethics Committee and if a complaint is filed against Harrell, she would be faced with the prospect of investigating one of her largest financial supporters.

Bernstein released the following statement after the press conference:

"This is a clear example of the 'fox guarding the hen house', and one big game of ‘You scratch my back, and I’ll scratch yours.’ It is wrong. And such conduct should not be legal. I’m calling on Representative Brady to ask Speaker Harrell to withdraw his financial support, and by doing so, completely eliminate any appearance of impropriety. I am not casting judgment as to whether or not the allegations against Speaker Harrell are legitimate; however, I would like to shine a light on the glaring conflict of interest his financial support presents. It is so important that our elected leaders demonstrate through their actions that honesty and integrity actually matter. Representative Brady has been in the legislature for almost a decade and has not once proposed any reforms to our ethics laws.  She is using the gaping loopholes in our ethics laws to benefit her own flailing campaign. Representative Brady should know better. And while she has now recently begun talking about ethics, her actions speak much louder than her words. I want the people of District 78 to know my vote in the legislature will never be for sale. I will work tirelessly to not just talk about ethics reform, but you will see me be a crusader to end the corruption at the State House. Because to me, this isn’t just a political campaign. This is about the future of my community and my state."

See all of Bernstein’s and Brady’s donors HERE.

Brady meanwhile, released a statement featuring a slew of endorsements that were bi-partisan in nature and included Sen. Lindsey Graham. Here they are:

"In 2009, Joan literally ‘led the charge’ on passing the Responsible Father Registry, thus shortening the time children must spend in foster care. I believe Joan has been, and will continue to be, a tireless champion on behalf of SC’s most vulnerable children, giving them, and all of us, a better future. Joan is my hero!"

—Rachel E. Silver, Richland County Foster Care Review Board Member

“Joan Brady has been a champion of open government and a strong conservative leader in the House for tax reform.”

—Don Weaver, President of the S.C.  Assoc. of Taxpayers

“Joan is one of the most effective women in the S.C. General Assembly today. She is practical, prepared and fair-minded—and studies the issues before taking a stand on them. A tireless advocate on behalf of women and children, she has sponsored legislation to improve children’s health and community safety and to combat teen dating violence and teen ‘sexting.’ Although I am a Democrat, and she is a Republican, I applaud her work in the legislature.”

—Laurie Walden, community activist

“Representative Joan Brady has worked diligently for years to improve the safety and well-being of women and children in South Carolina. In addition to her position as the co-chair for the bi-partisan Joint Citizens and Legislative Committee on Children, she has fought for legislation that would increase accountability for perpetrators of domestic and dating violence.  And, most recently, she championed efforts to restore critical funding to the 15 Rape crisis centers across our state, ensuring that adult and child victims of sexual assault have access to the support and services they need and deserve. Representative Brady demonstrates the fact that sexual assault and domestic violence are not partisan issues; they are epidemics that impact everyone in South Carolina.  And, she has shown that, with the right leaders, we can improve the lives of women and children in our state.”

—Pamela Jacobs, Executive Director of the S.C. Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault

"As a long time Richland One administrator and a longtime friend of Joan, I know firsthand her commitment to public education and our students.  We need to get Joan re-elected so she can continue her work on behalf of SC's children."

—Marian Crum-Mack, Principal of Brockman School in Richland District One

“Like Joan Brady, I’m one of only three Republican State Representatives from Richland County. We can’t have the Democrats run us out of our own county; we need Joan Brady in Columbia fighting alongside me for conservative causes for all South Carolinians. The Democrats have targeted Joan and it’s time for us to show our support for her hard work and dedication to our state. I hope you’ll join me in supporting her re-election. Please take a friend with you to the polls and vote for Joan Brady for House District 78.”

–Nathan Ballentine, SC State Representative, District 71

“Joan Brady is a reformer with results. She has saved taxpayers almost $16 BILLION while in office, allowing families to take home more of their hard-earned pay. Joan has cut taxes on small businesses to create more jobs, is the only true fiscal conservative in this race, and she's the only candidate with a proven record of integrity.”

—Congressman Joe Wilson 

“Joan Brady is a dedicated mother and public servant for Richland County. As Attorney General, I worked with Joan to keep our kids safe from violent predators and criminals like drug dealers and sex offenders, and we worked together to stop the illegal manufacturing of methamphetamine drugs. I know that Joan Brady is a woman of strong integrity and an iron will to make South Carolina a better place for our families.”

—Henry McMaster, former S.C. Attorney General

 “Joan is a common sense Republican who has always supported keeping taxes low so we can spur economic growth and create more jobs.”

—U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham 

“Joan Brady’s local government experience makes her uniquely qualified to handle the issues most important to the law enforcement community.”

—Leon Lott, Richland County Sheriff