Ethics Commission Member Says AG Wilson Should Investigate Haley

In a move that is almost sure to draw a response from Gov. Nikki Haley, a member of the ethics panel that cleared Haley earlier this month is now saying that the matter should be decided by the attorney general.

District 78 Rep. Joan Brady, R-Richland County, said that Attorney General Alan Wilson should take over the investigation into alleged improprieties on Haley's part.

Brady said Tuesday the case has become too convuluted and that Wilson's involvement could assure that both the governor and the Ethics Committee's integrity.

“Through all these silly political machinations in this process, there has been one — and only one — constant: there has been absolutely zero merit to any of the claims against the governor," Rob Godfrey, Haley spokesman. "She always followed the law. Period. That will be as true tomorrow as it was last December when John Rainey and Dick Harpootlian began this vindictive, but meritless, political goose chase.”

Brady's panel had dismissed the charges against Haley and then subsequently asked for more information from the governor.

Brady plans to make her proposal to let the attorney general take over during Wednesday's session.

The pushback Friday came on the heels of a similar effort on Thursday by Haley to point the finger at Harrell. The ethics committee is again looking into whether Haley illegally lobbied on behalf of both Lexington Medical Center and Wilbur Smith Associates, two lobbyist principals that employed the future governor when she served in the House.