Attorney General Defends Choice to Fire Special Prosecutor

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina’s top prosecutor is defending his choice to fire a special prosecutor he had appointed to investigate corruption within the state’s Legislature.

During a news conference Wednesday, Attorney General Alan Wilson told reporters that Solicitor David Pascoe hadn’t even been one of his top five picks to handle the case. Wilson says he didn’t feel Pascoe knew what he was doing and hadn’t responded to a request to meet over the case.

Wilson had designated Pascoe to lead the prosecution against former House Speaker Bobby Harrell, who ultimately pleaded guilty to six misdemeanor campaign spending violations and resigned last fall.

No other lawmakers have been charged.

Earlier this week, Wilson’s office said Pascoe was being fired because of leaks to the media and an “obvious abuse of power.”