SC House Meeting Ends Abruptly When ‘Lies’ Remark Questioned

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) _ A House oversight committee looking into the South Carolina Department of Public Safety abruptly ended its meeting after playing a tape of the agency’s human resources director saying there were times when it was OK to lie.

Tosha Autry said Thursday the comment was misunderstood. She says she was saying that people in human resources know confidential information like why someone was fired and can’t talk about everything they know without violating confidentiality rules.

Rep. Kirkman Finlay told Public Safety Director Leroy Smith to get to the bottom of the remark before the committee meets again in a few weeks. He also had the definition of perjury read twice before Autry spoke.

The Department of Public Safety oversees state troopers, state government security and other statewide highway law enforcement.