Lawmaker Calls for Solicitor Dan Johnson to Release Financial Audit or Resign from the Race
COLUMBIA, S.C. (WOLO)– Representative Todd Rutherford, (D) Richland, calls on solicitor candidate and incumbent Dan Johnson to come clean or resign from the race. The Post And Currier reported accusations against Johnson regarding how he has spent county money. Rutherford is demanding to see the audit before the elections on Tuesday. He said the voters deserve to know the truth before casting their ballot.
SLED and the FBI are investigating Johnson after hearing reports of him using county money to pay his brother, an Arizona-based DJ thousands of dollars to work at parties the solicitor hosted. Rutherford also said Johnson’s books show he has taken take trips to Vegas, Miami, and thGalapagosos Islands; and even spending more than $30-thousand on gym memberships, all on the county’s dime.
“If an audit was going to show that I did nothing wrong, I’d be running down the street waving that audit. I would’ve passed that audit to everybody, everybody would have the answers. What I’m afraid of is that what that audit shows. That in fact he did misspend money, that he did in fact break the law of S.C, and he’s trying to hide it until after the election,” Rutherford said.
Johnson said in March he was having an independent audit done in Greenville. Rutherford said no audit would take this long to complete and he has yet to see proof that an audit has even been filed, or what company is doing the audit.
“He has not answered why money was spent on an orthodontist appointment. Why it was spent buying 2 first class tickets by someone who still works for him, at the using county money,” Rutherford said.
Rutherford has filed a Freedom of Information Act requesting to see the audit and any emails or other communications regarding the audit. Solicitor Johnson has until Friday to respond, otherwise, he will be violating federal law, which Rutherford said he would be willing to pursue.
“These are Donald Trump games ladies and gentlemen. This is what Donald Trump did with his tax returns, this is what Donald Trump does with the truth. We don’t need this in Richland county, we deserve better than this from somebody that is prosecuting these very kind of cases.”
Solicitor Johnson sent us a response to these allegations via an email. The email reads, “This 11th hour call from Mr. Gipson and Mr. Rutherford smacks of desperation. I’m not sure who’s pulling their strings, but I believe the people will decide by showing up to the polls and voting on Tuesday, June 12th. And, as I have previously stated, we hired an independent firm to conduct our audit.”
ABC Columbia is still waiting to hear who is conducting the audit and when it will be completed. Live from the solicitor’s office, angela rogers, abc columbia news.
