State rep. calls for impeachment inquiry into state comptroller

Summerville, S.C. (WOLO)– A state representative is calling for an impeachment inquiry against the state comptroller general after a $3.5 billion error.

Rep. Gil Gatch (R-Summerville) filed a resolution Thursday directing the House Judiciary Committee to begin an immediate inquiry into whether Richard Eckstrom should be impeached.

According to Gatch, Eckstrom recently told the Senate Finance Committee that the state’s annual financial reports for the past ten years have overstated how much cash the state has on hand to the tune of $3.5 billion dollars.

Eckstrom, according to Gatch, blamed the error on double counting some of the same state funds for more than 10 years.

“I am concerned the truth about this was purposefully hidden from the public,” said Rep. Gatch. “This is a grave miscarriage of public trust. If there was ever a reason for which the House should act on our authority to impeach, this rises to the top. At the end of the day, this is a $3.5 billion error, and we must hold the responsible parties accountable.”

Gatch says Rep. Heather Bauer (D-Columbia) and Rep. Matthew Leber (R-John’s Island) are among the co- sponsors of the resolution.

Eckstrom released a statement to ABC Columbia News saying, “I do not take the job the voters have entrusted me with lightly, I keep politics out of it, and I have always valued my strong working relationship with members of the General Assembly. I look forward to answering questions or concerns legislators have in the days and weeks ahead – just as I have before.  We will do what it takes to make sure they are as confident as we are about the work this office does for the taxpayers going forward. Our constituents deserve nothing less.”