Watch: Richland Delegation Calls for Suspension of Recreation Director

Richland Co., S.C. (WOLO) — State lawmakers from Richland County are calling for the suspension of the Richland County Recreation Commission’s Executive Director James Brown until the completion of the law enforcement investigations.

During a Tuesday meeting at Midlands Tech. legislators clashed over the correct course of action for the problem plagued Commission and it’s leader.

A 9-5 vote decided the delegation’s recommendation for the paid suspension of Brown.

In addition to facing multiple civil lawsuits alledging sexual corruption, Brown is at the center of the RCSD, SLED and FBI’s investigation into public corruption at the commission.

According to Richland County Representative Beth Berstein,”Any kind of normal course of business you would suspend somebody it there’s this cloud hanging over the director.”

The delegation’s decision is only advisory, as the commission alone has the authority to decide job status of the director.

However some law makers still say the recommendation is inappropriate.

Senator John Scott says, “We have interfered in an investigation. We have leaned from one side to the other side. When in fact we should have let the FBI SLED and all those in the investigation complete their investigation and this delegation not get involved.”

Further complicating the delegation’s decision is the recent announcement that Richland County Council announced they’d be freezing more than $8million of the Commission’s funding until an audit is completed.