Charleston City Councilman Indicted
PRESS RELEASE
July 13, 2005
Columbia, S.C. July 13, 2005 Attorney General Henry McMaster announced today that a Charleston County Grand Jury has returned
three (3) criminal indictments against Larry Roy "Kwadjo" Campbell, Jr., 33, with a last known address of 48 America Street, Apt. B, in Charleston.
Campbell is a member of Charleston City Council.
The first indictment is for Failure to Deposit Campaign Contributions Into a Campaign Account, a misdemeanor violation of §8-13-1312 of the Code of Laws, and punishable to one (1) year imprisonment and/or a $5,000 fine. The indictment alleges that Campbell, while a candidate for public office, on or about the period between April 6, 2000 and October 20, 2003, committed a crime by accepting campaign contributions which were not then deposited into a campaign account as prescribed by law. Records
provided by the State Ethics Commission indicate that some thirty (30)-contribution checks totaling $13, 974 were converted to cash by Campbell, but were never reported in campaign finance disclosures to the commission.
The second indictment is for Acceptance of Unlawful Campaign Contribution, a misdemeanor violation of §8-13-1314 of the Code of Laws, and punishable to one (1) year imprisonment and/or a $5,000 fine. The
indictment alleges that Campbell, while a candidate for public office, on or about the period between November 7, 2003 and November 17, 2003,
committed the crime of soliciting and accepting campaign two (2) campaign contributions of $1,500 and $2,500 which exceeded the maximum
contribution limit of $1,000 one thousand dollars as prescribed by law. The indictment also alleges that Campbell failed to deposit the two (2) campaign
contributions into a campaign bank account and failed to report the two (2) contributions in campaign finance disclosures to the commission.
The third and final indictment is for Misconduct in Office, a misdemeanor violation of the Common Law of South Carolina, and punishable to ten (10) years imprisonment. The indictment alleges that on or about the period beginning on or around January 1998 through January 2004, Campbell, a public official, willfully and intentionally engaged in acts of misconduct by committing acts in breach of his duties to the public of good faith, honesty, and accountability as a Councilman for the City of Charleston.
The alleged acts of misconduct include, but are not limited to: accepting campaign contributions in excess of those allowed by law, failing to deposit
campaign contributions into a campaign bank account, failing to maintain proper records of campaign contributions and expenditures, and filing
false disclosure reports regarding campaign contributions to the State Ethics Commission.
Upon the return of the Campbell indictments, Attorney General McMaster immediately notified Governor Mark Sanford that the matter rose to the
level of "a crime involving moral turpitude," and that in accordance with Article VI, § 8 of the Constitution, he may "suspend Councilman Campbell."
In his letter, McMaster wrote, "There is no question that the common law offense of misconduct in office constitutes a crime of moral turpitude, particularly if the facts as alleged in the indictment so indicate."
"In this instance, the Indictment alleges, among other things, that Councilman Campbell filed 'false disclosure reports regarding campaign contributions
to the State Ethics Commission.' The law abundantly recognizes that filing a false statement is a crime of moral turpitude."
A bond hearing or arraignment date has not yet been set. The case was investigated by the State Ethics Commission and will be prosecuted by the Attorney General's Office.
McMaster stressed that all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until they are proven guilty in a court of law.
NOTE: The indictments and Attorney General McMaster's letter to Governor Sanford may be viewed at:
www.scattorneygeneral.com/newsroom
(http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=555otmbab.0.e6kntmbab.fmrqqibab.47&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.scattorneygeneral.com%2Fnewsroom)
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Contact: Trey Walker or Mark Plowden
Office of Attorney General Henry McMaster
803-734-3970
[email protected]
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