Operation Lost Trust: Difference between revisions

[[File:South Carolina State House.JPG|thumb|The South Carolina State House.]]

'''Operation Lost Trust''' was the name of an [[Federal Bureau of Investigation|FBI]] investigation into the [[South Carolina General Assembly]] from 1989 to 1999. By the end of the investigation, seventeen members of the [[South Carolina General Assembly]] were arrested for bribery, extortion, or drug use. Operation Lost Trust is often considered the greatest political scandal in the history of the state of [[South Carolina]]. It directly influenced the passing of South Carolina's Ethics Reform Act of 1991, and led to the restructuring of the state government in 1993. In its wake, the once -dominant [[South Carolina Democratic Party]] was weakened as a political party, and the [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican Party]] emerged as a viable political entity in the state.

In 1989, the [[Federal Bureau of Investigation]] began investigating the [[South Carolina General Assembly]] after the narcotics arrest of Ron L. Cobb, a lobbyist and former Democratic<ref>{{Cite web |title=Former Representative Ron L. Cobb |url=https://www.scstatehouse.gov/member.new.php?code=0368181774&session=0 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20231029090117/https://www.scstatehouse.gov/member.new.php?code=0368181774&session=0 |archive-date=29 October 2023 |access-date=29 October 2023 |website=South Carolina Legislature Online}}</ref> member of the [[South Carolina House of Representatives]]. The FBI supplied Cobb with a boat located in [[Hilton Head Island, South Carolina]] and an office in [[Atlanta]] for the purposes of misleading state lawmakers into believing that he represented the Alpha Group, a fake organization seeking support for a bill legalizing dog and horse-track betting. Cobb was instructed to bribe lawmakers with campaign contributions in return for their support for the bill.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.statehousereport.com/2016/12/16/history-operation-lost-trust-2/|title=Statehouse Report – HISTORY: Operation Lost Trust|language=en-US|access-date=2019-05-31|archive-date=2019-05-31|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190531171508/http://www.statehousereport.com/2016/12/16/history-operation-lost-trust-2/|url-status=live}}</ref>

In July 1990, a grand jury subpoenaed the campaign finance records of all 170 members of the General Assembly, consequently revealing the existence of the investigation.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1990/08/25/us/5-south-carolina-lawmakers-indicted-in-corruption-inquiry.html|title=5 South Carolina Lawmakers Indicted in Corruption Inquiry|last1last=Smothers|first1first=Ronald|date=1990-08-25|work=The New York Times|access-date=2019-05-31|last2=Times|first2=Special to The New York|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331|archive-date=2019-05-31|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190531171507/https://www.nytimes.com/1990/08/25/us/5-south-carolina-lawmakers-indicted-in-corruption-inquiry.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The investigators were looking for self-reported disclosures of the in-total $30,000 that investigators doled out to tempt lawmakers during the election season.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.postandcourier.com/politics/lost-trust-shook-state-years-ago/article_92d416f5-eab6-5e84-b3f1-d73105187928.html|title=Lost Trust shook state 20 years ago|last=Kropf|first=Schuyler|website=Post and Courier|date=4 July 2010 |language=en|access-date=2019-05-31|archive-date=2019-05-31|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190531231203/https://www.postandcourier.com/politics/lost-trust-shook-state-years-ago/article_92d416f5-eab6-5e84-b3f1-d73105187928.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Five legislators, including State Representative Robert A. Kohn (R),<ref name=":0" /> were initially indicted for failure to disclose the payments and violating the [[Hobbs Act]]. Kohn later agreed to cooperate with prosecutors. While the four indicted members of the General Assembly in the House of Representatives were suspended from official duties, the lone senator, William Richard Lee (R),<ref name=":0" /> was able to continue his work in the [[South Carolina Senate]].

#ThomasJohn LimehouseCharles “Jack” Lindsay (D) — State RepresentativeSenator from Dorchester[[Marlboro County, pleadedSouth guiltyCarolina|Marlboro]]; tofound chargesguilty ofin conspiringthe toLost acceptTrust a bribe and tampering with a witness.investigation, Sentencedbut todied 20during monthsappeals.<ref>[{{Cite web|url=https://www.apnews.com] /6e9c689fbd5ac5bd3a29975a32f1cc0c| December 7, 1990 | title=Former State Lawmaker Pleads Guilty in Statehouse Scandal | BRUCE SMITH | Associatdwebsite=[[Associated Press ]]| [access-date=2021-04-23|archive-date=2021-04-23|archive-url=https://wwwweb.archive.org/web/20210423180517/https://apnews.com/6e9c689fbd5ac5bd3a29975a32f1cc0c]|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=1991-92 Bill 518: Lindsay, Senator John C. "Jack" - South Carolina Legislature Online |url=https://newswww.googlescstatehouse.comgov/newspapers?nid=1980&dat=19930406&id=HVQvAAAAIBAJ&sjid=xdoFAAAAIBAJ&pg=3624,1390185&hl=ensess109_1991-1992/bills/518.htm |titleaccess-date=The Item 2023-06-23 Google News Archive Search|website=www.scstatehouse.gov}}</ref>

#Jack[[Jefferson LindsayMarion Long Jr.]] (D) (John Charles Lindsay)— State Senator from Marlboro[[Horry County, foundSouth Carolina|Horry]]; guilty into the$42,000 bribe.<ref name="ReferenceA"/><ref>Ex-Sen. Long, Lost Trust investigationFigure, butDies, diedThe duringPost appealsand Courier, Apr. 28, 2003.</ref><ref>{{Citecite webnews|urlwebsite=https://www.apnewsgoupstate.com/6e9c689fbd5ac5bd3a29975a32f1cc0c | title=FormerEx-state Statesenator Lawmakerinvolved Pleadsin GuiltyOperation inLost Trust Statehousedies Scandal|websiteagency=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref><ref> | date=Apr 28, 2003 | url=http://chroniclewww.augustagoupstate.com/storiesnews/199720030428/12/04/met_218526.shtml#.Vj25uvmrS1s {{Dead link|date=February 2022ex-state-senator-involved-in-operation-lost-trust-dies}}</ref>

At that time, South Carolina required that state lawmakers report any campaign contributions they received to the respective ethics committee of their governing body. After the initial five indictments made the news, Governor [[Carroll A. Campbell Jr.]] (R) and Speaker of the House [[Robert Sheheen]] (D) both stated that reforms to this system were in order.<ref name=":0" /> Out of the 28 indictments in total (lobbyistsincluding wereindicted also indictedlobbyists), only the indictment of Representative TomTimothy Castles Wilkes (D)<ref>{{Cite news |date=23 May 1991 |title=Five Men Indicted in S.C. Statehouse Investigation |work=Greensboro [[News & Record]] |url=https://greensboro.com/five-men-indicted-in-s-c-statehouse-investigation/article_b0f82ba8-f17d-5ef5-88d4-bfba57d8dbf0.html |url-status=live |access-date=30 October 2023 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20231030105109/https://greensboro.com/five-men-indicted-in-s-c-statehouse-investigation/article_b0f82ba8-f17d-5ef5-88d4-bfba57d8dbf0.html |archive-date=30 October 2023}}</ref> resulted in a nonot guilty verdict.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.abccolumbia.com/2014/11/21/operation-lost-trust-the-tim-wilkes-story/|title=Operation Lost Trust: The Tim Wilkes Story|date=2014-11-21|website=ABC Columbia|language=en-US|access-date=2019-05-31|archive-date=2019-05-31|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190531171506/https://www.abccolumbia.com/2014/11/21/operation-lost-trust-the-tim-wilkes-story/|url-status=live}}</ref> The South Carolina Legislative Black Caucus raised concerns about the large number of [[African Americans|African American]] lawmakers charged during the investigation.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.goupstate.com/article/19910223/News/605191726|title='LOST TRUST' Fant pleads guilty|website=GoUpstate|language=en|access-date=2019-05-31}}</ref>

In response to Operation Lost Trust, state lawmakers passed the Ethics Reform Act of 1991. This act made it illegal for lobbyists to give any gift, including a campaign contributioncontributions, to any serving member of the government. It also capped donations from lobbying firms (lobbyists themselves had to be uninvolved in the decision) to $1,000 when it was previously unlimited. The act also regulated how businesses and organizations which employ lobbyists could entertain lawmakers, ensuring that the entertainment was conducted only in formal groups.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Cindi |first=Ross Scoppe |title=What Operation Lost Trust meant to South Carolina |url=https://www.thestate.com/opinion/opn-columns-blogs/cindi-ross-scoppe/article81437732.html|title=What Operation Lost Trust meant to South Carolina|lasturl-status=Editor|first=Cindilive Ross Scoppe Associate|websitearchive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190531205521/https://www.thestate.com/opinion/opn-columns-blogs/cindi-ross-scoppe/article81437732.html |languagearchive-date=en2019-05-31 |access-date=2019-05-31 |website=thestate |language=en}}</ref>

On February 23, 1993, a bill was introduced to the [[South Carolina House of Representatives]] to restructure the state government.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.scstatehouse.gov/billsearch.php?billnumbers=3546&session=110&summary=B|title=South Carolina Legislature Online - Bill Search by Bill Number|website=www.scstatehouse.gov|access-date=2019-06-01|archive-date=2019-06-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190604101222/https://www.scstatehouse.gov/billsearch.php?billnumbers=3546&session=110&summary=B|url-status=live}}</ref> Up to this point, the governor of South Carolina had largely been a ceremonial figurehead with limited power. However, after Operation Lost Trust, the General Assembly voted to give the governor what was essentially a "third" of its power.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|url=https://www.thestate.com/news/special-reports/state-125/article57020613.html|title=Scoppe: 1993 restructuring law gave SC governors their first hint of authority|website=thestate|language=en|access-date=2019-05-31|archive-date=2019-05-31|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190531205522/https://www.thestate.com/news/special-reports/state-125/article57020613.html|url-status=live}}</ref> According to ''[[The State (newspaper)|The State]],'' the main newspaper of [[Columbia, South Carolina]], "the“the legislation condensed 75 agencies into 17, and let the governor hire and fire the directors of 11.”<ref name=":2" /> The legislature maintained its power over education, road construction, and environmental regulations, while giving the governor power over agencies that imprisoned people, managed healthcare, and collected taxes for the state. South Carolina is still considered a "legislative“legislative state",” with the General Assembly maintaining a large proportion of power over the governor'sgovernor’s appointments, as well as the ability to appoint judges.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://scpolicycouncil.org/research/the-legislative-state-how-the-general-assembly-controls-south-carolinas-government|title=The "Legislative State:" How the General Assembly Controls South Carolina's Government|date=2017-10-25|website=The South Carolina Policy Council|language=en|access-date=2019-06-01|archive-date=2019-06-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190601214858/https://scpolicycouncil.org/research/the-legislative-state-how-the-general-assembly-controls-south-carolinas-government|url-status=live}}</ref>

== ReferencesSee also ==