Columbia, SC (AP)-Republican South Carolina Senate and its elected republican treasurer collided with an unusual hearing when the senators try to start the treasury of the Kurtis Loftsi State by -the -off office More than $ 1.8 billion in accounting.
Listening is the culmination of more than two years of investigation by the Senate, which began when state -owned accountants are inadvertently exaggerated money issued by the college and university for $ 3.5 billion.
This led to the opening of the account error, which began ten years ago when the state passed from one accounting system to another. When accountants could not balance the records in two book sets when they moved thousands of accounts with different definitions, they continued to add it to a special account year after yearup to 1.8 billion dollars.
It took judicial -medical accountants who paid millions of dollars to finally unravel that almost all $ 1.8 billion wereNot real moneyBut just accumulating mistakes.
Both Republican Senators are calling for kicking loftisno longer trustedto process bank accounts of South Carolina. They accused that he was incompetent and never reported the mistakes to the legislators, as required by the law, refusing to take such responsibility.
“He is a liar who was so concerned about his public appearance that he would do and say something to cover his mistake,” said Senator Stephen Goldfinch.
Loftis called the Senate InvestigationHunting for witches. He repeatedly talkedNot enough moneyAnd the mistakes were not made in his office, although others testified. Treasurer said he continues to focus on mistakes, threatening the state’s high credit rating.
His Barber’s Debore lawyer opened a three -hour treasure trove with photo of Lofteis and Republican President Donald Trump on the screen. She noted that he won the election four times and will face voters again for 14 months. Earlier, Loftis said he would not run for re -election.
“People do not want you to be told that you are better than them,” Barber said from a temporary lectin at the back of the Senate State Chamber. “Let such issues be resolved in the ballot boxes.”
Senators can ask questions at the end of the hearings. The Senate will need a two -thirds vote to determine that Loftis committed a “intentional neglect of duty” and send a case to a ward, which should also draw his own voice two -thirds for removing the treasurer.
Thirty -one of 40 senators present on Monday will have to vote against Loftis to continue the process.
No office owner was removed in such a way as South Carolina became a state 225 years ago.
Republican leaders in the House of Representatives do not give any instructions whether they will deal with this issue.
The books have not yet been corrected, and the accountants continue to fight the Lofteis office and how they fight the state’s bank accounts, the groom said.
Treasurer tries to defend his 14 years as a reputation of the competent conservative leader who is always looking for taxpayers, the grooms said.
“Because of his failures, the self-proclaimed best friend of the taxpayer cost tens of millions in legal, audit and supervision,” Glaison said. “With such friends who need liberal taxation.”
Senate SubcommitteeHeld hearingsLoftis questioned. They were controversial. Loftis crashed into the documents, accused the senators of hunting witches and threatened to get up and leave.
When the hearing started on Monday, he did not show any external signs of frustration and anger.
Originally this story was presented on Fortune.com
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2025-04-21 18:30:00
Jeffrey Collins, The Associated Press
