LOBBYIST/CONSULTANT GIVES TO DEMOCRATS WHILE ON RETAINER WITH REPUBLICANS
During the 1998 gubernatorial campaign, Columbia political consultant Warren Tompkins was leading former Gov. David Beasley’s re-election bid while lobbying for the video poker industry, which spent millions to defeat him. Beasley would lose that election with 45 percent of the vote.
Supporters and clients of Tompkins looked the other way on that unethical action, hoping he would reform his ways and not inflict upon them a similar fate.
But once again, Tompkins is playing both sides — only this time, the victim is the entire state Senate.
The Palmetto Scoop has learned that Tompkins, who has been on retainer with the Senate Republican Caucus for direct mail, web design, and general consulting for more than a year now, gave $5,000, the maximum allowed by law, to the Senate Democratic Caucus on June 27 of this year.
While the contract with Republicans is with his consulting firm First Tuesday Strategies and the money given to Democrats came from his lobbying firm, those actions still conflict with each other; His political arm being paid to increase Republicans in the Senate while handing money to Democrats with his lobbying arm.
Since the Republican Caucus pays Tompkins from its operating account and those disclosures are not published under state ethics law, it is difficult to know for certain how much he has made.
But the caucus did transfer $275,000 from its campaign account — which is public record — to its operating account in the last quarter, suggesting Tompkins took in between $27,000 and $42,000 since April for the industry standard 10 to 15 percent commission.
So if you happen to be wondering the halls of the Statehouse this January and hear a fiddle, you’ll know who’s playing it. The only question is, which song will he be playing?
Sphere: Related ContentThis entry was posted on Tuesday, July 15th, 2008 at 11:48 am and is filed under Democrats, Legislature, Republicans. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
Even more reason to like Warren. He’s a good guy… do I smell jealousy?
“reason to like warren” - sure if you think mercenary politics is a good thing.
Need to change first sentence of post Adam. Replace the word consultant with either whore or pimp. Sounds like he could be both in this case.
I think I would have used a nero/Julius Caesar this one. Tompkins is the soothsayer from act I scene I of the Shakespeare classic. I think he has a feeling that the dems might retake the senate in november and wants to be on the bus and not under it. He is smart enough to be using the GOP money to pay off the dems…
anonymouse - Right. He’s applying that same tact and foresight in selecting Romney.
- A.F.
Well now that the economy is becoming a bigger issue than the ‘turists, perhaps Romney would have been a slightly less terrible nominee? He might actually know something about the economy (though he would still falsely pretend he could control it as president).
Thompkins would contribute to the National Socialists if it might mean a contract!
Adam, its that same foresight that your man McCain will use in picking Romney.
Just a matter of reference SC newbie - Master Quinn ran the Phil Leventis race against Dickie Jones.
yeah, I forgot about that one. and dickie almost beat Leventis. And check this one out McLovin but your benefactors Quinn and Hamel won’t tell you this. Phil Leventis owns the whole Quinn compound. 1600 Gervais, 1620 Gervais, oh yeah and he kicked in a bunch of money for Rick to build the back porch after he helped Richard purchase the building that housed or still houses Havens. But he doesn’t own the carnival coach that serves as the kitchen for the restaurant.
By the way do they have wheelchair access at the backporch yet?