Confederate flag’s future in S.C. remains unresolved

COLUMBIA, S.C. — The future of the Confederate battle flag at the South Carolina State House remained unresolved Wednesday, as members of the state House of Representatives considered, and then rejected, a number of amendments to a bill that would remove the controversial symbol from the Capitol grounds.

The amendments — offered by a lawmaker hoping to scuttle or at least slow the bill — were all rejected by wide margins. But legislators offered little clarity as to whether they would vote to get rid of the flag.

Gov. Nikki. Haley, a Republican, urged the Legislature to remove the battle flag after the June 17 massacre at a historically black church in Charleston. On Tuesday, the state Senate passed a bill directing that the flag be relocated to the nearby Confederate Relic Room and Military Museum.

But the issue was destined to run into trouble in the Legislature’s lower chamber, where reverence for the flag remains strong among some conservative white members.

The day began with a speech from Rep. Wendell G. Gilliard, a Democrat and African-American from Charleston. Gilliard read the names of the Charleston victims, and said their families had “shocked the world” when they forgave the suspect, Dylann Roof — an act, he said, that averted “a calamity on top of a tragedy.”

“And now we see what needs to be done,” he said.

Much of the day was dominated by Rep. Michael A. Pitts, a Republican and retired police officer, who had declared his intention to upend the bill. Pitts introduced a number of amendments that would have made modifications big and small.

J. Todd Rutherford, the Democratic leader in the House, said there were no immediate plans to try to stop debate.

“We’re all interested to see what everyone has to say, and we’re going to let them have their say,” he said