S. Carolina official resigns
Lt. Gov. Ken Ard steps down shortly before his indictment on ethics charges.
Ken Ard resigned Friday as South Carolina’s lieutenant governor. A few hours later, he was indicted on misdemeanor charges of violating the state ethics act stemming from a campaign finance scandal.
And before the end of the day, the Republican official who once touted the “common sense and fiscal discipline” he had learned in the family business had pleaded guilty to seven ethics charges — including allegations that he used campaign funds to buy ipads and a Playstation video game console.
“During my campaign, it was my responsibility to make sure things were done correctly. I did not do that,” Ard, 48, said in a statement. “There are no excuses nor is there need to share blame. It is my fault that the events of the past year have taken place.”
A state judge sentenced Ard, who was elected in November 2010, to five years’ probation, a $5,000 fine and 300 hours of community service.
Those penalties are in addition to a $48,400 fine levied in July by the ethics commission after it found that Ard used campaign funds to pay for fuel, meals, hotel rooms, electronics, clothing for his wife and tickets to the Southeastern Conference football championship game.
Glenn Mcconnell, a fellow Republican and the Senate’s president pro tempore, said he would step into the position as mandated in the state constitution, even though it would arguably mean a loss of power, since the lieutenant governor’s post is largely ceremonial.
Ard is the co-owner of a truck body manufacturing company, and was a member of the Florence County Council before he was elected lieutenant governor.