Charges of illegal robo-calls against GOP consultant dismissed

COLUMBIA — Nearly two years after his arrest, charges that a GOP political consultant made illegal robocalls in the run-up to Election Day in 2010 have been dismissed.

Robert Cahaly, a former campaign adviser to former Lt. Gov. Ken Ard, was arrested by the State Law Enforcement Division in November 2010 and charged with making illegal robocalls to potential voters.

Some of those voters lived in districts that included parts of Folly Beach, James Island, Dorchester County and Charleston County.

The 1st Circuit Solicitor’s Office was to prosecute the case after the S.C. Attorney General’s Office recused itself.

An assistant solicitor with the office said Friday that prosecutors did not think the statutes that SLED had cited applied, and did not think a successful case could be made against Cahaly.

“Even if in fact it may have applied, we thought there may have been some constitutional issues with First Amendment rights,” said Harrison Bell, senior assistant solicitor with the 1st Circuit Solicitor’s Office.

That amendment includes language prohibiting the diminishing of freedom of speech.

Cahaly is president of Atlanta-based Gadsden and Greene strategies.

Reach Stephen Largen at 864-641-8172 and follow him on Twitter @stephenlargen.