Nikki Haley's appointees include 26 donors

Posted: Thursday, March 24, 2011 12:01 a.m.
UPDATED: Friday, March 23, 2012 6:30 p.m.

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COLUMBIA -- Of the 59 people whom Gov. Nikki Haley has appointed to state boards or commissions, 26 donated to her campaign, according to state campaign finance records.

Those 26, who account for 44 percent of Haley's appointments, gave at least $74,703 to her campaign for governor.

The big givers

The largest campaign donors whom Gov. Nikki Haley has appointed to a state or local post:
Robert Kenyon Wells: Department of Health and Environmental Control board. Wells, his wife and his business have given at least $21,000 to Haley's campaign, all from the same Lexington post office box.
Cary L. Chastain: Department of Natural Resources board. Chastain and his wife have given $10,500 from the same Charleston County address.
Chad Walldorf: Board of Economic Advisors chairman. Walldorf, a Charleston businessman, was a former staff member and major donor for Gov. Mark Sanford. He and his wife gave at least $10,500 to Haley.
Grover Clifton Parker: Department of Transportation. State campaign finance records show $7,000 in donations to Haley from Parker's Lexington County address.
Thomas Cofield: University of South Carolina trustee. The Lexington attorney gave Haley's campaign $4,500.
Ray Chandler: Patriots Point Development Authority. Georgetown County attorney gave $3,620 to campaign.

Haley, who took office in January, has finished filling her Cabinet and now has started filling thousands of posts on boards and commissions that oversee state agencies, such as the Department of Health and Environmental Control, state colleges and universities, and state-run nonprofits.

Last week Haley chose campaign donor and Lexington attorney Thomas Cofield to replace Darla Moore on the University of South Carolina's Board of Trustees.

Moore pledged $70 million to the school and is the largest donor in USC history. Cofield gave $4,500 to Haley's campaign.

The governor can appoint 1,750 positions statewide and an additional 3,100 local positions, including those where legislators, the agency or the nonprofit recommends or nominates someone to Haley.

Haley has more nominees than usual because former Gov. Mark Sanford allowed the terms of many board members to expire without reappointing them or choosing a replacement.

Among the largest donors to Haley's campaign whom she has appointed to positions are:

--Lexington businessman Robert K. Wells, who was appointed to the board of the state Department of Health and Environmental Control. Wells, his wife and his business donated a combined $21,000 to Haley's campaign in the primary, runoff and general elections.

--Charleston resident Cary Chastain, whom Haley appointed to the board of the state Department of Natural Resources. Chastain and his wife also donated a combined $10,500 to Haley's campaign.

Haley also has appointed people who donated to her Republican gubernatorial rivals, and even some who gave to Democratic opponent Vincent Sheheen.

Haley named Leah Moody, a former Democratic candidate for state Senate, to the Commission on Higher Education. She also reappointed John Land IV to his post on the Santee Cooper board.

Both have given money to Democrat Sheheen, a state senator from Camden.