9th Circuit Solicitor to run for post
A highly anticipated political battle took shape Tuesday when 9th Circuit Solicitor Scarlett Wilson confirmed she would be a candidate for the job next year.
With little fanfare, Wilson issued an e-mail saying she will run for the seat in the November 2008 election.
"I wanted to get things stabilized in the office and I think I've done that," she said during a telephone interview.
Wilson, a Republican, was appointed solicitor by Gov. Mark Sanford following the death of Ralph Hoisington in June, and after Sanford's first choice backed out.
Wilson's candidacy sets up a June GOP primary showdown with the only other announced candidate, Blair Jennings, a former deputy solicitor who'd been hired by Hoisington to run prosecutions in Berkeley County.
She had served as Hoisington's second-in-command in the Charleston office. Upon her confirmation by the state Senate, Wilson became the first woman ever to hold the post of lead prosecutor for Charleston and Berkeley counties.
"South Carolina is a law-and-order state, and the citizens of Charleston and Berkeley counties want and deserve a solicitor who is committed to putting violent criminals behind bars and keeping our neighborhoods safe from them," she said in her e-mail.
She praised Hoisington's "confidence in my abilities, which is why he chose me and kept me as his second-in-command.
Jennings, at Wilson's prompting, recently was forced to quit his Berkeley prosecutor's job after she questioned his commitment to her administration.
Wilson, a native of Hemingway, graduated from Clemson University before getting her law degree from the University of South Carolina in 1992. After clerking for Circuit Judge Don Rushing, she worked as an assistant solicitor before joining the U.S. Attorney's Office and its Violent Crimes Task Force in 1995. In 1997, she was a joint winner of the Department of Justice Director's Award for Superior Performance.
She began working for Hoisington after his election in 2000. Her career has revolved entirely around the prosecution of criminals, she said.
Jennings is still pursuing job opportunities after Berkeley County Council on Monday nixed a proposal to hire him as an assistant county attorney. He said Tuesday he looked forward to the campaign process, including the opportunity "to compare records and ideas on the most effective way of running the office."
The official filing period for the solicitor's office opens in March. Other potential candidates are said to be exploring the race.
Reach Schuyler Kropf at 937-5551 or skropf@postandcourier.com.
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Comments
dog (anonymous) says...
I have the opposite feeling to you stand828. If I had to make a choice weeks ago it would have been Jennings. (I was really hoping a third person would get in the race.) Now I am leaning towards Wilson. She appears to have a great record and the last solicitor felt enough confidance in her to make her the number 2 person.
September 26, 2007 at 7:46 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
afternoondelight (anonymous) says...
Did anyone but me read the Post and Courier account of Blair Jennings public argument with Andy Savage over an autopsy result? That's a major policy breach.
Good prosecutors NEVER debate the merits of a criminal case in the newspaper with a defense attorney.
Maybe that's why Ms Wilson lost confidance in Jennings.
Blair is a nice guy but what this circuit needs is a tough, no nonsense prosecutor. When a governor appoints someone to an office and they are confirmed by the state senate,
that's as close to being ELECTED as you can get without being on a ballot
September 26, 2007 at 9:59 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
cakie (anonymous) says...
It Does seem funny that mr. jenning was asked to resign after he crossed Mr. Savage - What up Miss Wilson did he upset one of your big backers-Mr.Jenning to my understanding held the same position as Miss Wilson both were appt by our late solicitor- Lating Mr. jenning go in the middle of such a big case was a little bit stupid-was he getting to much publicity- he was doing a great job-I could never vote for Miss Wilson - She has not acted very professional about the way she treated Mr. Jennings-It was nice to have our first women solicitor-WHAT A LET DOWN
September 26, 2007 at 1:27 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
john182 (anonymous) says...
Based on her performance and dedication to prosecuting criminal cases, it's evident that Wilson will continue to work hard.
September 26, 2007 at 6:38 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
afternoondelight (anonymous) says...
Cakie, you are wrong.
Jennings did not hold the same position as Miss Wilson.
Miss Wilson was CHIEF DEPUTY SOLICITOR.(That means the number 2 person in the office)
Jennings was hired to run the Berkeley County office which handles less than a third of the criminal cases handled by the Charleston office. Miss Wilson oversaw most of them.
I agree with john182. Scarlett's dedication, performance and experience trumps Mr. Jennings everytime.Let's see what Jennings resume looks like and compare to Scarlett's. No comparison.
I agree with john182. Miss Wilson will continue to our solicitor for a long time to come.
September 26, 2007 at 7:29 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
carolinabeachgirl (anonymous) says...
Not even Hoisington's closest friends are backing her. She was chosen as a Deputy Solicitor and was not even the one first selected after Hoisington's passing. She couldn't take someone not bowing to her every whim so she got rid of an excellent prosecutor.
September 26, 2007 at 7:32 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
dog (anonymous) says...
carolinabeachgirl, it does appear that Mr. Hoisington's defense attorney friends are supporting Jennings but doesn't it say a lot that Wilson was Hoisington's choice to be number 2? I would take his choice over who should run the office over a bunch of defense attorneys.
September 26, 2007 at 8:31 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
S4S (anonymous) says...
Hats off to Ms. Wilson! She's got my vote!
Ms. Wilson's character seems to be without flaw. Any actions and comments she makes are with careful thought and consideration. She does not jump to conclusions and does not act on emotions as it has been suggested by a few sour grapes since Mr. Jenninngs was asked to resign. Ms. Wilson's desire to run in the next election shows her commitment to justice, rather than a desire to play politics. I admire her dedication.
I'm not sure I can say the same for Mr. Jennings.
Ms. Wilson's career is stellar as shown by her fifteen years of prosection on various levels, her Department of Justice Award for Superior Performance, her former position of Deputy Chief Solicitor (which is the only #2 position and clearly one that has given her superior insight to the current position which she has been given), her success rate in the courtroom, her approval within the legal community and the governor and of course her appointment as Solicitor (note: the first female solicitor for the 9th circuit).
As far as Mr. Jennings is concerned, his record is limited in comparison and his character seems questionable with the actions he has already taken in his approach to the upcoming election.
Once again, Ms. Wilson has my vote and will continue, I'm sure, to show us all why she IS Solicitor and why she deserves to be Solicitor for many years to come.
September 26, 2007 at 9:23 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
mdtpace (anonymous) says...
Carolinabeachgirl sure seems to know all when it comes to this issue, except who is going to make the best solicitor. How is it that you know who Hoisington's closest friends are, much less who is backing her? Jennings is going to be the defense bar's bitch IF he is elected. Just what the people of Charleston/Berkeley County need.
September 26, 2007 at 9:28 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
gladiator (anonymous) says...
Has anyone been paying attention to the number of cases that our late Solicitor and his replacement have ever went to trial on. There is not a great number of cases that go to trial. This is because their philosophy has been that if they don't feel that they have enough overwhelming evidence to win a case they will not take it to trial.
A good trial lawyer learns by taking cases into the court room for the battle. And he or she must also know that they may lose a case or two, but it will make them a better attorney.
The current trend in the Solicitor's office is to try and get the defendant to take a plea to a lesser charge and in most cases they will get time served, probation or what is called a YOA (youthful offender act).
There are many convicted felons who re-enter the 9th Circuit system time and time again, however they never seem to see the inside of a court room for a trial and they often end up on probation. This sometimes happens even if they were already on probation when they committed the offense that got them back into the Solicitor's office again.
Why can't we have a prosecutor with a backbone who will give it their very best effort to aggressively prosecute cases and put these multi-time offenders in prison where they belong. If the system was working toward that goal then we would eventually see less repeat offenders out on the streets and keeping our "great" area on top of the charts for violent crimes.
September 26, 2007 at 9:56 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
mdtpace (anonymous) says...
This is not day camp, it's real life, and the Solicitor needs to move cases and get people convicted. Pleading cases out is the most efficient way to do that. If you have overwhelming evidence, you don't have to go to trial, because a defense attorney knows they will lose. If cases go to trial, the prep time, trial, etc take an tremendous amount of time. The backlog is enourmous as it is. Realize, the judiciary makes the sentencing decision. The solicitor has no say in what sentence is handed down, unless it is agreed up as part of the plea. Even then, the judge has to approve it. Also, it is law enforcement's job to gather evidence. The solicitor's office is a prosecutorial agency, not an investigative agency. If there is a lack of evidence in a case, it is the Sheriff's Dept or Police Dept's fault. I hope voters educate themselves when the time comes to vote.
September 26, 2007 at 11:26 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
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