Jennings' ad first in solicitor's race
GOP candidate highlights qualifications, doesn't identify opponent
Republican candidate for 9th Circuit Solicitor Blair Jennings is the first of the two hopefuls to go on TV, airing a 30-second ad this week highlighting his qualifications to be the next elected prosecutor for Charleston and Berkeley counties.
Video
Political Ad: Blair Jennings
As part of our election year coverage, The Post and Courier is offering an Adwatch feature which dissects some of the statements and claims made by candidates in their television commercials. In this ad, Republican candidate for 9th Circuit Solicitor Blair Jennings touts his qualifications. He is opposing current Solicitor Scarlett Wilson.
Jennings does not specifically identify his opponent in the June 10 GOP primary — current Solicitor Scarlett Wilson — but touts his record as a prosecutor. Jennings was deputy solicitor in Berkeley County until September when Wilson ousted him after questioning his commitment to her administration.
LEAD-IN: "Trustworthy, Tough, Tested. That's Blair Jennings."
MEDIA AGENCY: First Tuesday Strategies of Columbia. Other clients include U.S. Sen. Jim DeMint and state lawmakers Sen. Glenn McConnell and Rep. Bobby Harrell, they report.
KEY IMAGES: Newspaper headlines of court cases; Jennings talking with a police officer. The ending shot depicts Jennings with his wife and children.
KEY DIALOGUE: "Jennings has put some of our area's worst criminals in prison, convicting over 60 homicide cases. The only candidate to successfully prosecute a death penalty case, convicting cop killer Jesse Sapp."
REALITY CHECK: The "60 homicide" figure Jennings cites represents more than murder cases. It includes all levels of homicides, or wrongful criminal deaths, that he took part in prosecuting at trial or through guilty pleas. Additional cases include felony DUI or manslaughter, he said.
Provided
This week, GOP candidate for 9th Circuit Solicitor Blair Jennings became the first in the race to go on TV with a semi-biographical campaign ad touting his qualifications for top prosecutor for Charleston and Berkeley counties.
COP KILLER JESSE SAPP: In 2003, Jennings helped the late Solicitor Ralph Hoisington try Sapp for murdering Highway Patrol Cpl. Kenneth Jeffrey Johnson, a 38-year-old husband and father of two. Sapp shot and killed the trooper in July 2002 to avoid arrest during a Berkeley County traffic stop. After convicting Sapp of murder, a jury deliberated for about 90 minutes before backing the death penalty.
ONLY CANDIDATE TO SUCCESSFULLY PROSECUTE A DEATH PENALTY CASE?: Wilson and Hoisington together sought the death penalty for the 2000 murder of West Ashley pawnshop owner Joe Howell, and his killer was found guilty at trial. The jury instead recommended a sentence of life in prison. Wilson currently has three death penalty cases on the docket in Berkeley and Charleston counties, including for the murder of state Constable Robert Bailey. Two of the cases are scheduled for trial this fall.
WILSON'S RESPONSE: Jennings' use of the phrase "60 homicide" convictions leaves viewers with the impression that he took that many to trial, Wilson contends, when most were guilty pleas that never went to a jury.
LAST WORD: Jennings said the commercial is accurate and that he forged relationships with victims at every turn. "You remember all those cases," he said.
The ad is airing on all three leading local TV stations, Jennings' campaign said.
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lillycollette (anonymous) says...
Quote: "Jennings was deputy solicitor in Berkeley County until September when Wilson ousted him after questioning his commitment to her administration."
http://archives.postandcourier.com/ar...
Jennings maneuvered Wilson into having to oust him by failing to leave office as he announced he had planned to do:
"[A]lmost immediately after Wilson's appointment -- Jennings announced he was ready to leave -- Berkeley County and would run for the top spot in 2008" :
A public declaration of intent to resign-is a resignation. Failure to leave is an ill-considered public relations ploy.
May 7, 2008 at 5:27 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
mdtpace (anonymous) says...
Why Harpo, because his commercial tells you so? You must have a big, valuable collection from the Franklin Mint if you believe everything you see on TV.
May 7, 2008 at 8:02 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
SCgal (anonymous) says...
Jennings maneuvered Wilson into having to oust him by failing to leave office as he announced he had planned to do:
People do change their minds~ top dog with 38 yrs was planning to retire in April one year, but after seeing some changes in the retirement payout made a change and did not retire as expected~~ so minds do change for personal reasons even though some want to twist it around~~
Guess the MTP kids maneuver Wilson as well and have them ousted into Family Court!!
May 7, 2008 at 9:30 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
ohappyday (anonymous) says...
Blair Jennings has my vote plus many, many more. He will make a great Solicitor. Best wishes to Blair and his family.
May 7, 2008 at 10:53 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Bosco (anonymous) says...
I'll match your vote with a vote for Scarlett and also say I know there are many, many more coming for her as well. I happen to know Blair's family, nice folks, but I'm not looking for someone who is going to be "nice" to criminals. Having recently met Scarlett, she seems like someone who, while also coming across as a good person, will be tough on criminals, and that is what I'm interested in.
May 7, 2008 at 11:09 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
lillycollette (anonymous) says...
Jennings had not changed his mind about resigning his position and running for the office of Solicitor.
See, http://archives.postandcourier.com/ar...
Published on 07/18/07
Quote: "Blair Jennings : is "now" a GOP candidate for the 9th Circuit solicitor's job. Jennings will kick off his campaign -- July 26 -- : [N]ews of his pending candidacy surfaced Tuesday in an invitation left at various offices in the Charleston County Courthouse."
May 7, 2008 at 1:49 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
abitskeptical (anonymous) says...
Bosco-what about Jennings makes you believe he is "nice" to criminals?..Because his family is "nice"?
I am asking because I am just beginning to research him. I imagine Wilson's family are nice folks also. So what are you meaning to say?
From what I've read, it seems that early on Jennings was quite up front about his intent to run for solicitor. However I cannot find where he specifically "announced he was ready to leave Berkeley County". So, I wonder if this wording was Jennings's or Kropf's(who wrote the article).
If Jennings intended to stay in his job "at least until the start of the new year when he would leave to begin campaigning full-time.." as reported in one article, then how did he "fail to leave" like he said he would? How did he force Wilson to "have" to oust him?
From what I can tell, he said that the earliest he would leave would be in January. He was never given the chance to leave when he indicated he MIGHT leave. How did his saying he'd stay at least until Jan. make anything in Sept, Oct, Nov, or Dec. uncertain?
Wilson, on the other hand seemed less than upfront about her intent.
From a Sept 5 article on her being sworn in:
"Wilson said she felt no pressure on when she would have to commit to the race. Filing for the 9th Circuit solicitor's post doesn't officially open until March." (http://archives.postandcourier.com/ar...)
But just 3 weeks after she was sworn in as solicitor & only 10 days after ousting Jennings, Wilson declares her bid(http://archives.postandcourier.com/archive/arch07/0907/arc09265133429.shtml)
"I wanted to get things stabilized in the office and I think I've done that," she said during a telephone interview.
I am puzzled by her explanation for getting rid of Jennings: Suggesting that he had a vested interest in seeing her office not be successful. I would like to know exactly what she meant by that. Seems to be close to a slanderous claim. Also, how would it serve him well for an office, of which he was still part, not to be successful?
Since she is campaigning to keep her job should we all assume, as she did about Jennings, that her race for solicitor will cause her to have ulterior motives in how she handles cases in her office? Doesn't she have a vested interest in making her office at least appear successful?
May 7, 2008 at 10:48 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
CedarPosts (anonymous) says...
I think Wilson's botched murder case, her press sec "afternoon delight" adventures and her hand picked asst solictor turned gun waving road rage perp is reason enough to:
DUMP WILSON!
May 7, 2008 at 11:35 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
smalltownrumor (anonymous) says...
As a lifelong Charlestonian, let me fill you newcomers in on a few facts of life. Scarlett Wilson scares the britches off those tasseled shoe good old boys down on Broad Street....a competent, assertive, qualified, strong woman in the Solicitor's Office (without a dust cloth in her hand)? How forever did she get in?
If you want a clear picture as to which candidate would be better for the job, attend a function where the two speak and then answer questions from the crowd. After the second or third time Mr. Jennings is asked a question and has to turn to Ms. Wilson for the answer, you should be able to figure it out. I did. But, what do I know? I'm just a woman.
May 10, 2008 at 7:35 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
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