Where did all that money go?

Back in 2006, the Department of Transportation cut off funding to S.C. State's planned James E. Clyburn University Transportation Center project.

That was about the time federal auditors said the school's financial records were so screwed up they couldn't tell how millions of dollars given for the project had been spent. At the time, the feds had already given the school $50 million, more than half of which just disappeared.

Last month, S.C. State President George Cooper (who'd been on the job two years) told The Post and Courier's Diane Knich that he didn't know where that money went. Sorry. There was no "We'll research that," "We'll get back to you" or "I know I had it here somewhere."

Just sorry.

Here's the question: What other state institution could get away with misplacing 25 million taxpayer dollars and then expect a shrug of the shoulders to be explanation enough? If The Citadel pulled such a stunt, they'd probably chain Lesesne Gate.

All this dodging and maneuvering just makes it look more and more like something fishy's going on here.

Maybe the dog ate it

S.C. State officials have repeatedly explained that their records from that time period are on an old computer system, making them difficult to access. Sometimes they say the records are in warehouses: Columbia, maybe Orangeburg -- you know, the greater South Carolina area. Next thing you know, we'll hear that all S.C. State's records are "hiking the Appalachian Trail."

On Tuesday, the school told the newspaper to file a Freedom of Information request to get the records, which gives them another three weeks to stall, uh, comply.

Questions first came up about this missing money nearly two months ago. Shouldn't they have already dug those records out, if for no other reason than to clear the air?

S.C. State is an important institution in this state and there are many good people there doing good things. The board and the administration should be worried about making those folks work at an institution that is UNDER INVESTIGATION.

Pricey storage building

State lawmakers have done all they can for the moment, ordering the Legislative Audit Council to investigate (although that might be tough if there are no records).

Congressman Clyburn, through a spokesperson, said he supports the audit. But the real question is: Why isn't he out raising hell about this every day?

It's his alma mater, his name is on the project. He got the money for it.

There are serious questions here and Clyburn, of all people, should know how picky folks are about their taxes these days. It is escaping no one's attention that this center is what folks in other states (and some here) would call pork.

But, of course, the school will tell you it's not pork, it is a complex for students to learn cutting-edge transportation research and study. Or it was. As it's envisioned now, the center will house only a garage for buses and an archive for Congressman Clyburn's papers.

Let's hope they can keep up with his papers better than their own.