Ex parte Harrell v. Attorney General of South Carolina

The Attorney General appeals the circuit court’s order finding the state grand jury lacks subject matter jurisdiction to investigate a violation of the Ethics, Government Accountability, and Campaign Reform Act1 (Ethics Act). We reverse.

Facts/Procedural Background

On February 14, 2013, the Attorney General received an ethics complaint, alleging possible violations of the Ethics Act by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Robert W. Harrell, Jr. (the Speaker), originally submitted by a private citizen to the House Legislative Ethics Committee (House Ethics Committee).2 That same day, the…