All articles tagged with #south carolina
The South Carolina Senate rejected President Trump's request to redraw the state's congressional districts, effectively keeping the current map in place after a redistricting session in May 2026.
South Carolina Republicans blocked a redistricting plan that would have ousted Rep. Jim Clyburn, defying President Trump. The state Senate failed to end debate on the map 24-20, with 12 Republicans joining Democrats, and then adjourned until June 10, effectively killing any midterm redraw. The move preserves the status quo for 2026, though early voting will raise political stakes; Gov. McMaster’s push for a special session earlier was too late, and GOP defectors could face pressure in 2028 primaries as Trump remains a force in politics elsewhere.
The South Carolina Senate rejected a last-minute, Trump-backed effort to redraw the state’s congressional map—aimed at erasing the single majority-Black district held by Rep. James Clyburn—after concerns about timing and cost, effectively blocking the map from taking effect for this year’s elections; the House had already approved the plan.
A South Carolina woman died after a gust of wind lifted a patio umbrella at the Driftwood Grill in Summerton and struck her in the throat; first responders could not save her.
A woman died in Summerton, South Carolina, after a sudden wind blew a patio umbrella off a table and struck her while she and her husband dined on a restaurant patio along Lake Marion during Memorial Day weekend. Dana Weinger of Huger was identified as the victim and pronounced dead at the scene; authorities say the death occurred during a sudden severe weather event.
A woman dining on a restaurant patio in Summerton, South Carolina, was killed when a strong wind blew an umbrella from a table and struck her during a storm at Driftwood Grill on Lake Marion. Dana Weinger of Huger was identified as the victim; authorities said she died at the scene and attributed the incident to a sudden severe weather event.
While dining on a Lake Marion patio in Summerton, SC, a sudden strong wind blew a restaurant umbrella into a diner's head, killing the woman; authorities are treating it as an accident, an autopsy is planned, and the Driftwood Grill issued statements offering support to those affected.
A stampede erupted at the Black Pearl Cultural Heritage and Bike Festival in Atlantic Beach, South Carolina, after an individual ran through the crowd, injuring at least 19 people. Officials said the injuries were non-life-threatening; three people were hospitalized, and authorities quickly contained the incident and allowed the event to resume.
South Carolina senators failed to reach the two-thirds threshold to suspend rules and advance a White House–backed congressional map before early voting for primaries, keeping the plan in limbo and prompting a potential rule-suspension clash that could push debate for days. If eventually enacted, the map would move the congressional primaries to August while other contests stay on the schedule, with ballots listing congressional candidates but votes not counted until a map is approved. Supporters argue the redraw is needed to counter partisan gerrymandering after past court rulings; opponents warn the timing is rushed and could lead to lawsuits as voters begin casting ballots.
Rep. Nancy Mace calls for a one-year statewide moratorium on new data-center construction in South Carolina, arguing AI hubs are driving higher electricity bills and energy demand; she also wants data centers to pay their own way to avoid ratepayer costs, reflecting bipartisan concern over infrastructure.
Disgraced attorney Alex Murdaugh has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against former South Carolina court clerk Rebecca Hill, accusing her of improper influence on the jury that convicted him and seeking damages, attorney’s fees, and costs. The action follows the South Carolina Supreme Court’s reversal of his murder convictions on grounds that he was denied a fair trial due to Hill’s alleged external influences. Hill has pleaded guilty in a related matter for sharing sealed exhibits and lying about it and received probation. Prosecutors have signaled a possible retrial, while Murdaugh remains imprisoned for other state and federal sentences.
South Carolina's Supreme Court vacated Alex Murdaugh's 2023 double-murder conviction after ruling that Colleton County clerk Becky Hill improperly influenced jurors, denying him a fair trial and setting the stage for a retrial (the prosecutor even signaling the possibility of the death penalty). While Murdaugh remains imprisoned for unrelated financial crimes, the ruling raises questions about venue, media exposure, and trial strategy as both sides brace for a new proceeding, with Hill later pleading guilty to misconduct in office.
South Carolina lawmakers kicked off hearings on a redistricting bill as Republicans push to redraw U.S. House districts in what they hope will yield a GOP sweep, with heightened security around the statehouse and ongoing debate over proposed district maps.
Lawyers for Alex Murdaugh say they’ll introduce previously undisclosed DNA evidence at his retrial—specifically male DNA found under Maggie Murdaugh’s fingernails that doesn’t match Alex or any family member and wasn’t added to CODIS—to argue his innocence and suggest other possible suspects. The defense follows the South Carolina Supreme Court’s overturning of his 2023 double-murder conviction for the killings of Maggie and Paul at the family estate, while Murdaugh remains jailed for financial crimes. Prosecutors argued the motive was to cover up financial crimes, but the defense is pushing multiple alternative theories and noting unexamined evidence, such as tire-track leads, that weren’t pursued. The retrial context centers on the 2021 murders of Maggie and Paul and the broader questions surrounding the case and timing.
SC Senate Majority Leader Shane Massey used a 45-minute address to oppose Trump's last-minute redistricting plan, arguing it is legally and technically flawed and would hurt Republican electability and South Carolina's influence—including by dismantling James Clyburn's Democratic seat—framing the fight as defending the state's communities of interest and states' rights against Washington overreach, while signaling loyalty to several Trump priorities.