Does SC Supreme Court support secrecy in House speaker ethics case?

By Rick Brundrett | The Nerve

All courts shall be public, and every person shall have speedy remedy therein for wrongs sustained. – Article 1, Section 9, South Carolina Constitution.

South Carolina’s top court, however, apparently ignored the first part of the above sentence last week in its ruling involving House Speaker Bobby Harrell.

The South Carolina Supreme Court in Wednesday’s ruling about the state grand jury investigation of Harrell recommended that any future “ancillary” legal arguments concerning the speaker’s case be held behind closed doors – giving what Harrell wanted, but didn’t get, in the beginning.

Several attorneys, each with years of state grand jury experience but who asked not to be identified, told The Nerve that they believe the justices – despite ruling that the state grand jury investigation could continue – slipped in the secrecy recommendation in a footnote to help Harrell.

“It seems to reaffirm the secrecy that Harrell wanted in the first place,” said one attorney.

at The Nerve.