Greenville County GOP Chair Jeff Davis barred from state GOP meetings

Editor's note: This story has been updated to reflect that SLED has confirmed a primary investigation was opened on Chad Connelly in March of 2020.

The power struggle in the South Carolina Republican Party added a new chapter when Greenville County Chair Jeff Davis was censured and barred from future state GOP meetings, according to Davis and State SCGOP Chair Drew McKissick.

During a regular state executive committee meeting in Columbia Saturday, Davis and state GOP members clashed after former SCGOP Chair Chad Connelly rebutted Davis' accusations of fraud and embezzlement.

"State Executive Committee voted to censure Jeff Davis for his public comments, his disruptive behavior and his repeated lawsuits against other Republicans around the state," McKissick said. "In the entire history of the South Carolina Republican Party, the State Executive Committee has never had to take such a drastic step. But unfortunately, Mr. Davis made it necessary."

The motion was passed through a voice vote, which McKissick said had few voices of dissent.

Dissent came from Horry County State Executive Committeewoman Tracy Diaz, who on her Telegram channel, called the proceedings "a disgusting display from supposed adults."

Diaz, like Davis, has said that the latest cultural war is between regular citizens and "establishment" politicians.

Davis, in his post on Telegram, said that McKissick has "staked his entire reputation" to support Connelly.

Lawsuits, accusations and anger

Davis and Connelly have been at odds ever since Davis' "Palmetto Kids First Scholarship," a program for special needs students that offered donors a tax credit, was audited by the SC Department of Revenue. The program has since remained inactive in giving out scholarships for more than four years now.

Over the years, Davis has sent out and received public records showing Connelly's tax history and has accused Connelly of embezzling more than $200,000 from another scholarships program, similar in design to Davis' organization, called "Exceptional SC."

Connelly has refuted these claims and said that there was no investigation by South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, in spite of Davis' claims.

Ryan Aulphin, spokesperson for SLED, told The Greenville News that the agency opened a preliminary investigation concerning Connelly on March 5, 2020.

"The request for a preliminary investigation was made by the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office after receiving a complaint from Jeff Davis regarding misappropriated funds by Chad Connelly," Aulphin said in a statement.

"SLED has completed its preliminary investigation into this matter and is currently awaiting further direction from the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office."

The agency has not shared the findings of the investigation.

A March 11 email this year between Attorney General Alan Wilson's office and Davis shows that the AG's office is reviewing the documents submitted by Davis against Connelly.

McKissick told The Greenville News that Connelly asked to speak Saturday citing "a point of personal privilege" after Davis accused him during a Sept. 11 state executive committee meeting.

Following the presentation, which Davis has referred to as a "circus" in a post on Telegram, a motion was initiated to ban Davis from state party engagements.

Davis said he was escorted out of the GOP meeting by three police officers.

The friction between the state and the Greenville County GOP first came to light in April after the recently elected leadership and Chair Jennifer Black resigned.

More: Pro-Trump faction of Greenville County Republican Party demands leadership change

The resignation came after an audit of the April election showed "irregularities" in ballots. While the Davis camp has said this highlights a concerted effort by the state party to manipulate election results, the state party has disputed this and said it was business as usual.

The previous leadership released a letter citing intimidation and harassment as their reasons to quit.

Davis' camp has said that it has reached out to Black and asked her to work with the county party. However, Black has refused.

Davis previously told The Greenville News that he has felt targeted and sidelined by the state party.

Meanwhile, McKissick has argued that Davis is "divisive" and has actively attacked party members with lawsuits and accusations.

What does it mean for the Greenville County GOP?

Davis said that this action is sowing more division in the SCGOP and that the Greenville County GOP "will keep its door open" for reconciliation.

But McKissick denied that there is a fissure in the SCGOP.

"They are a very, very isolated, small, loud faction of malcontents who want to run things themselves and don't have enough fellow travelers to be in charge of things," he said.

At present, there are alternative groups in Greenville County who are working on legislation and campaigns with lawmakers. McKissick said that this was a way to "fill the gap."

How the party shapes in Greenville County is contingent on the reorganization process in 2023.

Devyani Chhetri is the state government watchdog reporter. You can reach her at dchhetri@gannett.com or @ChhetriDevyani on Twitter.

This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Greenville County GOP Chair barred from state GOP meetings