Posted on 03/24/2018 2:05:37 AM PDT by Gamecock
COLUMBIA, SC The FBI has joined the investigation into questionable spending of public money by 5th Circuit Solicitor Dan Johnson, who oversees criminal prosecutions in Richland and Kershaw counties, five sources have told The State newspaper.
The sources said the FBI now is teaming up with state agents from the State Law Enforcement Division to interview employees in Johnson's office about the prosecutor's spending in recent years.
"The FBI is taking the lead on it," one source said.
The sources all have long-standing ties to South Carolina's law enforcement community. However, none would speak on the record because they are not authorized to speak publicly about the investigation.
Johnson did not respond to a request for comment.
Two weeks ago, S.C. Attorney General Alan Wilson, R-Lexington, asked the State Law Enforcement Division to begin an initial investigation after reports of questionable spending by Johnson's office appeared in the news media.
Those news reports were based on spending records from Johnson's office made public by a watchdog group, Public Access to Public Records. The Columbia group, known as PAPR, is making available records of Johnson's office spending from 2011 through November 2017 that it obtained through Freedom of Information Act requests. So far, PAPR has released about 15,000 of the 40,000 documents it has received.
Those records — including credit card, checking account statements and various receipts — show numerous instances of questionable spending, including thousands of dollars' worth of checks made out to Johnson's employees for "Petty Cash" or "Cash." Johnson also spent more than $32,000 from a fund that was supposed to be used to enforce drug laws to pay for gym memberships for his staffers.
Credit cards used by Johnson also reflect thousands of dollars' worth of trips to casino complexes and spending on Uber luxury taxis. In 2016 and much of 2017, Johnson was out of the office traveling more than 70 days, an examination of his travel records by The State newspaper shows.
During those 21 months, Johnson traveled to Amsterdam, Colombia, Ecuador, the Galapagos Islands off South America, London, Poland and Qatar, according to spending records from his office. Johnson also went to Charleston and Myrtle Beach. Elsewhere in the United States, Johnson traveled to Cleveland; College Station, Texas; Miami; Montgomery, Ala.; Las Vegas; and Washington, D.C., according to those records.
Johnson has not spoken about the reasons for his travel.
However, Johnson, a lawyer, could have been attending professional conferences. He also has a part-time military job and could have been on military duty.
"At no time did I intend for office funds to be used to pay for personal expenses," Johnson said earlier this month.
Johnson also gave thousands of dollars in public money from various office accounts to local charities and causes, an examination of his records shows.
Replying to questions on March 8 about his spending records, Johnson defended his record, saying he has spent his eight years in office helping people by supporting programs and events as well as prosecuting violent criminals and repeat offenders.
Johnson, a Democrat, has said he will seek a third term in November's general election. However, he has yet to file for re-election. Filing ends next Friday.
"I stand by the work I do in my office and in our communities, " Johnson said. If mistakes were made, he added, "I will certainly remedy it."
Johnson also said his office is conducting its own internal investigation ofits spending, adding he will discuss the results publicly when that inquiry is finished.
Asked Friday about the FBI's involvement in the probe, SLED chief Mark Keel said, "No comment."
Beth Drake, interim U.S. attorney for South Carolina, also declined to comment. Her office works jointly with the FBI
SC Ping?
Why speculate?
Swooping in to get the biggest piece of payoff pie, or glory if a business arrangement is not forthcoming.
Bingo
I guessed correctly.
Looks like he’s practicing to be a libturd politician!
There are NO conferences in the Galapagos Islands.
College Station, TX. Football game?
And I’m sure he needed to do a fact-finding mission in the Galapagos for the citizens of SC.
Wow.
South Carolina Ping 
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