THE NIKKI HALEY TUBERCULOSIS SCANDAL THAT ISN’T …
If you repeat a lie often enough, it eventually becomes the truth … a trick S.C. Gov. Nikki Haley has mastered over the last three years.
Seriously … limited government? Education reform? Obamacare?
Haley’s rhetoric has become a reliable indicator of her policy proposals … assuming you adjust policy dial by 180 degrees.
But this post isn’t about Haley’s habitual dishonesty, it’s about a lie that keeps getting told about her by Democrats – namely S.C. Sen. Vincent Sheheen (Haley’s 2014 gubernatorial rival), S.C. Democratic Party chairman Jamie Harrison and S.C. Rep. James Smith.
We’re referring, of course, to the oft-repeated claim that Haley’s administration is somehow responsible for mishandling last year’s outbreak of tuberculosis at a government-run school in Ninety Six, S.C.
This claim – which we’ve seen Democrats make against Haley on literally dozens of occasions – isn’t questionable. It isn’t dubious. It isn’t misleading, debatable, thinly sourced, half-true or a “matter of opinion.”
It is quite simply false. Categorically, demonstrably, indisputably false.
As this website has exhaustively and exclusively reported (here, here, here, here, and here), the blame for this fiasco rests exclusively on the shoulders of Greenwood School District 52 – not Haley.
Not only did district officials ignore state law by failing to test an infected employee, they actively engaged in a coverup after this employee infected dozens of children with the disease.
Don’t take our word for it, though. Greenwood School District 52 vice chairman Dr. Michael Bryant – who is married to the nurse at Ninety Six Primary School (where the outbreak occurred) – admitted he was informed of a “probable infectious disease” at the school on March 27 (several weeks before anybody appointed by Haley was informed of the outbreak).
Additionally Bryant – a devout social conservative whose 2012 campaign signs featured “praying hands” clip art – admits telling his fellow school board members (and district superintendent Mark Petersen) to keep this information hidden from parents.
How is any of that Haley’s fault?
It isn’t … in fact if there is one person the “poor people of Ninety Six, S.C.” have praised as it relates to this debacle, it is Haley’s S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC) director – Catherine Templeton.
Yet despite knowing these facts, Sheheen, Harrison and Smith have continued to parrot this same false claim in an effort to score political points against Haley. Apparently they believe if they repeat this allegation enough times in our state’s intellectually incurious mainstream media – the charge will become true.
That’s shameful …
This website is (clearly) no fan of Haley. We believe she is the single most dishonest, duplicitous, vindictive and hypocritical leader South Carolina has ever seen (which is saying something) – and we shudder to think of what four more years of her incompetence will do to our state.
But you can’t use lies to bring down a liar – especially given how much truth is available attesting to Haley’s failed leadership.
Yet sadly, such tall tale telling is the current modus operandi of the Sheheen for Governor campaign … which is about to make the most vulnerable incumbent in Palmetto political history a landslide reelection winner.
Democrats aren’t going to give up on their false “Haley tuberculosis” narrative. After all they’ve got too much invested in it at this point … and as we’ve noted before the mainstream press in South Carolina is too lazy and stupid to call them out on it.
But that doesn’t change the fact it is a lie … and any politician who stands up and regurgitates this claim is a liar.
36 comments
You ever know anyone who offends you, then apologizes…and the apology is more offensive than the initial insult they are apologizing…..It is a trait of small, and small-minded, people…
Sheheen is desperate and trying to attack Haley with a lie. FITS spends the first part of his “Expose” (x-pose-a) bashing Haley..with his same ol’ tired rhetoric…
I may not be 100 percent w/ Haley, but unless there is a 1,000 percent Conservative in the primary…I will be SO GLAD when Haley kicks FITS’ and Sheheen’s @$$ again…
Haley has stood against some of the federal filth Obama has tried to impose…and our state is benefiting, much more than it would have, if a lockstep Obamite of Failure would have accorded for SC.
dude … really. take those meds.
Unless the evidence is false, you are categorically wrong. Haley installed Templeton, who is completely unqualified to run any agency associated with public health. In the midst of the situation, Templeton fired at least three nurses who have all filed lawsuits. There is email evidence that one of the nurses attempted to contact the central office for more supplies and was ignored. Further, there is evidence that individuals associated with DHEC — those who ignored requests for greater support — attempted to start their own TB consulting firm in the midst of the outbreak. The hubris went even further when DHEC posted signs at its meetings that no member of the press was to ask members of the DHEC board questions about TB during break sessions. The TB outbreak was the perfect example of grotesque incompetence by Haley and her unqualified minions.
Reading comprehension is clearly not your strong suit. You are referring to stuff that happened in MAY of last year … two months AFTER the local school board dropped the ball.
The local school board did not drop the ball. DHEC dropped the ball in the first place, and your notions about the school board are simply part of the broader screed about the need to privatize public schools.
Nope – Will’s got this one right. Greenwood – a county of 23,000 has 3 school districts. All are underperforming and district 52 is the worst. There are 4 schools for 1,600 students in the district and the board is a bunch of mouth breathing clowns. The nurse at the school in question, 96 Primary, is married to a board member. They knew there was an issue when they hired the guy.
Does DHEC have some culpability – certainly, after the fact and a number of people were fired but blaming Haley for this is like blaming the moon for washing the house you built at the low tide line away.
Greenwood has about 60,000 residents give or take. I can only wonder what else you have wrong.
My apologies you are correct – the city of Greenwood has 23,000 residents, the county has 69,0000.
That said, they’ve got less than 11,500 students and 3 freaking Districts. District 50 has 8,700, District 51 has 960 and District 52 has 1,600. Combine them, fire the idiots and move out of the 1950s.
Uh, wrong. Greenwood County has 70,000 residents. The CITY of Greenwood has 23,000 residents.
On this issue, Willie is right and you are wrong.
just go ahead and endorse ms haley. You know you want to.
WTF? Get a grip dude.
We know Haley and the republicans are liars.
The repigs have been in charge of this state for 30 years and it is still the laughing stock of the nation. You have a right to be concerned about the Democratic Party taking over. The repigs have been an utter failure. Our state is LAST in everything thanks to the repig party!!
Don’t worry Bro. FITS is moderate left-tilting, or a Liberal-Tarian if you will. His main goal is to bash Republicans, as he acts like he leans toward fiscal responsibility and good common sense. (to give himself credibility)….
His conundrum: The democrats are such TOTAL F*#k Ups…FITS is finding it harder and harder to suck them off…
In other words: Sheheen and Obama ain’t making it easy for defenders of liberalism.. to avoid looking like the total idiot he is: FITS has to dribble out some criticism of the democrats.
But don’t worry: When grits comes to gravy…FITS is with you democrats…All in…100 percent….
The LAST thing he wants is the GOP being elected…even though they are the ONLY force standing against the danger and disaster of the democrat party and their lord-god Obama…
GT, you’re living on the wrong side of a one-track mind…..
Is that from a country song?
No, it is just a phrase that’s been bantered around. However, you may have an idea about filling-out a song using it. Usually used as a put-down to someone whose thinking got twisted around like a licorice twist.
I think I heard it on the radio . . .
Living on the wrong side of a one track mind
I can’t understand why you don’t like my kind
I’ll tell you brother I’m doing the very best I can
Don’t be a hater – won’t you just give me a hand
Yes I’m living on the wrong side of a one track mind
Show me some loving instead of kicking my behind
You may think it’s easy but it’s damn hard to do
Watch out brother – yeah – it could happen to you
Thanks for that, didn’t know it came from a song (see my other post). It was meant as a put-down to GrandTango, but with these lyrics — just don’t know..
Maybe this one is more to your liking . . .
Living on the wrong side of a one track mind
I love being hateful and I hate being kind
And you know me – when I open my mouth
It’s guaranteed the conversation’s going south
Yes I’m living on the wrong side of a one track mind
I don’t even think – just pull it out of my behind
And yes I’m pompous and I really love to gloat
Just can’t figure out why I always miss the boat
Excellent.!! (See Article Muhahahaha )– if the picture on the wall is turned 45 degrees to the right it is the GrandeTurnip hitting himself in the head.
Your “living on the wrong side of a one-track mind” is priceless – especially as it refers to The Big T.
A. Republicans haven’t been in charge for 30 years: Republicans took the State house in ’96 and the Senate in 2000. We’ve had Democrat governors for 9 of the last 30 years. So I suppose all of the problems we had didn’t exist until Carroll Campbell or David Beasley?
B. From Reconstruction to 1996 Democrats ruled South Carolina – how’d that work out for ya?
You people and your damn facts! Stop screwing up irrational diatribes with your pesky doses of reality. Jerk…
It’s fascinating to me that the Dems aren’t focusing on ideology instead of lying about Haley on this matter.
The whole world seems to be moving towards Socialism, so why don’t they campaign on it? It seems to be a good time to do it.
Another installment in Fits inevitable endorsement of Haley ,or ,perhaps like his move the other day with Toal.,the ultimate cop out,
Well, it just doesnt make any difference etc etc.
Yep, I’ve seen and heard his shit before. Endorse Sanfraud, prepare Haley endorsement, and now Toal vs. Pleicones doesn’t matter.
Next up, more bullshit on the forthcoming book; now going on 4 years.
Choosing a Governor is like choosing the least crappy stall at the rest stop. They all stink, but you chose the least nasty one. Therefore Sheheen would be the obvious choice for Gov.
“The evil of two lessers” as it were.
James Smith is a liar in training for the Democrats. I saw a lobbyist last week who had just talked with Smith. He said he had never been talked down to in such a sing-song, condescending fashion since he heard Jean Toal talking and lying at her hearing in November. Smith absolutely refused to discuss or hear anything that HE- Smith – did not want to discuss. He did not want evidence of how misinformed and uninformed he is on a several issues. He has been reduced to being just a Toal puppet. It’s pitiful.
Dems will win. Sheheen will win. Haley is corrupt like Christy on NJ and O’Donnell of Virginia.
Wishful thinking, friend. Do you read the polling? Unless those numbers (and just as importantly, the fundraising numbers) on Vinnie’s side of the legal pad start moving really dramatically really quickly he won’t win. Haley’s in the same as Sugarbritches Graham – in a good spot to win by default, solely by virtue of the influence of the straight “R” vote. Sad, but true, as they say.
You are so correct about the straight “R” vote.
The problem the Democrats have, among many, is that they can’t even see the obvious Haley mistakes. They run off chasing Haley rabbits that no one cares about. And, even worse, Haley might not even be responsible for in the first place.
Just focus on the numerous appointments, kick backs, and mess ups that Haley has devastated the State with in her term as Gov.
http://www.wspa.com/story/24507782/ex-nurse-allowed-to-sue-dhec-director-templeton-over-tb-outbreak
Of course this is something repubs would never think of doing. Just ask Brother Lee. Oh I forgot.
Templeton is a lying, dishonest person who clearly reflects the official who appointed her. You are mistaken and this lies clearly in her lap, which a court will soon decide.