| A source contacted Indigo Journal today with evidence that Cynthia Bensch, Second Congressional District representative on the S.C. State Election Commission, has violated state law by campaigning on behalf of Sen. John McCain.
In August, Bensch and her husband Gary used a Beaufort County Republican Party listserv to send email from the McCain campaign seeking "...full-time volunteers for positions available immediately in our regional offices located throughout the nation, including our National Headquarters in Arlington, VA."
According to Section 7-3-10 of the S.C. Code of Laws, "No member of the commission may participate in political management or in a political campaign during the member's term of office. No member of the commission may make a contribution to a candidate or knowingly attend a fundraiser held for the benefit of a candidate. Violation of this subsection subjects the commissioner to removal by the Governor."
While Ms. Bensch contributed $500 to Bush-Cheney in 2004 and once called Alan Keyes "'God's last grace,' in the tradition of Moses and Noah," there is no evidence to suggest that she's violated the contribution requirement since her appointment to the commission by Governor Sanford.
But sending emails on behalf of presidential candidate certainly seems to fall under participating in a political campaign. Below is a copy of the email sent to the listserv on behalf of Ms. Bensch. IJ also confirmed that the original exists in the archives of the BCRP listserv.
More on this story as it develops.
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