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Hopefully he is now qualified to be in this position. It was nothing but a polictical payback when he was appointed A.G. back in 1999. IMHO
AIKEN --- J. Strom Thurmond Jr., the former U.S. attorney for South Carolina and eldest son of the late U.S. Sen. Strom Thurmond, will seek the 2nd Judicial Circuit solicitor's seat in the fall, he said Thursday.
Solicitor Barbara Morgan announced Wednesday she would not seek re-election after serving Aiken, Bamberg and Barnwell counties for 18 years.
Mr. Thurmond, who is in private practice in Aiken, said he expressed interest in the position to Ms. Morgan and looked forward to the possibility to fill her shoes.
"It's an incredibly important job, one of the highest callings of the legal profession," he said. "The solicitor impacts the safety and security of the community and I would be honored to serve."
From 1999 to 2001, Mr. Thurmond served as assistant solicitor under Ms. Morgan.
In 2001, Mr. Thurmond was appointed as South Carolina's U.S. attorney and served in that position until 2005.
By announcing her intentions now, Ms. Morgan said it would make for an easier transition for her staff.
Her term does not expire for another year, but her name has been reportedly kicked around as a possible U.S. attorney, which she said she'd give serious consideration if chosen.
According to the Aiken County Voting and Registration Office, the solicitor position will be on the primary ballot in June and on the general election ballot in November.
Filing to run for the seat begins at noon March 17 and ends March 31.
Reach Julia Sellers at (803) 648-1395, ext. 106 or julia.sellers@augustachronicle.com.
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Hopefully he is now qualified to be in this position. It was nothing but a polictical payback when he was appointed A.G. back in 1999. IMHO
HYPOCRITES2008 is sooooo correct, except for the "AG" (attorney general) reference. When Strom Sr. (then a wet-behind-the-ears assistant solicitor in Morgan's office) got The Shrub to appoint Junior as the U.S. Attorney for SC (the most senior Federal law enforcement official in the State), it made a mockery (again) of the U.S. Justice Department. It was one of many examples of how The Shrub, John Ashcroft, and Alberto Gonzales used the Justice Department as their personal political playground. It also showed the disdain that Strom Sr. had for the citizens of SC. I guess Strom Jr.'s effort to sell his influence in his private law practice didn't work out too well. So, now he wants to get back on the public dole. Quite a huge step down, U.S. Attorney to solicitor in podunkville. The common theme is that he is not qualified for either job.
Look out black people in SC, another Thurmond is gunning for you!
I believe that he knew that the A.G. job was way over his head. The job he is seeking election to is probably at the appropriate time, and if anytime in the near future, say ten years he can become A.G. again. I was furious when he was appointed A.G., but for some reason I think this young man may be a very decent person. Heck, he acknowledged his bi-racial sister when he really did not have to though it was the right thing to do. So, we will sit back quietly and see what happens with this election.
Those who are making the negative comments regarding Strom Thurmond Jr. should 1) understand and get your facts straight and 2) have working knowledge of his job performance during the time he was an US Attorney for SC from 2001-2005. The AG for SC is Henry McMaster, so you need to know what office Strom Thurmond Jr. occupied before you make your comments. It is my understanding in terms of performance; then US Attorney Thurmond was rated as a top performer during his four years. What comments were made when Gov. Sanford appointed a US Attorney to head up the SLED department overlooking the interim CHIEF who has been with SLED for 28 years and ranked very highly by all 46 Sherrifs?
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