Republican Governor Henry McMaster moved to end race-based government contracting in South Carolina and called for lawmakers to take action to codify his executive actions. 
McMaster signed an <a href="https://governor.sc.gov/sites/governor/files/Documents/Executive-Orders/2025-12-03%20FILED%20Executive%20Order%202025-40%20-%20Prohibiting%20Race-Based%20Discrimination%20in%20Government%20Contracting.pdf">executive order</a> on Wednesday calling for state agencies to stop awarding contracts based on race. Under current state law, each state agency is required to propose a budget that awards 10% of spending to minority-owned businesses. 
“Today, I have ordered state agencies to halt all future spending, procurement or contract decisions that are based on race. The state laws requiring these quotas and racial set-asides are unconstitutional and discriminatory. Business with state government should be awarded based on merit and value to the taxpayer,” McMaster <a href="https://x.com/henrymcmaster/status/1996273026841682158">wrote</a> on X. “Senate President Alexander and House Speaker Smith have agreed to lead the effort to repeal these laws when the General Assembly returns next month.”
South Carolina’s Department of Transportation is also required to hand out a minimum of 5% of its awards for certain contracts to minority-owned businesses. 
In his executive order, McMaster said that the state laws mandating race-based contracting “call for unlawful racial discrimination” and that they are policies that “rest on the false assumption that the solution to perceived historical wrongs is to racially discriminate against individuals in the present.” 
McMaster also said that the policies may violate President Donald Trump’s executive actions taking aim at diversity, equity, and inclusion policies. 
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South Carolina Senate President Thomas Alexander and House Speaker Murrell Smith, both Republicans, said they would move in January to codify the governor’s actions. 
“We are a nation and a state dedicated to the principle that ‘all men are created equal, endowed by their Creator,’ as reflected in the Constitution’s requirement of equal protection of the laws,” Alexander said. “When existing laws no longer align with that constitutional command, it is our duty to correct them. I am confident my colleagues in the Senate share my belief that state government must reflect equality under the law in all its endeavors and ensure our statutes fully comply with the Constitution.”
South Carolina Congressman Ralph Norman <a href="https://x.com/RalphNorman/status/1996286119034454330">praised</a> McMaster’s action and called for the state legislature to pass a “full DEI ban.”
Amid Trump’s war on DEI at the federal level, some lawmakers have turned to the state level to challenge programs that favor minority businesses. In October, Texas <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/unless-youre-white-you-qualify-texas-suspends-business-program-that-excludes-white-males">suspended</a> a statewide program that prioritized non-white male businesses in state contracting. 
This was done through the Historically Underutilized Businesses, which received about 11% of state spending total. The total awards given to the businesses are over $4 billion, including $1.45 billion for women-owned businesses and $1.6 billion for Hispanic-owned businesses.

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Red State Governor Ends Race-Based Contracting, Calls For Lawmakers To Make Move Permanent

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Authorities are searching for a gunman who opened fire at a crowded South Carolina bar early Sunday morning, killing four people and wounding 20 others.
Hundreds of people gathered at Willie’s Bar and Grill on St. Helena Island for a high school reunion party Saturday night into Sunday morning when gunfire erupted, forcing the crowd to run to nearby businesses to find cover. Beaufort County Sheriff&#8217;s deputies arrived on the scene around 1:00 a.m. and found that numerous people had been shot, according to ABC&#8217;s Charleston affiliate, <a href="https://abcnews4.com/news/local/20-injured-4-killed-in-early-morning-shooting-at-beaufort-county-bar-wciv-abc-news-4-charleston-sc-south-carolina-beaufort-county-sheriffs-office">WCIV</a>.
Four people were declared dead, while the other victims were transported to the hospital. Four of the 20 people who were wounded in the shooting were in critical condition. It appears that the shooting took place outside the bar, where there was a party for alumni of Battery Creek High School.
St. Helena Island is 50 miles north of Savannah, Georgia.
The mass shooting remains under investigation. The Beaufort County Sheriff&#8217;s Office <a href="https://www.facebook.com/BeaufortCountySheriffsOfficeSC/">said</a> it is &#8220;investigating persons of interest,&#8221; but has not released any information about them as of Monday morning. The sheriff&#8217;s office is also waiting to notify the families of victims before it releases any information on their identities.
&#8220;This is a tragic and difficult incident for everyone. We ask for your patience as we continue to investigate this incident. Our thoughts are with all of the victims and their loved ones,&#8221; the sheriff&#8217;s office said.
The sheriff&#8217;s office also said that the public can <a href="https://tipsbft.com/sitemenu.aspx?ID=1017&amp;">submit anonymous tips</a> if anyone has information regarding the shooting.
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Republican Congresswoman Nancy Mace, whose district includes St. Helena Island, <a href="https://x.com/RepNancyMace/status/1977370951953068193">said</a> that she was &#8220;completely heartbroken.&#8221;
&#8220;Our prayers are with the victims, their families, and everyone impacted by this horrific act of violence,&#8221; Mace added. &#8220;If you have any information, please contact the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office at 843-255-3418, as soon as humanly possible.&#8221;
The deadly shooting in South Carolina came just weeks after three people were killed and five were wounded in a &#8220;highly premeditated&#8221; <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/3-dead-8-injured-person-shot-boat-north-carolina-waterfront-bar-rcna234168">shooting</a> at a North Carolina waterfront bar. The gunman in the North Carolina bar attack fired upon victims from his boat before speeding off. Authorities arrested a 40-year-old Marine veteran and charged him with three counts of first-degree murder and five counts of attempted first-degree murder, among other crimes.

Shooting At South Carolina Bar Leaves At Least 4 Dead, 20 Injured

Gunman Kills 4, Wounds 20 At South Carolina Bar

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Everyone Needs To See This Viral Testimony From This Grieving Father

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Few things are more important than the education of our young people. 
That’s why, when the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) released the <a href="https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/">Nation’s Report Card</a> earlier this week, I became concerned. Average scores among 8th and 12th grade students were lower across all three primary assessments — science, math, and reading. For example, only 22% of 12th graders were proficient at their level of mathematics and 35% were proficient at their level of reading.
Scores like these should remind all of us just how important a high-quality education is for every student. While these scores are discouraging, I believe when parents and students are given a choice in education and the right leadership is in place, we will see test scores like these go up, not down. 
Most students spend more awake time in school than at home during the week and thousands of families are counting on their state officials to deliver for their children. That’s why I’m running for governor of South Carolina, to ensure that every student has access to a high-quality education – whether that’s their local traditional public school, a high-performing public charter school, or a high-quality private school. I am confident that there are thousands of outstanding teachers across South Carolina, but there are also gaps in excellence in far too many places.
I’ve spent my career in business and understand that competition makes everyone better. When traditional public schools are competing against private and public charter schools, it drives innovation, efficiency, and a desire for excellence. This free-market principle is what creates great organizations that serve people well, and it’s the same principle that will improve education for South Carolina students.
Status quo politicians and special interests have tried to pit education freedom against great public schools. I fundamentally reject this flawed argument. I attended public school and many of my grandchildren currently attend public school – and I strongly support education freedom. South Carolina parents deserve the opportunity to choose what’s best for their child.
Fortunately, South Carolina has made significant strides in improving student-centered education over the past few years, but we have room to grow. As governor, my mission will be to improve public education, increase education freedom, and ensure high school graduates are ready for a job or college.
We know what moves the needle in public education – great teachers in classrooms and great principals leading schools. The research is overwhelming: the quality of teachers and principals are two of the top in-school factors for student success. I firmly believe that leaders should make data-informed decisions, and that’s why, based on this research, we should be rewarding our top-performing teachers and principals across the state.
I want South Carolina to become the top destination in the country for the best and brightest teachers and principals. We should create a merit pay structure statewide that offers bonuses to educators who are top performers – and we should offer an extra incentive to educators who are willing to bring their high-quality instruction to low performing schools. Infusing the principles of the free market into public education will improve outcomes for students.
Concurrent with statewide merit pay, South Carolina must expand education freedom for all families in the state. Education freedom is about ensuring parents are empowered to exercise their God-given right to choose what’s best for their children. As governor, I will work every day to expand education freedom until every family has the opportunity to choose the best education for their child.
Finally, as governor, I am committed to dramatically expanding career and technical education in South Carolina. For too long, schools and businesses have been ships passing in the night. Schools enroll students in career and technical education without actually talking to businesses about what skills are needed in the workforce. I’ve spent most of my life in the private sector and I know what it takes to bring business leaders into the conversation and ensure our students are being prepared with the skills needed for family-sustaining jobs. When schools and businesses are working together for student success, the entire state wins.
Few things are more important than education. As governor, I will focus every day on leading with students at the center of the conversation. Education funding is a core function of government and it should be treated as a treasure to invest in our next generation’s education.
* * *
Ralph Norman was born and raised in South Carolina. After a successful career as a small business owner in real estate development, he entered into public service, first as a South Carolina State Representative, then as a U.S. Congressman in 2017. He’s now running to be the next Governor of South Carolina. 
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

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When Test Scores Drop, It’s Time For Real Education Reform

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A South Carolina Democrat is facing calls to withdraw from the governor’s race after a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gY5fKGke_W8" target="_blank" rel="noopener">video</a> surfaced showing him screaming obscenities at police officers during a narcotics episode.
Dashcam footage shows William McLeod swearing and yelling at officers for nearly 20 minutes in the back of the cop car, calling himself “god” and “superman,” and using the n-word twice.
The video circulated online after it was obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request, according to the <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/08/14/us-news/wild-video-shows-dems-pick-for-sc-gov-race-being-arrested-in-his-underwear-while-calling-himself-god-and-superman/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New York Post</a>.
McLeod is currently the only Democratic runner for the 2026 South Carolina gubernatorial race. The prominent Charleston lawyer ran unsuccessfully for governor in 2010 and has served two terms as the Charleston County Democratic Party Chairman.
His party has requested that he withdraw from the race.
“After reviewing the transcript of the dash cam footage from his recent arrest, it is clear that Mr. McLeod is navigating profound challenges and should focus on his mental and emotional well-being instead of a campaign for governor,” the chair of the South Carolina Democratic Party, Christale Spain, said in a statement Wednesday.
“We offer him compassion and pray he finds the support he needs.”
But McLeod has shown no intent of backing down. His campaign team labeled the arrest “unlawful.” McLeod himself has touted the incident as a reason why he should be elected.
“When they learn what happened around my unlawful arrest, it will be a reason why I absolutely need to be our state’s governor,” he said.
He did not elaborate as to why.
McLeod was arrested on May 15 after he was found “yelling at the top of his lungs” while walking near the Battery in Charleston in only his underwear and shoes.
McLeod’s eyes were “extremely bloodshot and highly dilated … typical of an individual under the influence of a stimulant narcotic,” a preliminary incident <a href="https://www.counton2.com/news/local-news/south-carolina-democratic-party-calls-for-mullins-mcleod-to-exit-governors-race-following-release-of-arrest-video/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> obtained by WCBD said.
When an officer asked for his name, McLeod replied, “It doesn’t matter, my friend, trust me. I’m one of the most just humans to ever walk this soil.”
“Superman works,” he added.
He also launched a tirade against one of his Republican opponents, Alan Wilson, the current Attorney General of South Carolina. “I will kick your teeth in … I’m going to kick every one of them in. If I do kick them in, you don’t know any dentist.”
He also seemingly threatened to kidnap Wilson’s German Shepherd: “When I’m governor, Snoop is coming with me,” he said.
It is unclear where the name Snoop came from. Wilson has a German Shepherd named <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AGAlanWilson/photos/a.512888925463554/2003104073108691/?type=3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lucy</a>.
McLeod refused to get out of the car when they arrived at the police station, saying he would sleep in the backseat. “No, I’m not doing it, no. I’m not getting out of this car. It’s time to go to bed.” He was forcibly removed and booked into jail around 1 a.m.
He currently faces misdemeanor charges for disorderly conduct.
He claimed that he had been exercising his “God-given, constitutional right to be in a public place” when he was arrested.
“The only thing I’d ask the voters is to please give me a little bit of grace and know that long before we go to Election Day, they’ll know exactly what happened,” he <a href="https://www.postandcourier.com/politics/south-carolina-mullins-mcleod-governor-2026/article_2cd1ea51-360d-4153-9497-e3428c7c37f3.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told the Post and Courier</a>.
Wilson <a href="https://www.counton2.com/news/local-news/south-carolina-democratic-party-calls-for-mullins-mcleod-to-exit-governors-race-following-release-of-arrest-video/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">responded</a> to McLeod’s threats in a statement on Wednesday, saying, “I am going to give him the benefit of the doubt and assume he means in a general election, not a street fight,” Wilson said.
He preferred to focus on his campaign rather than on McLeod’s remarks: “My plan for bold, conservative leadership is spreading, and my record of defending President Trump, parental rights, and the rule of law has put a target on my back. But we’re not slowing down, and I’m not done fighting for South Carolina families.”

South Carolina Democrat Says Video Of Narcotic-Induced Tirade Shows Why He Should Be Governor

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Firebrand Republican Congresswoman Nancy Mace launched her bid for South Carolina governor on Monday, joining what&#8217;s quickly becoming a crowded field in the Palmetto State.
Mace joins Rep. Ralph Norman, Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette, South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson, and state senator Josh Kimbrell in the 2026 Republican primary. The congresswoman addressed her supporters at an early morning rally at her alma mater, The Citadel military college, where she announced her run for governor.
&#8220;I&#8217;m running for governor because South Carolina doesn&#8217;t need another empty suit. It needs a governor who will fight for you and your values,&#8221; Mace <a href="https://x.com/NancyMace/status/1952330227755172211">said</a>. &#8220;South Carolina needs a governor who will drag the truth into sunlight and flip the tables if that&#8217;s what it takes.&#8221;
&#8220;I&#8217;ve walked into firestorms, and I&#8217;ve come out swinging,&#8221; she added.
Incumbent South Carolina Republican Gov. Henry McMaster, who has served since 2017,  will be term-limited from running again in the November 2026 election.
In a video Mace posted on X Monday morning, the Republican emphasized how she has drawn the ire of both Democrats and Republicans and showed clips of President Donald Trump praising her in the past.
&#8220;When she sets her sight on something, she&#8217;s tough,&#8221; Trump said of Mace.
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I’m running to be the Governor of South Carolina!
God’s not done with South Carolina and neither am I. You and me. Our mission begins now.
South Carolina First. Nancy Mace for Governor.<a href="https://t.co/tkO1oN5G0W">https://t.co/tkO1oN5G0W</a> <a href="https://t.co/odvxAKfz5b">pic.twitter.com/odvxAKfz5b</a>
— Nancy Mace (@NancyMace) <a href="https://twitter.com/NancyMace/status/1952331263710203935?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 4, 2025</a></blockquote>
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The relationship between the 47-year-old congresswoman and Trump, however, has been rocky. In 2022, Trump <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/3523340-mace-defeats-trump-backed-primary-challenger-in-south-carolina/">endorsed</a> Mace&#8217;s primary opponent, Katie Arrington, after Mace <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/07/politics/trump-hill-republicans-move-on/index.html">said</a> that Trump&#8217;s &#8220;entire legacy was wiped out&#8221; following the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot. Mace came out on top in the 2022 primary and secured a second term in the House. She won again in 2024 and is currently serving her third term.
Mace has focused much of her attention on fighting to keep trans-identifying men out of women&#8217;s bathrooms. She recently got in a fight over women&#8217;s bathrooms with Delaware Democratic Rep. Sarah McBride, a man who identifies as a woman. Shortly after McBride was elected, Mace introduced a resolution banning men from women&#8217;s facilities in Congress. McBride <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trans-identifying-congressman-agrees-not-to-use-female-bathrooms-after-johnson-brings-the-hammer-down?author=Mary+Margaret+Olohan&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Trans-Identifying+Congressman+Agrees+Not+To+Use+Female+Bathrooms+After+Johnson+Brings+The+Hammer+Down">agreed</a> not to use women&#8217;s bathrooms on Capitol Hill after House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) issued a mandate, saying, &#8220;Women deserve women’s only spaces.&#8221;
Mace is well-known on Capitol Hill for her self-assertive nature and her knack for diving into the middle of controversy.
Earlier this year, Mace made headlines when she shared what she called a &#8220;naked silhouette&#8221; of herself during a House subcommittee hearing. Mace shared the photo while addressing the subject of “Breach of Trust: Surveillance in Private Spaces.” She alleged that the image was captured without her consent, accusing four men of sexual abuse. The men, one of whom is her ex-fiance, have denied any wrongdoing.
“I would run through a brick wall to protect women and girls in South Carolina and to other potential victims, I want you to know I have your back,&#8221; Mace said during the hearing.

Nancy Mace

Nancy Mace Launches Campaign For South Carolina Governor

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The Supreme Court ruled Thursday that South Carolina is allowed to ban Medicaid funds from going to Planned Parenthood.
Justices voted 6-3 to reverse the Fourth Circuit&#8217;s ruling that an individual Medicaid user could bring a federal civil rights lawsuit over Planned Parenthood being excluded from Medicaid in South Carolina.
Justice Neil Gorsuch authored the court&#8217;s <a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/24pdf/23-1275_e2pg.pdf">opinion</a>, saying that Medicaid law does not clearly give patients the right to sue. He noted that states have the authority to decide which health care providers are &#8220;qualified&#8221; and can participate in Medicaid — for example, doctors who have committed felonies may be excluded. Planned Parenthood can challenge its exclusion from Medicaid through South Carolina&#8217;s administrative process, Gorsuch said.
The decision paves the way for other Republican-led states who may want to exclude Planned Parenthood from their Medicaid programs.
Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson penned a dissent that was joined by Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan.
&#8220;At a minimum, it will deprive Medicaid recipients in South Carolina of their only meaningful way of enforcing a right that Congress has expressly granted to them,&#8221; she wrote.
South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster, a Republican, previously argued that &#8220;taxpayers should not be forced to subsidize abortion providers who are in direct opposition to their beliefs.&#8221;
&#8220;Seven years ago, we took a stand to protect the sanctity of life and defend South Carolina&#8217;s authority and values – and today, we are finally victorious,&#8221; McMaster said Thursday in a statement after the ruling.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
The U.S. Supreme Court has affirmed our right to exclude abortion providers from receiving taxpayer dollars. Seven years ago, we took a stand to protect the sanctity of life and defend South Carolina&#39;s authority and values – and today, we are finally victorious. My statement: <a href="https://t.co/N9fkoPpQ9v">pic.twitter.com/N9fkoPpQ9v</a>
&mdash; Gov. Henry McMaster (@henrymcmaster) <a href="https://twitter.com/henrymcmaster/status/1938246255378854273?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 26, 2025</a></blockquote>
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South Carolina cited its own state law prohibiting the use of taxpayer dollars for abortion. Federal law also prohibits Medicaid funds from paying for most but not all abortions — the funds are permitted in the cases of rape, incest, or when the life of the mother is in danger.
Planned Parenthood has two clinics in South Carolina, one in Charleston and one in Columbia.
The court&#8217;s decision is yet another loss for the pro-abortion lobby, which saw Roe vs. Wade overturned three years ago this week, nixing the supposed constitutional right to abortion.
Prolife leaders celebrated Thursday&#8217;s ruling.
“Planned Parenthood’s taxpayer-funded gravy train is swiftly coming to an end,&#8221; SBA Pro-Life America President Marjorie Dannenfelser said.
&#8220;Its days of posing as a ‘trusted health care provider’ are over as the truth is exposed — most recently, by revelations of botched procedures, open sewage and other horrifying conditions at their facilities across America and the tragic death of yet another young woman following a late-term abortion,&#8221; she said.
Dannenfelser added that Planned Parenthood is more interested in &#8220;funneling millions into political activism and litigation.&#8221;
Meanwhile, Democrats were incensed.
&#8220;Make no mistake — Senate Republicans own the consequences of this loathsome MAGA Supreme Court decision. They packed our courts with extremists and they’re the chief architects of the dismal state of women’s health care in America,&#8221; Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer <a href="https://x.com/SenSchumer/status/1938246865352286407">said</a> in a statement posted to X.

Reproductive Rights Advocates Rally As Supreme Court Hears Planned Parenthood Case

Supreme Court Says States Can Cut Off Medicaid Funds For Planned Parenthood

Supreme Court Rules South Carolina Can Ban Medicaid Funds For Planned Parenthood

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The South Carolina Supreme Court rejected an effort from Planned Parenthood to water down the state&#8217;s pro-life heartbeat law, ruling on Wednesday that the state could enforce its protections for unborn babies at around six weeks of development.
In its decision, the court ruled against Planned Parenthood&#8217;s claim that the law could only protect babies at around nine weeks of development, claiming that was when a baby&#8217;s heartbeat can first be detected. The court said that the legislature had intended to protect unborn babies at around six weeks, when heart activity can first be detected, ruling against the abortion giant.
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&#8220;While we do not frame our holding today in the shorthand terms of a number of weeks, the biologically identifiable moment in time we hold is the &#8216;fetal heartbeat&#8217; under the 2023 Act occurs in most instances at approximately six weeks of pregnancy,&#8221; the majority <a href="https://www.sccourts.org/media/opinions/HTMLFiles/SC/28280.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote</a>.
The question the justices were addressing was: &#8220;at what point in a woman&#8217;s pregnancy does a &#8216;fetal heartbeat&#8217; occur&#8221; as defined by South Carolina&#8217;s 2023 Fetal Heartbeat and Protection From Abortion Act. The court defined this as when a &#8220;medical professional may objectively determine to have occurred by the existence of the &#8216;cardiac activity&#8217; of electrical impulses detectable as a &#8216;sound&#8217; with diagnostic medical technology such as a transvaginal ultrasound device.&#8221;
Top South Carolina officials celebrated the decision.
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&#8220;Time and time again, we have defended the right to life in South Carolina, and time and time again, we have prevailed,&#8221; said South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster. &#8220;Today&#8217;s ruling is another clear and decisive victory that will ensure the lives of countless unborn children remain protected and that South Carolina continues to lead the charge in defending the sanctity of life.&#8221;
“This ruling is a resounding win for the rule of law and protecting the unborn in South Carolina,” said Attorney General Alan Wilson. “Today’s decision reaffirms that our elected legislators, not out-of-state interest groups, hold the power to shape South Carolina’s policies in accordance with the values of its people.”
The Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America organization also praised the decision from the court.
“Planned Parenthood has failed in attempting to rewrite the science of human development to further their agenda for more abortions and more profit,&#8221; said SBA Pro-Life America Political Director Caitlin Connors. &#8220;The level of science denial from this abortion giant that receives $800 million in taxpayer funding annually should astound South Carolinians who overwhelmingly re-elected Gov. Henry McMaster and state Republicans after they enacted the heartbeat law.&#8221;

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Red State Supreme Court Rejects Planned Parenthood’s Attempts To ‘Rewrite The Science’ On Abortion

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The Supreme Court on Wednesday heard oral arguments in a case that will determine whether South Carolina can pull the plug on state-administered Medicaid funding for Planned Parenthood. 
The case centers around a woman who sued the state Department of Health after it said she couldn’t use money from the state’s Medicaid program at Planned Parenthood South Atlantic. Arguments focused on whether Medicaid recipients can sue the state over the policy and if South Carolina has the authority to make guidelines about where the money can be used. 
John Bursch, a lawyer with Alliance Defending Freedom representing South Carolina, and the Trump administration argued that the state had no legal obligation to designate funds for abortion providers. 
“Disqualifying abortion providers like [Planned Parenthood] ensures that women receive comprehensive medical care,” Bursch <a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/23/23-1275/341725/20250203121003568_23-1275%20Brief%20for%20the%20Petitioner.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote</a> in a legal brief to the court. “It also ensures that South Carolina’s Medicaid funding goes toward improving ‘access to necessary medical care and important women’s health and family planning services’ for all women—rather than improving Planned Parenthood’s ability to free up funding to pay for abortions.”
Bursch and the Justice Department argued that the Medicaid Act does not create a right for a recipient to choose a provider. 
Nicole Saharsky, a lawyer for Planned Parenthood, argued that the state has an obligation to allocate Medicaid funding to the health care provider of the recipient&#8217;s choosing. 
“As this case comes to the court it is established that South Carolina violated the statute by denying Julie Edwards of her choice of a qualified and willing provider,” she said. “The only question is whether she can do something about it.” 
Several of the justices, including Brett Kavanaugh and Neil Gorsuch, appeared skeptical of several of Saharsky’s claims. 
Bursch argued that South Carolina&#8217;s two Planned Parenthood affiliates offer little of what actually constitutes health care and were rightly excluded from the program. 
“While both entities claim to offer a range of healthcare services, they mainly offer abortions, contraception, STD testing, other screenings, and experimental puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones to those who identify as transgender, including minors,” he wrote in a filing to the court. 
South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster, who directed the state to stop sending Medicaid dollars toward Planned Parenthood, was at the Supreme Court for the hearing. 
“I&#8217;m in Washington this morning as we defend South Carolina&#8217;s right to exclude Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers from our Medicaid program,” he <a href="https://x.com/henrymcmaster/status/1907417543293444520" target="_blank" rel="noopener">posted</a> on X. 
There are <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/exclusive-rep-biggs-calls-on-doge-to-probe-planned-parenthood-ceos-exorbitant-salaries" target="_blank" rel="noopener">currently efforts</a> underway to slash federal funding for Planned Parenthood, which ended the lives of around 392,715 unborn children from 2022 to 2023, according to its most recent annual reports. During that same period, Planned Parenthood received nearly $700 million in federal funding.

Demonstrators As US Supreme Court Hears Arguments In Medina V. Planned Parenthood South Atlantic

Red State Makes Case To Defund Planned Parenthood To Supreme Court

Health Care

A woman who previously worked as the director of finance and operations for Habitat for Humanity in Central South Carolina has been sentenced for stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from the federal government.
Ashley Clark Ingram, 35, was sentenced last month to two years in federal prison after she pleaded guilty to theft of government funds, the U.S. Department of Justice<a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-sc/pr/former-nonprofit-finance-director-sentenced-theft-government-funds"> announced</a> in February.
“Evidence presented to the court showed that while employed as the director of finance and operations for Habitat for Humanity, Ingram applied for an employee retention tax credit for retaining employees during the COVID-19 pandemic from the IRS on behalf of Habitat for Humanity, but without the knowledge of the nonprofit,” the DOJ said. “Ingram then received checks totaling $388,550.75 from the United States Treasury and deposited the funds into a Habitat for Humanity account that she controlled then transferred the money from the Habitat for Humanity account into her own bank accounts.”
“In total, Ingram misappropriated approximately $514,672.37 from Habitat for Humanity and the United States Government,” the DOJ added.
U.S. District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced Ingram to two years in prison, followed by two years of court-ordered supervision. She was also ordered to pay “a remaining balance” of $30,165.47 to Habitat for Humanity, as well as a $10,000 fine and a $100 special assessment fee. Ingram had already paid back nearly all of the money she stole.
Ingram pleaded guilty last June to the theft, the South Carolina Daily Gazette <a href="https://scdailygazette.com/2025/02/11/sc-habitat-for-humanity-worker-sentenced-to-2-years-in-prison-for-nearly-500k-theft/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>.
“There’s a terrible irony in this case,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Matthews said, according to the outlet. “She stole money from an organization that helps people get housing of all things.”
Habitat for Humanity’s interim executive director, Emily Fernald, told the Gazette that Ingram’s crimes weren’t just about the money but the “reputation of our organization.”
Because of Ingram’s theft, 16 families in South Carolina saw their home construction delayed as the charity dealt with financial issues. The homes were still being built, but the work slowed, and the charity lost donors.
“They have to overcome what you did,” Judge Lewis said before sentencing Ingram.
Ingram’s attorney claimed she stole the money because of her personal financial struggles. Her husband had lost his job, and they lived in an unsafe neighborhood. She wanted to escape and used some of the stolen money to buy a new house.
But as Fernald said, many of the people who seek out Habitat for Humanity face similar problems.
“These are folks who worked extremely hard to get where they are in life,” she said, according to the Gazette. “But they’re not stealing. They’re not lying.”

Habitat For Humanity

Former Habitat For Humanity Official Sentenced After Stealing Thousands From Govt

Former Habitat For Humanity Finance Director Sentenced After Stealing Thousands From Government

Theft

U.S.

A parental rights group on Wednesday filed a civil rights complaint against a South Carolina school district over teacher groups that “appear to exclude individuals based on their race.”
Parents Defending Education filed a <a href="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/Charleston-County-School-District_OCR-_Redacted-1.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">complaint</a> with the Office of Civil Rights for the Department of Education over multiple racially-focused “affinity groups” hosted by the Charleston County School District. The complaint, first shared with The Daily Wire, says that the groups violate federal civil rights laws by limiting participation by race. 
The <a href="https://archive.ph/oCimf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">groups</a> in question are the “Hispanic Latino Affinity Group” and the “Black Educator Affinity Group.” 
“Charleston County School District has affinity group programming that is not open to all. The District allows only some teachers to participate in affinity group programming and participation is based on their race,” the complaint reads. “Descriptions of individual affinity groups in the District appear to exclude individuals based on their race.”
According to the district’s website, the Black Educator Affinity Group is “a space for black educators to connect to one another, support one another, and celebrate one another in a safe space.”
The mission of the Hispanic Latino Affinity Group is to promote “professional development and career advancement opportunities” for Hispanic and Latino employees in the district and to “create a Hispanic-Latino Affinity committee to support recruitment, retention, and innovation among CCSD Hispanic-Latino employees.”
“Both affinity groups encourage hiring employees based on race and offer professional development opportunities exclusively for black and Hispanic-Latino employees,” the complaint says. “Furthermore, while other Districts ensures affinity group bodies are accessible to all teachers, Charleston County School District evades responsibility for the practices of its affinity groups, stating that ‘each affinity group establishes its own mission and goal.’”
The complaint argues that the affinity groups could run afoul of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, which prohibits federal funding from going toward entities practicing racial discrimination, and the Equal Protection clause of the 14th Amendment. 
The school district told The Daily Wire that all employee were welcome to join the affinity groups.
&#8220;Charleston County School District&#8217;s affinity groups were designed to provide support, mentorship, and networking opportunities for educators. Participation was completely voluntary, and all employees were welcome to join,&#8221; a spokesman told The Daily Wire.
&#8220;Leaders are currently reviewing all district practices that could be affected by the presidential administration&#8217;s orders to ensure all CCSD students receive the support and educational opportunities they need, including any necessary actions. Under the guidance of legal counsel, CCSD leadership met on February 25, February 26, and March 4 to advance discussions and implement any appropriate changes,&#8221; the district added.
Parents Defending Education President Nicole Neily told The Daily Wire that it would continue to challenge districts like Charleston that promote racially-focused programs and opportunities. 
&#8220;It&#8217;s grotesque that districts continue to separate teachers, students, and community members on the basis of skin color, and PDE will continue to file complaints about these types of racially segregated programs until such practices end,” she said. “Where there&#8217;s smoke there&#8217;s fire — and sadly, when a school spends finite time and resources organizing events like this, we often see other discriminatory practices on the books as well.&#8221;  
President Donald Trump signed an executive order in January directing all federal funding to be cut off for school districts that promote racial and gender ideology in an effort to go after the promotion of diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives at schools across the country.

High school classroom

EXCLUSIVE: Red State School District Accused Of Discrimination Over Racially-Focused Teacher Groups

Charleston

Civil Rights

Department of Education

With the advent of the new year, U-Haul released data gathered from one-way moves showing migration within the United States is heavily weighted toward moving toward southern states, which are more politically conservative.
“Growth rankings are configured by each state’s net gain (or loss) of customers utilizing one-way U-Haul equipment in a calendar year. The U-Haul Growth Index is compiled from well over 2.5 million one-way U-Haul truck, trailer and U-Box moving container transactions that occur annually,” U-Haul <a href="https://www.uhaul.com/Articles/About/U-Haul-Growth-States-Of-2024-South-Carolina-Tops-List-for-First-Time-33083/">explained</a>.
The top growth states, according to U-Haul data, were, in order, South Carolina, Texas, North Carolina, Florida, and Tennessee in 2024. Leftist California ranked 50th for the fifth year in a row.
“State-to-state transactions from the past year reaffirm customer tendencies that have been pronounced for some time,” John Taylor, U-Haul International president, <a href="https://www.uhaul.com/Articles/About/U-Haul-Growth-States-Of-2024-South-Carolina-Tops-List-for-First-Time-33083/">stated</a>. “Migration to the Southeast and Southwest continues as families gauge their cost of living, job opportunities, quality of life and other factors that go into relocating to a new state. Out-migration remains prevalent for a number of markets across the Northeast, Midwest and West Coast — and particularly California.&#8221;
South Carolina, which had ranked fourth in 2023, soared to the top spot in 2024; Texas, which had placed at the top for three previous years and had ranked first or second every year since 2016, fell to second place. Florida has been fourth or higher every year since 2015.
“With so many people moving to the Carolinas, you have to ask yourself why,” Area District VP for the Carolinas Jason Hardin <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WocntSPDKGE" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stated</a>. “The Carolinas are a great place to live. I mean, we have Southern charm, we have a lot of history here; we got beaches; we have mountains; we have low cost of living. South Carolina is 7% lower on cost-of-living than anywhere else in the United States. So there’s no reason you wouldn’t want to move here. We have great schools, universities &#8230; like Duke and Wake Forest.”
South Carolina and Texas have voted for every GOP presidential candidate since 1976; with the exception of 2008, when Barack Obama barely eked out a victory by only .3%, North Carolina has voted the same; Tennessee has voted for every GOP presidential candidate since 2000, and Florida, which used to be a purple state, has changed to a solid red state under GOP Governor Ron DeSantis. As the AP <a href="https://apnews.com/article/florida-republicans-democrats-voter-registrations-b843059f8f3f1419794751753626a120">noted</a> in August, Florida has one million more Republican registered voters than Democrats, whereas in 2020, Democrats had 97,000 more registered voters than the GOP.

U-Haul Moving And Storage Rental Company

The South Soars: U-Haul Moving Data Shows 5 Southern States Prime Target For People Relocating

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