A fatal movie theater shooting in Louisiana last week, a month after the Mother Emanuel shootings in Charleston, is the second incident in which it seems that the National Instant Criminal Background Check System fell short in its goal to keep guns out of the hands of dangerous people. The suspected Louisiana shooter John Houser had been committed to a mental hospital in 2008 and suspected Charleston shooter Dylann Roof was arrested earlier this year on a drug charge; both instances should have stopped the alleged shooters from buying their guns, but they did not. Source: NYT
After the Mother Emanuel shootings and a string of black church vandalism that police say is “more than likely connected,” some African American congregations are taking new safety precautions. Source: P&C
After a 19-year old man was shot and killed by police during a drug sting in Lexington on Sunday, South Carolina is on pace to have more officer-involved shootings this year than in the last 15 years, according to SLED files. Source: AP
State Solicitor David Pascoe says that a $3,517 payment made by former House Speaker Bobby Harrell from his campaign account can’t be used to pay $93,958 in restitution ordered as part of a plea agreement. Harrell resigned his post and plead guilty to campaign finance violations in October and is currently banned from holding public office in the state for three years. Source: The Nerve
P&C columnist Frank Wooten says that a new superintendent for Charleston County Schools presents a new opportunity for the school district despite the “indisputably divisive” selection process. Local NAACP officials say they “will not move on” now that new superintendent Gerrita Postlewait has taken her seat on the board. Source: P&C
After a six-part Post and Courier investigation detailed child abuse allegedly hidden within the state Social Services system last week, the Senate DSS Oversight Committee said that it will meet to discuss the issues brought up in the series. Source: P&C
Florida U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio became the first candidate to officially file for the South Carolina Republican primary yesterday, set for February 20, 2016. Source: The State
On the Democratic side, as contenders struggle to break through against former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, a grassroots effort is mounting with some help from S.C. politicos to pull Vice President Joe Biden into the race. Source: NPR
Trump story of the day: A Daily Beast report looking at allegations made by Donald Trump’s ex-wife Ivana Trump, who reportedly once used the term “rape” to describe an incident between her and her husband in 1989, includes Trump attorney Michael Cohen insisting, “You cannot rape your spouse.” Cohen goes on to threaten the Beast reporters saying, “I will come after your Daily Beast and everybody else that you possibly know … So I’m warning you, tread very fucking lightly, because what I’m going to do to you is going to be fucking disgusting. You understand me?” Source: Daily Beast
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