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TO THANK ORANGEBURG NATIVE AND ATTORNEY JAIME R. HARRISON FOR HIS FOUR YEARS OF SERVICE AS SOUTH CAROLINA DEMOCRATIC PARTY CHAIRMAN AND TO WISH HIM THE BEST IN ALL HIS FUTURE ENDEAVORS.
Whereas, in an uncontested race, state Democrats on May 4, 2013, elected attorney Jaime R. Harrison their new chairman, giving this Orangeburg native the historic distinction of being the first African-American to lead the South Carolina Democratic Party; and
Whereas, Jaime Harrison, born and raised in Orangeburg, is a first-generation college graduate. He earned a bachelor's degree from Yale University and a law degree from Georgetown University Law Center. After graduating from Yale, he returned to Orangeburg-Wilkinson High School to teach social studies for a year; and
Whereas, his internship with former U.S. Senator Fritz Hollings and U.S. Representative Jim Clyburn led to his becoming executive director of the U.S. House Democratic Caucus. He also has served as a Democratic strategist at the Podesta Group, a government relations firm based in Washington, D.C.; and
Whereas, in his position with the Podesta Group, Mr. Harrison drew on his mastery of the legislative process to help clients maneuver complex congressional alignments related to transportation and infrastructure issues, among others. In addition to his work on behalf of clients on Capitol Hill, he provided strategic and political guidance to clients based on doing work in South Carolina; and
Whereas, widely recognized for his work, he was six times named one of Roll Call's "Fabulous Fifty Movers and Shakers Behind the Scenes on Capitol Hill" and listed as one of The Hill's "35 Stellar Staffers Under 35." In 2010, The Root Web magazine included him on its list of one hundred "emerging and established African-American leaders who are making extraordinary contributions." He was also dubbed one of the "Top 40 Lawyers Under 40" by the National Bar Association and Impact D.C.; and
Whereas, Mr. Harrison has appeared as a political strategist on CNN, MSNBC, and ATN's American Dream and has served as a guest lecturer for the Brookings Institute and the Congressional Black Caucus Political Education Leadership Institute's Political Training Boot Camp. In 2009, he served as a lecturer for the Harvard Kennedy School's Black Policy Conference. He has developed and conducted a small business development seminar and provided legal technical assistance to small business owners in Washington, D.C.; and
Whereas, before he entered politics, Jaime Harrison worked in education, serving as chief operating officer and director of program development for the College Summit, Inc., a national nonprofit organization that helps low-income students enroll in college; and
Whereas, after the 2016 elections, he declared his candidacy for chair of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) in the February 2017 election. On February 23, 2016, he ended his bid for DNC chair and ultimately accepted a position as associate chair and counselor of the Democratic National Committee; and
Whereas, the General Assembly takes great pleasure in wishing Jaime Harrison well as he steps down from his position as chair of the South Carolina Democratic Party and takes up new duties and challenges. Now, therefore,
Be it resolved by the Senate, the House of Representatives concurring:
That the members of the South Carolina General Assembly, by this resolution, thank Orangeburg native and attorney Jaime R. Harrison for his four years of service as South Carolina Democratic Party chairman and wish him the best in all his future endeavors.
Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be presented to Jaime R. Harrison.
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