WHEREAS, the Grand Jurors of the United States District Court, District of South Carolina, Anderson Division, indicted Theodore Carroll Parker, Jr., a member of the Town Council of the Town of Honea Path, on November 18, 2003, for knowingly and willfully conspiring with others to defraud, exchange, transfer and deliver counterfeit Federal Reserve Notes with the intent that such counterfeit obligations be passed and used as true and genuine in violation of Title 18 United States Code, Sections 371, 472 and 473.

WHEREAS, South Carolina law recognizes that "an act in which fraud is an ingredient involves moral turpitude. . ." State v. Horton, 248 S.E.2d 263 (1978).

WHEREAS, the above-referenced charge is a crime of moral turpitude; and

WHEREAS, Theodore Carroll Parker, Jr., is an officer of the State or its political subdivisions; and

WHEREAS, Article VI, Section 8 of the South Carolina Constitution provides that "[a]ny officer of the State or its political subdivisions . . ., who has been indicted by a grand jury for a crime involving moral turpitude or who has waived such indictment if permitted by law may be suspended by the Governor until he shall have been acquitted. . ."

NOW, THEREFORE, pursuant to the authority vested in me by the Constitution and Statutes of the State of South Carolina, I hereby suspend Theodore Carroll Parker, Jr. from the office of Town Council of the Town of Honea Path. This suspension shall remain in effect until such time as he shall be formally acquitted or convicted.

This action in no manner addresses the question of the guilt or innocence of Mr. Parker and should not be construed as an expression of any opinion one way or another on such question.

This Order shall take effect immediately.

GIVEN UNDER MY HAND AND THE GREAT SEAL OF THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA, THIS 25th DAY OF NOVEMBER, 2003.

MARK SANFORD
Governor

Last Updated: Tuesday, July 7, 2009 at 11:14 A.M.