EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 2007-07


WHEREAS, the State Grand Jury of South Carolina indicted Christopher Campbell, Mayor of the Town of Eastover, on April 18, 2007, for willfully, dishonestly, and with bad-faith and corrupt intent engaging in acts and omissions of misconduct in office including one count each of Conspiracy, Illegal Conduct at Elections, Forgery, Intimidation of a Witness, and the Obstruction of Justice in his role as Mayor of the Town of Eastover; and

WHEREAS, South Carolina law recognizes that “an act in which fraud is an ingredient involves moral turpitude. . .,” see State v. Horton, 248 S.E.2d 263 (1978) and the above-referenced indictment is for crimes that involve moral turpitude; and

WHEREAS, Christopher Campbell is an officer of a political subdivision of the State and 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…may be suspended by the Governor until he shall have been acquitted"; and

WHEREAS, a certified true copy of the indictment against Christopher Campbell has been provided to me.

NOW, THEREFORE, pursuant to the authority vested in me by the Constitution and Statutes of the State of South Carolina, I hereby suspend Christopher Campbell from the office of Mayor of Eastover 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. Campbell 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 19th DAY OF APRIL, 2007

MARK SANFORD
Governor


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