Government

The dispute over the Lancaster City Council election took a surprising turn Tuesday, with city officials restoring Jackie Harris to her District 3 seat while her voter-fraud allegations against Linda Blackmon proceed to General Sessions Court on Feb. 2.   
Early this month, city officials declared the seat vacant after learning that state law barred Blackmon, who beat incumbent Harris in the Nov. 8 election, from being sworn in until Harris’ appeal of the election outcome was resolved in court.

HEATH SPRINGS – Town council unanimously voted Tuesday night to continue its victim’s services agreement with the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office so its town clerk can waive state-required training to do the same thing.
“This takes us out of the loop,” said Heath Springs Town Administrator Tony Starnes.
The decision came after an annual audit of the town’s crime victims fund by the S.C. Office of Victim Services.

An Indian Land lawyer says he will run for the U.S. House District 5 seat if Rep. Mick Mulvaney is confirmed as director of Donald Trump’s Office of Management and Budget.
Mulvaney’s confirmation hearing is set for 10:30 a.m. Tuesday. If the Senate confirms his nomination, a special election will be held to fill his congressional seat.
Kris Wampler, 33, announced this week that he would seek the Republican nomination in that special election.

U.S. House District 5 Rep. Mick Mulvaney’s nomination as President-elect Donald Trump’s White House budget director hit a snag Wednesday after the New York Times and other national news outlets reported he failed to pay more than $15,000 in payroll taxes for a household employee.
Mulvaney, of Indian Land, revealed the issue himself in a questionnaire submitted to the Senate Budget Committee ahead of his confirmation hearing Jan. 24, the New York Times said.