University of South Carolina Libraries
iina Library T^Soutt. r-sro,," CamPuS Volume LXIX, No. 1S4 University of South Caroline. Columbia. S.C. March 21, 1979 State ser By R. L. Chesloy Gamecock Staff Writer COPYRIGHT 1979 THE GAMECOCK The law firms of five S.C. state senators and one state representative are being paid retainer fees for legal services by South Carolina Electric and Gas Co., SCE&G, according to George Fischer, SCE&G legal counsel and vice i * president. 'We don't select them I Senate and we don't relea get out.' The legislators are: Sen. Rembert Dennis, D-Berkeley; L. Marion Gressette, D-Calhoun; Sen. Robert Lake, D-Newberry; n ? -1 ^ ? sen. jonn u. l*ong, u-union; Sen. John Martin, D-Winnsboro (District 7) and Rep. Solomon Blatt, D-District 91. Marion Brown, press secretary for Gov. Richard W. Riley, said there is an appearance of a conflict of interest when legislators are r 1? _ -1:1:1- 1 pain icuiiiici iccs uy a uiimy ana then help select commissioners of the Public Service Commission, PSC. FISCHER SAID the legislators are paid a retainer fee on the basis of their legal expertise in different areas of law, and not because they 1 ** r Hk I Vacation c inside. lators on are members of the state senate. "The object of a retainer fee is to y provide for a particular attorney to tl be on call to provide services for t< you and also to prevent that at- is torney from representing someone & y else on the opposite side," Fischer r said. 1< Fischer said some of the h legislators have been representing SCE&G for years, before and after o y the minute they get in the [j ase them the minute they 0 they were in the S.C. Legislature, s 4'We don't select them the minute 1< they get in the senate, and we don't r release them the minute they get h out of the senate,'' Fischer said. a SCE&G paid the firm of Blatt and Fales more than $12,000 in 1978, the firm of Dennis and Dennis more than $15,000 and the firm of Gressette and Gressette more than $14,000, according to Fischer. In comparison, SCE&G paid a q Columbia law firm about $250,000 ?. and the firm in New York City was paid about $139,000, Fischer said. P Fischer said the SCE&G policy is v to hire the best attorney available ir in a given area to represent the n company. si '^ vt.: ?^-.',: N - - > ? . -5 ?V * s^llk ' . , v - _ - i?&& -> i t- -- -? ^ %>*?.> v^v n ^" ?~ cm *Mmw wM^l#fir#^ -XI:-, ***&j? a. xg.v. * - * f r # ~*$MESK fl This beach ftJi I d be deseriecf 1 break. Today' beaches whic ' Don't forge fZCFXrC "WHEN WE select an attorney, /e do it on the basis of who we hink the best person in that area is o represent us," Fischer said. "It 5 the same as you would do if you /ere looking for an attorney to epresent yourself, or if you were lokine for a dnrtnr tn tvpat vnn " D ? ? J eadded. "In the small counties, you will ften find that the leading attorney, /ho you would normally go to to andle your legal work, is also in tie legislature," Fischer said. That's just the way small counties perate." "The people in that county have een fit to elect him to the sgislature for probably the same eason that you would want to hire im as an attorney," Fischer dded. 'An honest man is an I scoundrel are just that, a no matter how many laws Fischer said attorneys for CE&G are involved in numerous inds of legal work including roperty transfer, right-of-way nits and any type of accident inolving the company. Also, in some istances, attorneys serve a public Nations function, especially in mailer counties, explaining to BSfe ^ 'ItK 'vv:s ;. : ^:d-c' * : r i v r '2- * |SM ^3? i* ?<xS5^ ; >\ % jt?|p $/ *?- * ; - &$&? jN^i - *'1^ -*> *^ - ' . rv^feiA \Alrn. n '< r/xMniM ' ' vwxjii i itzuiam vnifJiy tor IOfl(J, next week as students head s Gamecock includes a guidt h provided information for the tyoursuntan oil, ' B payroll SCE&G customers the company's policy decisions which affect them, according to Fischer. mv * * - - i\one 01 tne legislators admitted to a conflict of interest. "There is not the slightest conflict of interest," Dennis said. "A retainer fee is a professional fee that companies pay a lawyer to be available to the company in case they need a lawyer." DENNIS SAID with the $100 million Santee Cooper hydroelectric facility in Berkeley (Jo., it is only natural for a local law firm to represent SCE&G in that county. Long said there is no more a conflict of interest involved in a legislator representing SCE&G than in a legislator selecting circuit honest man. A thief and a nd they are going to steal you pass.' court judges or a legislator who is a farmer working on farm legislation. There is.no conflict of interest," Blatt said. "An honest man is an honest man. A thief and a scoundrel are just that, and they are going to steal no matter how many laws you pass," he said. mil III Will I M Ml HU IM II MIH [MlHBIIIIIHIITMiIIIIMH1 MC- -. ^'<^M^MaaBBWM iHU^ *' ' -?>: ^'^mSSSBmHM #$&?&&& Wtik ? 1 '' ,'^iwfM^^^il^^8EiMBBiMHilB^iN"'' h but the USC campus will ' to the beach for spring ? to several of the Florida section.