State school chief's Hilton Head fundraiser draws local fire

A fundraiser for Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jim Rex to be held Saturday at a Hilton Head Island hotel is unethical, a Beaufort County Board of Education member told the S.C. Ethics Commission this week.

But Rex's campaign director calls the charge "ridiculous."

State Superintendent of Education Jim Rex, who is seeking his party's nomination for governor, will speak to the S.C. School Boards Association during its annual legislative advocacy conference Saturday at the Crowne Plaza Hotel. Rex's fundraiser is scheduled later that night at the same hotel.

Jim Bequette, who represents Lady's Island, sent an e-mail Wednesday to the director of the Ethics Commission saying Rex is creating a conflict of interest by holding a fundraiser to coincide with the association's conference. Bequette said he did not fill out a formal complaint form.

"He's at that convention on official business, and he's using that convention as a place to try to raise money for his campaign," said Bequette, a former chairman of the Beaufort County Republican Party.

Zeke Stokes, director of Rex's campaign, said the fundraiser poses no conflict of interest and is separate from the conference.

"It's the most ridiculous thing I ever heard," he said.

The names of two county school board members, Earl Campbell and Laura Bush, are among 16 other names listed on an invitation to the fundraiser as supporters of Rex. It invites others to "Please join these school board members from across South Carolina already supporting Jim Rex (for) governor and attend a reception in his honor during the SCSBA legislative advocacy conference."

Stokes said invitations were sent to as many school board members as the campaign could find addresses for.

Campbell said he has no ethical concerns about the fundraiser.

"I don't have a concern because that doesn't have anything to do with the conference," he said. "It's separate."

Bush declined comment.

The conference, which is expected to draw 250 to 275 school board members from across the state, begins Saturday morning and continues through Sunday. Association members will discuss legislative issues likely to be debated by the General Assembly next year and conduct their annual business meeting.

The School Boards Association is not affiliated with Rex's fundraiser in any way, said Debbie Elmore, the group's director of communications. The non-profit association does not endorse candidates.

The state superintendent historically has given an address at the legislative advocacy conference, Elmore said.

Herb Hayden, executive director of the Ethics Commission, said he could not confirm or deny specific ethics complaints.