SC House Democratic leader says ‘failure in leadership’ caused 10,000 COVID deaths

South Carolina House Democratic leader Todd Rutherford said Wednesday that the state has experienced 10,000 deaths from coronavirus because of a “failure in leadership.”

The Columbia Democrat didn’t leave out names in his statement.

“Ten thousand people in South Carolina have died from COVID-19. This is the result of a failure in leadership,” he said. “These deaths were preventable if we prioritized public health over politics. Instead, Governor McMaster and Attorney General Wilson are ignoring the science and fighting with schools and local governments taking action to save lives.”

South Carolina health officials announced Wednesday that 10,007 people have died from COVID. The grim milestone comes as the virus surges in the state, fueled by the delta variant and low vaccination rates, health officials have said.

In response, Attorney General Alan Wilson’s office said: “This is not a political matter or even a question of whether masks should be mandated, it’s a matter of following the law. The legislature passed a budget proviso specifically prohibiting schools from requiring masks. The leadership of the House and Senate told us that was the legislature’s intent. We must uphold the law.”

The governor’s office also responded.

“So, Rep. Rutherford is sending unsolicited press releases about South Carolinians tragically passing away and accusing others of playing politics?” said Brian Symmes, the governor’s spokesman. “The truth is that Gov. McMaster has prioritized getting South Carolinians the information they need about the virus, making the vaccine readily available to anyone who wants it, and trusting them to make decisions that are best for themselves and their families. “

Last week, the City of Columbia passed an ordinance mandating that masks be worn in elementary and middle schools and day care facilities in the city to try to stem the rise in virus cases.

Wilson and Gov. Henry McMaster have decried the city’s measure as illegal because the state legislature passed a law as part of the budget that said state funds can’t be used to fund mask mandates in schools. McMaster has said parents should decide if their children wear masks.

This story was originally published August 11, 2021 at 5:18 PM with the headline "SC House Democratic leader says ‘failure in leadership’ caused 10,000 COVID deaths."

David Travis Bland

The State

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David Travis Bland is The State’s editorial editor. In his prior position as a reporter, he was named the 2020 South Carolina Journalist of the Year by the SC Press Association. He graduated from the University of South Carolina in 2010. Support my work with a digital subscription