Haley, Sheheen come out shooting at last debate

The final S.C. gubernatorial debate was supposed to center on education and health care, but it was an exchange over guns that led to a sparring match between the race’s two main contenders.

Asked whether people convicted of criminal domestic violence should keep their guns, Republican Gov. Nikki Haley did not answer.

Instead, Haley, a concealed-weapons permit holder, said: “We want to make sure that we put (guns) in the hands of responsible people, which is why we passed legislation that said anyone that had been ordered by the courts to be declared mentally ill ... that they do not carry (guns).

“But, for everybody else, we want them to have the ability to protect their home, to protect their children, to protect their business.”

Haley said domestic violence is a cultural issue.

“The best chance we’re going to have is going through our churches, making sure victims of domestic violence understand there’s a safe place for them,” she said. “They’re not comfortable going to law enforcement right now.”

Democratic nominee state Sen. Vincent Sheheen said convicted domestic abusers should not have guns.

“I’m a little surprised (and) shocked that Gov. Haley says that she thinks it’s OK,” Sheheen said.

That led into a familiar debate between the pair meeting in a rematch of their 2010 race.

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Haley took a swipe at Sheheen’s profession as a Camden attorney, while Sheheen cited Haley’s ethics issues over using a state-owned plane and car.

“First of all, I think it is absolutely amazing that Sen. Sheheen even speaks of domestic violence,” Haley said. “This is a trial lawyer who has defended men who have abused women. This is a man who’s defended individuals who have abused children. So don't talk to us about domestic violence, and then come up here and say what you want to say. It doesn't work like that.”

Sheheen said Haley has hired plenty of lawyers herself.

“Gov. Haley loves to talk about lawyers,” Sheheen said. “I won't apologize for defending the Constitution of the United States and playing the role that we're supposed to play.

“But she hires lawyers when she violates the ethics laws. She hires lawyers when she misuses the state plane and tries to get out of trouble but still has to pay thousands of dollars back. She hires lawyers when she sues or threatens to sue her former employer, a government hospital in Lexington, and gets money because of it.

“It's not your lawyers that are the problem, governor. It's breaking the law that's the problem."

‘Trouble with the truth’

Two weeks before the election, the two major-party candidates, along with three independent and third-party candidates, met at Furman University to debate.

There was discussion of health care and education.

Haley said her administration opposed the Common Core education standards, outlining what students should know at different grades, and worked with lawmakers this year to overturn the program that she says nationalizes education.

But petition candidate Tom Ervin said Haley, in fact, reauthorized Common Core, which he opposes in preference for “homegrown standards.”

“Governor, you have trouble with the truth,” Ervin said.

Sheheen said he thinks “standards should be developed by teachers and not politicians.”

Then, the Democrat slammed Haley for vetoing a teacher-pay hike while giving her staff pay raises.

The Republican governor said her office spends less on staff overall than previous administrations and she vetoed the teacher salary hike because it was paid for with non-recurring, temporary money.

“We are not going to get into the budgeting of Washington, D.C.” Haley said. “We are not going to pay teachers with one-time money and just hope you have the money (again) next year.”

Sheheen, who said he would be the first governor to graduate from a public high school in 12 years if he won, criticized Haley for not paying attention to education until an election year, when she successfully pushed a plan to spend $180 million more on schools.

Haley said she has worked for two years, speaking with school officials, before suggesting the education plan. She added she is working with educators on a new plan for next year.

Libertarian Steve French of Charleston said he would put more money in schools and increase teacher pay by closing the state Department of Commerce and decriminalizing marijuana.

United Citizens candidate Morgan Bruce Reeves of Fairfield, who also supports decriminalizing marijuana, said he would improve the state by doubling the salaries of all residents so people did not have to work multiple jobs to make a living.

Asked whether the state or federal government should pick up the tab to educate undocumented children, Sheheen said: “If the federal government requires the state to do something, then federal government should pay for it.”

Haley said she was troubled by federal authorities allowing 500 undocumented children to enter South Carolina this year without federal support to pay for their education and health care.

“The feds have to go ahead and close our borders,” Haley said. “They need to pick up the ticket, and they need to stop sending undocumented children to our state.”

‘It’s in my lap now’

On Haley’s decision to turn down expansion of the state’s Medicaid insurance program for the poor under the Affordable Care Act, Ervin said the Republican chose what was best for her re-election prospects, not South Carolina.

“It would be best to reject it and look tough, and like you’re fighting Obama,” Ervin said of Haley’s logic in rejecting expansion of Medicaid, citing a University of South Carolina study that said the decision cost the state thousands of high-paying jobs.

Sheheen called Haley’s decision “economically wrong” and “morally wrong” for not helping more than 300,000 South Carolinians get health insurance.

Haley said she made the right choice, saying the expansion could raise premiums, cut off doctors for some patients and raise costs for small businesses.

“It was a bait and switch,” she said.

Asked about fixing the crisis at the Department of Social Services, Ervin and Sheheen said Haley’s administration has harmed the child-welfare agency by releasing misleading statistics that hid the fact that caseworkers were severely overworked.

“It is shameful what happened at this agency,” Ervin said.

Haley said Social Services is the “one of the saddest agencies we have had to deal with.”

She cited a list of changes enacted since Social Services director Lillian Koller resigned this year, including hiring a law enforcement liaison and adding a second shift of caseworkers.

“This has been an agency that has had problems for many different governors and many General Assemblies,” she said. “But it’s in my lap now.”

This story was originally published October 21, 2014 at 11:27 PM.