South Carolina Lede

On this episode of the South Carolina Lede for May 27, 2025: lawmakers return to Columbia to take up the $14.7 billion state budget for the coming fiscal year; state Democrats have a big week with their convention and major events featuring two prominent voices in the party; we bring you one of the Voices Collected for our Mother Emanuel remembrance initiative; and more!

On this episode of the South Carolina Lede for May 24, 2025: we have a budget agreement for the $14.7 billion spending plan; there was also agreement in Washington over the tax and spending Republican megabill this week; Senate Budget Committee Chairman Sen. Lindsey Graham gives his take on the megabill and his new bipartisan bill to sanction Russia further; and more!

On this episode of the South Carolina Lede for May 20, 2025: a look at a state Supreme Court decision upholding the six-week abortion ban law; what is holding up the big, beautiful tax and spend bill in the House; the latest on a threat against Congresswoman Nancy Mace; and more!

On this episode of the South Carolina Lede for May 13, 2025: we continue our legislative session debrief with two big House names to discuss big legislative accomplishments, the politics of the 2025 legislative session, and what they want to see move when lawmakers return next January.

On this episode of the South Carolina Lede for May 10, 2025: a wrap up of the first year of the 2 year legislative session!

On this episode of the South Carolina Lede for May 06, 2025: we preview the final week of the legislative session, including what major bills are where, and what will have to wait until the 2026 session; we have some state party news, including which rising star is headlining a Democratic fundraiser this month and who the Republicans chose as their state leader this weekend; we talk with a USC history professor who has been watching the papal developments from Rome; and more!

On this episode of the South Carolina Lede for May 03, 2025: we look at what lawmakers accomplished this final week of the legislative session, including two major education bills; House Family Caucus Chairman Rep. John McCravy is in hot water for past antisemitic and homophobic comments; Vice President JD Vance visited Nucor Steel Berkeley to celebrate domestic manufacturing; and more!

On this episode of the South Carolina Lede for April 29, 2025: we have six legislative days left in this year’s session and with much to look at we talk with reporter Maayan Schechter about the Sine Die sprint—something you can follow along with by reading the State House Gavel I co-author with Maayan and THE Russ McKinney!

On this episode of the South Carolina Lede for April 26, 2025: we look at the Senate approved budget and what briefly stalled the school voucher bill in the chamber; we also follow up with Sen. Larry Grooms for more details on that historic hearing on Monday to remove state Treasurer Curtis Loftis as we await clarity from the House; we have our we have our monthly Gavin Open Seas Maritime Report; and more!

This episode of the South Carolina Lede for April 22, 2025, is dedicated to the historic and unprecedented removal from office hearing of Treasurer Curtis Loftis, a statewide constitutional officer, by the state Senate for “willfully neglecting his duties” over the handling of the $1.8 billion discrepancy in state funds. We take you through the machinations of the hearing that took place in the South Carolina Senate on Monday.

On this episode of the South Carolina Lede for April 15, 2025: we’re on spring break this week, so we’re giving you a special episode featuring host Gavin Jackson and guest Dr. Joey Von Nessen for an economic update amid global uncertainty and volatility.

On this episode of the South Carolina Lede for April 12, 2025: the Senate Finance Committee approves its version of the $14.5 billion state budget and eliminates earmarks; what’s in the hands-free device driving bill that moved out of the House for the first time ever; Scott Morgan has a feature on electric busses; and more!

On this episode of the South Carolina Lede for April 8, 2025: we catch you up on the budget action in Washington as Republicans get closer to implementing major Trump Administration priorities; in Columbia, we take you through the confirmation hearing of Dept. of Public Health nominee Dr. Ed Simmer; we also hear from DAODAS Director Sara Goldsby about what’s fueling a decline in drug overdose deaths; and more!

On this episode of the South Carolina Lede for April 5, 2025: we close out the Table Rock Complex fires with a final update; we take a look at the utility bill that moved through the Senate late Wednesday as well as the anti-DEI bill that went through the House; the major tax reform and reduction bill hits the skids as the financial impact is revealed; and more!

On this episode of the South Carolina Lede for April 1, 2025: we’re catching you up on the Republican push to reform and lower taxes in the state; we look at what is on tap this week at the Statehouse; Winthrop Poll director Dr. Scott Huffmon joins us to break down his latest poll findings and get our first look at the 2026 race; and more!

On this episode of the South Carolina Lede for March 29, 2025: tort reform is done—in the Senate, for now; we catch up with Sen. Larry Grooms on his subcommittee’s report over the 1.8 billion dollar boondoggle and the recommendation to impeach Treasurer Curtis Loftis; the Table Rock Complex fires continue to burn more than 10,000 acres in the Upstate; and more!

On this episode of the South Carolina Lede for March 25, 2025: Gov. Henry McMaster declares a state of emergency for an ongoing forest fire in Pickens County; we preview the week at the Statehouse, including a major report on the $1.8 billion accounting discrepancy; Russ McKinney reports on Dr. Ed Simmer’s confirmation to lead the state Department of Health; and more!

On this episode of the South Carolina Lede for March 22 2025: we look at week three of the tort reform debate, which resulted in some movement on the massive bill S. 244; state Superintendent of Education Ellen Weaver talks anecdotally of the impact of the no cell phones in schools ban; an anti-DEI bill gets changed and moves to the House floor; and more!

On this episode of the South Carolina Lede for March 18, 2025: we look at the state of the SCDOT and catch you up on some of the major things happening at the agency; we preview the week ahead with all eyes on what is set to happen with S. 244, the major tort reform bill; Sen. Lindsey Graham and Congressman Jim Clyburn hit the Sunday shows; and more!

On this episode of the South Carolina Lede for March 15, 2025: week nine of the legislative session just wrapped up, which means we are more than half-way done with the legislative session; the House passed its $14.5B general fund budget; the Senate was a bit quiet on its tort reform debate this week; and more!