Chellis elected treasurer

Rep. Converse Chellis, R-Dorchester, has been elected by the General Assembly to be the state's new treasurer.

Chellis, 63, easily defeated Sen. Greg Ryberg, garnering nearly  four times the votes as the Aiken Republican. The vote was 122-34.

Chellis, who was seated in the House gallery with his family, rose from his seat and blew kisses to lawmakers who stood and applauded.

Chellis formally resigned his House seat. He will replace former Treasurer Thomas Ravenel, who resigned last month after he was indicted on federal cocaine charges.

Chellis will serve the rest of Ravenel's term, which expires in 2011. The next time voters will decide the treasurer will be the Nov. 2010 election.

Gov. Mark Sanford had endorsed Charleston County Council Chairman Tim Scott for the job and gave a secondary endorsement to Ryberg. Scott was not nominated. Sanford wanted a treasurer who could be an ally on the five-member State Budget and Control Board, which oversees much of the state's spending. 

Ryberg and Scott were potential allies.

Sanford issued the following statement after the vote: 

"To hold this election in just over a week after the Treasurer resigned makes a mockery of the electoral process and gives South Carolina the appearance of a banana republic," Sanford said. "The General Assembly owed it to the people who elected it to not rush into this decision, and instead to make this a more transparent and deliberative process. Unfortunately, they chose a path that guaranteed one of its own being installed as the next treasurer, in a process that puts the interests of Columbia powerbrokers ahead of the interests of average South Carolinians who've spoken loud and clear on the need for reform.

"We believe this was a decision that should have been contemplated further, and we think the legislature's vote today was a real dereliction of duty in that regard."

Comments

[Connie Mack Jr]

Chellis, who was seated in the House gallery with his family, rose from his seat and blew kisses to lawmakers who stood and applauded.

That's great! You now know a political suck-up with that gesture. When do the citizens vote to confirmed this amazing event in Democracy?

[Connie Mack Jr]

Chellis, who was seated in the House gallery with his family, rose from his seat and blew kisses to lawmakers who stood and applauded.

That's great! You now know a political suck-up with that gesture. When do the citizens vote to confirmed this amazing event in Democracy?

[Chris Rowland]

Last time the citizens voted they elected a cocaine addict over one of the most decorated elected officials in our state's history. I think I'd take my chances with Chellis and his impressive resume.

[Tracy]

"impressive resume" ?

How about

"resolute insider,"

"yes-man to insiders,"

"career politician" and now

"go-to man for inside, no-compete deals with the State of South Carolina" ?

[Charles Williams]

Converse Chellis will do an outstanding job as state treasurer. The state is indeed honored to have a man of his integrity and wisdom safeguarding the state's assets.

[Connie Mack Jr]

Last time the citizens voted they elected a cocaine addict over one of the most decorated elected officials in our state's history. I think I'd take my chances with Chellis and his impressive resume.*Chris Rowland

Wow! You must be one of those fascist republicans who believe that dictators is the "final solution" to all political issues against the masses. Have you consider a new career in the new and amazing Homeland Security SS division?

[Connie Mack Jr]

Converse Chellis will do an outstanding job as state treasurer. The state is indeed honored to have a man of his integrity and wisdom safeguarding the state's assets.* Charles Williams

Right! That is what they said about Al Campo many years ago about guarding the assets of Chicago. Will Mr Chellis be in a dress military uniform as Treasure watching those assets make profit for those Corporate fascist Republican fund managers on Wall Street?

[Eathan]

The Governor, Mark Sanford, showed is would stoop to smear tactics to LOSE a race.

The man might as well pack up his family and go home to his 3.5 million dollar beach house, and leave the rest of us working people alone. I think he ...is toast. No one cares about him anymore.

[Ian Dury]

CPA vs. cocaine freak? I'll take the CPA, thank you.

[Connie Mack Jr]

The man might as well pack up his family and go home to his 3.5 million dollar beach house, and leave the rest of us working people alone. I think he ...is toast. No one cares about him anymore.*Eathan

Maybe! Or most likely he is concern that the Insurance Company won't cancel it's 18 million dollar hurricane coverage on his little beach shack.

CPA vs. cocaine freak? I'll take the CPA, thank you.* Ian Dury

I take it that you are a republican backer of the war on drugs and just finding out there is winners and losers in the conflict for balance accounting books at Enron investments. The question you should be asking about accountants. How often do they smoke medical pot when cooking the books for Global corporations?

[Connie Mack Jr]

The man might as well pack up his family and go home to his 3.5 million dollar beach house, and leave the rest of us working people alone. I think he ...is toast. No one cares about him anymore.*Eathan

Maybe! Or most likely he is concern that the Insurance Company won't cancel it's 18 million dollar hurricane coverage on his little beach shack.

CPA vs. cocaine freak? I'll take the CPA, thank you.* Ian Dury

I take it that you are a republican backer of the war on drugs and just finding out there is winners and losers in the conflict for balance accounting books at Enron investments. The question you should be asking about accountants. How often do they smoke medical pot when cooking the books for Global corporations?