SUMMERVILLE, S.C. (WSPA) – South Carolina’s Comptroller General could be facing impeachment after a $3.5 billion error was revealed.
According to the Senate Finance Committee, Richard Eckstrom recently told them that the state’s Annual Comprehensive Financial Reports (ACFR) has double counted and overstated how much cash the state had in its coffers for the past 10 years to the tune of $3.5 billion.
Representative Gil Gatch (R-Summerville) filed a resolution today requesting the South Carolina House Judiciary Committee look into whether Eckstrom should be impeached.
“I am concerned the truth about this was purposefully hidden from the public,” said Rep. Gil Gatch. “This is a grave miscarriage of public trust. If there was ever a reason for which the House should act on our authority to impeach, this rises to the top. At the end of the day, this is a $3.5 billion error, and we must hold the responsible parties accountable.”
The South Carolina Constitution gives House members the responsibility of impeaching state officials for “serious crimes or misconduct in office.” If two-thirds of the South Carolina House of Representatives approves, the question of whether or not Eckstrom should be removed would go to the South Carolina Senate for consideration.
