The family of the late state Sen. Clementa Pinckney, one of the victims of the Charleston church shooting on June 17, on Thursday established a charitable foundation to continue his work on what would have been his 42nd birthday.
“While the shock has started to dissipate, we are still in a state of deep grief,” said Jennifer Pinckney, the late senator’s wife and new chair of the Honorable Reverend Clementa C. Pinckney Foundation. “But, we are answering God’s call to continue my husband’s work and that starts with establishing a charitable foundation in his honor.”
State Sen. Gerald Malloy, a Hartsville Democrat involved with establishing the foundation, added, “We are reaching out to those who have been raising money in Clem’s name in order to consolidate efforts,. And on his birthday, we are thankful for your generous support as we begin to build a foundation that will become part of the Senator’s legacy.”
The mission of the Honorable Reverend Clementa C. Pinckney Foundation is to improve the quality of life for all South Carolina citizens by supporting religious, educational and charitable causes Pinckney supported while serving as a leader in his church, community and the state Senate.
- More: www.senatorpinckney.org.
State media asleep at the wheel?
Corey Hutchins, a former Statehouse Report contributor who now keeps an eye on what’s happening in South Carolina for the Columbia Journalism Review, offered a story this week about how the state’s biggest political news story before the Charleston killings has been getting little attention lately.
That’s the saga of the downfall of powerful House Speaker Bobby Harrell for illegally using campaign funds. Writes Hutchins: “Bottom line: The Harrell saga was a big deal, and it set an expectation for further revelations about other potential corruption in state government. But in the ensuing months after the former House Speaker disappeared from political life, followups seemed to largely fade from mainstream news coverage.”
He heaped praise on The Nerve, a publication of the S. C. Policy Council, for being vigilant as traditional media slumbered. “I think this story just raises a very important question: Is there any will left in this state to root out corruption in the Statehouse?” Nerve reporter Rick Brundrett told Hutchins. “I think that’s the biggest question coming out of this.”
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