David Pascoe Vows to Investigate Trial Lawyer Corruption On ‘Day One’
- SCCLR Newsletter
- Feb 5
- 3 min read
By: Will Folks
“Do you see why they tried to keep me off the ballot?”
South Carolina first circuit solicitor David Pascoe – one of the leading candidates for attorney general of the Palmetto State – vowed this week to launch an investigation into alleged trial lawyer corruption at the S.C. State House if he is elected this fall.
During an event in Myrtle Beach, S.C. this Wednesday evening (February 4, 2026), Pascoe invoked the brazen pay-to-play corruption articulated last year on the floor of the State Senate by freshman senator Tom Fernandez.
According to Fernandez, he was offered big money from the trial lawyer lobby if he voted against S.244 – a comprehensive tort reform bill advanced by S.C. Senate majority leader Shane Massey. This legislation would have restricted trial lawyers’ ability to continuing reaping untold profits from the Palmetto State’s corrupt, unaccountable and anti-competitive tort climate.
Would have…
Fernandez ultimately did vote against the bill… and was joined by several other so-called “Republican” senators in opposing it including Stephen Goldfinch (who is running against Pascoe for attorney general), Carlisle Kennedy, Jason Elliott, Matt Leber and Michael Gambrell.
Before they cast their votes, though – and before their campaign coffers were filled with trial lawyer money – Fernandez made the mistake of disclosing this corrupt quid pro quo publicly.
“The trial lawyer lobby has offered me campaign fundraisers in the amount of $50,000 to $100,000 per campaign if I voted against this,” Fernandez said, adding he was saying “the quiet part out loud.”
Of interest, “per campaign” could have referred either to multiple election cycles – or multiple elections within the same cycle (partisan primaries, partisan runoffs and general elections). Or both.
What was Fernandez referring to?
We don’t know… because the Senate abruptly shut down debate in the aftermath of his bombshell.
“We had a state senator stand up last year… and literally say that he was offered between $50,000 and $100,000 from the trial lawyers for his campaign account if he would vote against tort reform,” Pascoe said in Myrtle Beach this week, referencing Fernandez’s admission. “Is there anybody here that does not think that’s a crime?”
“Yes it is!” one attendee responded as the audience cheered.
“Which way did he vote?” another asked.
“Against tort reform,” Pascoe responded.
“Here’s what gets worse – after he said that, the president of the Senate goes apoplectic,” Pascoe continued. “It took him a minute to finally get a sentence out – and the sentence he finally got out was ‘the Senate will be adjourned.’ They go back to their offices for two hours, come back – and act like nothing happened.”
FITSNews reported on Fernandez’s allegation at the time, calling it “deathly serious” – and deserving of an “immediate, thorough investigation.” Specifically, we called for “a completely independent criminal inquiry complete with subpoena power over phone records, text messages, emails, trial lawyer group chats/listservs and other relevant materials.”
“Allegations like this are precisely why the Palmetto State needs a dedicated, robust public corruption unit focused on rooting out bribes, kickbacks, payoffs and related malfeasance in public office,” we noted.
According to Pascoe, he is committed to launching precisely such an inquiry in cooperation with the S.C. State Law Enforcement Division (SLED).
“When I’m your attorney general, there is no statute of limitations on misconduct in office,” Pascoe said. “When I’m your attorney general, on day one SLED will go interview every senator and find out what (Fernandez) was talking about.”
Frankly, such an investigation should have been launched months ago.
“Do you see why they tried to keep me off the ballot?” Pascoe added, referring to recent efforts by the GOP establishment in Columbia to rig this spring’s partisan primary races.
“The good ole boys of the Democratic and the good ole boys of the Republican Party, the establishment, know what’s coming when I’m your attorney general,” he said.
That’s encouraging rhetoric, although FITSNews has previously noted how Pascoe has received plenty of campaign contributions from the trial lawyer lobby himself.
Keep it tuned to FITSNews for any new developments on this front, and count on us to hold Pascoe accountable to his promise in the event he is elected attorney general this November.
