SC attorney general taking over the investigation into former administrator Greenway
The South Carolina attorney general’s office is taking over the investigation of former Beaufort County Administrator Eric Greenway.
14th Circuit Solicitor Duffie Stone, in a letter dated Nov. 28, requested that Attorney General Alan Wilson impanel the state grand jury for the investigation into Greenway’s alleged misconduct.
In the letter, Stone details that the grand jury, if empaneled, would have the power to subpoena evidence and compel witnesses to testify. Powers that Stone, as solicitor, does not wield.
“This power can be helpful in investigations involving potential public corruption,” Stone said in a statement provided to the media. “The state’s 16 circuit solicitors do not have direct access to an investigative grand jury. That is why I have asked the attorney general to impanel these at the state level.”
Wilson, responded on Dec. 4 saying “After discussing this matter with you [Stone] and my staff, the OAG has decided to assume jurisdictions for all prosecutorial actions for the case.”
Notably, the response does not say if or when the grand jury will be empaneled.
“By law, state grand jury proceedings are secret unless and until the state grand jury issues an indictment or indictments, so we cannot comment on that,” spokesperson for the Office of the Attorney General, Robert Kittle told the Island Packet and Beaufort Gazette.
Greenway was hired to be Beaufort County’s administrator in May 2021 and served in that role until July 28 of this year, when he was terminated with cause. The council also ordered an audit of Greenway’s purchases and awarded contracts starting in January 2023.
Before the council would reveal what the cause was, a former employee who worked under Greenway came forward with allegations of harassment and retaliation she experienced from Greenway.
Later, the Island Packet and Beaufort Gazette would investigate a mysterious purchase approved by Greenway for $36,000 worth of weighted blankets from a company owned by his deputy administrator’s husband. While county officials denied purchasing the blankets, photos showing the blankets sitting in a county owned facility were independently verified.
