SC Democrat running for US Senate needs to drop out after asking for ‘dope boy money’

Just drop out, Krystle Matthews.

Spare yourself, your district, the Democratic Party and South Carolinians from witnessing a hollow U.S. Senate election contest.

All the “duffel bag boys” from all the cartels across the globe could bring Matthews “dope boy money,” but even those millions couldn’t deliver her a win. Not now.

Matthews, the Democratic primary winner who will in November be buried alive by Republican U.S. Sen. Tim Scott, was recorded on a prison phone asking an inmate “where are the duffel bag boys” — or drug and cash runners — who could donate to her campaign their “dope boy money,” a euphemism for drug money.

A prison phone!

Beyond the ethical indiscretion and the questions of potential criminality of Matthews’ suggestion, if she didn’t know prison calls are recorded and didn’t suspect this might be used against her, she not only doesn’t deserve to be in the U.S. Senate but also the S.C. House, where she has represented parts of Berkeley and Charleston counties since 2018.

Matthews also suggested in the call that the inmate could fraudulently donate the “dope boy money” under a family member’s name, which is a major violation of federal campaign finance law.

“At no point does the Democratic Party of South Carolina support or suggest that anybody should break federal election commission or state election commission law,” party Chairman Trav Robertson said. “However, while believing that, I still think that her comments are being taking out of context because she was venting frustration about the challenges of Black women to raise money to become viable candidates.”

So she happens to be venting this frustration while on a phone call from a prison, where people with drug money connections happen to be common. That’s not suspicious at all.

Only the passing of years might heal Matthews of being known as the candidate that asked for “dope boy money.” Voters might start forgetting now if she exits the race. Staying in the contest means that Matthews and the public will hear about “dope boy money” every time Scott opens his mouth.

As soon as she got off that prison call, Matthews dynamited the opportunity to have a race in which, even if she was an underdog, she could have brought up major issues and offered her ideas. Now, the only focus of the race will be the phone call.

Matthews shouldn’t just leave from the U.S. Senate race. She should withdraw from the State House race. She is dead in the water under the State House dome and needs to make way for someone who can effectively represent the people of her district. No state lawmaker is going to work with the “dope boy money,” “duffel bag boys” representative, especially Republicans who dominate the House.

Not only will Republicans have an aversion to working with Matthews, her fellow Democrats will have lost trust in her, too. Along with asking for drug money, Matthews was recorded criticizing “legislators and other Black leaders” and said “she hasn’t seen as many backstabbers as she has in the Legislature since high school,” The State reported.

There is not a single Black Republican in the South Carolina House. Matthews’ Democratic colleagues know she is calling some of them “backstabbers.”

Egos are fragile and memories long for state representatives. So when Matthews comes to colleagues with a need for her district, the term “backstabber” will be on their minds.

As a caricature of ineptness at best or corruption at worst, Matthews will be a drag on her party, which already is working on its back heel to get candidates elected in a deep red state like South Carolina. If she wants to worsen her party’s chances at making any gains, she’ll stay in the races.

Matthews couldn’t even apologize right.

At a Thursday news conference, she called for a federal probe into her campaign finances and said she was sorry for her comments. She should have taken a few questions and walked away humbled. Instead, she wondered aloud who leaked the prison phone call and asked for Republicans to apologize for their nomination of Ellen Weaver as state Superintendent of Education.

Before that debacle of an apology, Matthews claimed asking for dope money was tongue in cheek on WCSC.

Whenever elected officials ask for money, it isn’t a joke. The only joke is that Matthews hasn’t called it quits yesterday.

Just drop out.