SLED investigating fired SC agency chief accused of helping her husband land contract
South Carolina’s top law enforcement agency has launched an investigation into fired State Accident Fund director Amy Cofield and her involvement in her husband landing a $600,000 work contract, a department spokesman confirmed.
Cofield was fired by Gov. Henry McMaster in February after he became aware that Cofield’s husband landed a contract with the state agency that she oversaw.
Asked to probe the contract and Cofield’s involvement, the state inspector general reported in April that Cofield “tainted” the process. The inspector general said Cofield’s involvement created a conflict of interest, both “organizational and personal.”
Tommy Crosby, spokesman for the State Law Enforcement Division, confirmed Monday the agency is investigating Cofield and opened its case on April 23.
The news was first reported by the Post and Courier.
“The Attorney General’s Office requested the investigation,” Crosby told The State by email. “No additional information is available as this is an active investigation.”
Crosby did not immediately respond when that request was made.
Cofield told The State on Tuesday she was not aware of the SLED investigation, but that it should reveal State Accident Fund employee Tommy Windsor and McMaster’s chief of staff, Trey Walker, “have created this facade in retaliation for me reprimanding and demoting Tommy Windsor.”
Cofield has alleged that Windsor, a former McMaster aide and the current head of government affairs for the State Accident Fund, was the person behind the initial complaint to the governor.
Cofield is accused of involving herself in the procurement process that landed her husband a contract with the State Accident Fund. Cofield has defended her actions, saying did not nothing wrong and removed herself from the hiring process.
The reiterated that defense on Monday, telling The State that nothing in the Inspector General’s report against her other than “I did not put the conflict in writing to the Ethics Dept even though we did with SFAA,” she said, referring to the State Fiscal Accountability Authority.
Windsor deferred comment to his attorney, Jay Babb, who was not immediately available for comment.
Also reached Tuesday, Walker deferred comment to Brian Symmes, spokesman for the Governor’s Office, who said Cofield’s claim is an “absolutely ridiculous claim that has no basis in reality.”
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
