COLUMBIA, S.C.—There’s nothing wrong with purchasing gag gifts from an adult store.
Nothing, that is, unless you are a South Carolina state senator allegedly using campaign funds to buy them for staff members.
State Sen. Robert Ford resigned last week amid an ethics probe that found evidence he has violated state ethics laws by depositing campaigns checks into his personal account. Ford is believed to have used the money to pay for personal expenses, including a doctor’s visit, a car loan and items from adult stores.
The 20-year senator maintained the adult store purchases were gag gifts for the people who worked on his campaign and were not illegal.
Still, after the ethics probe and the announcement that he could in fact be facing criminal charges, he resigned, effective May 31.
“If I was 10 years younger, I would stay and fight,” he said in his announcement. “But at this point in my life, I feel this is the best decision for everyone concerned."
