Fowler: Sanford goes after jobless…again

S.C. Democratic Party Chair Carol Fowler released the following statement today in response to Governor Mark Sanford’s recent actions against the state Employment Security Commission.

“When a hurricane is bearing down on South Carolina’s coast, we don’t stop to muse about the protocols of disaster relief funding. We scramble to help. Now the storm is an economic crisis that has cost the jobs of thousands of South Carolinians through no fault of their own,” said Fowler.

“The S.C. Employment Security Commission is trying to keep aid flowing to these families. They are following rules set down by state and federal leaders to balance multiple needs: Helping workers in times of distress, stabilizing the economy and minimizing the cost to businesses.

“Sanford makes vague insinuations about the agency that some have translated as “controversy,” and into which some citizens project their darkest suspicions. Sanford’s game is sly, and it is cowardly. If there are real issues with the Employment Security Commission, the governor should tell us what they are. If not, he should get back on the job or get out of the way and let someone who cares handle the crisis.

“Either way, the people entitled to receive payments aren’t at fault. South Carolina’s workers relied on Governor Sanford for new jobs and he failed to produce. Now he wants us to think that the increase in unemployment is imaginary – just poor record-keeping at the Employment Security Commission.

“Instead of paying benefits or putting people back to work he wants to fire the group that reports the jobless numbers. Talk about shooting the messenger!“