The House of Representatives is trying to dig out from under a public relations disaster that has the nation thinking that South Carolinians, especially the leglislators, have more regard for the life of fighting chickens than for people, primarily women who are beaten by their domestic partners.
Rep. John Graham Altman, R-Charleston, stirred up a hornet's nest of controversy last week when he implied that victims of domestic violence get what they deserve. In the process, he insulted a reporter. The House Judiciary Committee tabled a bill that would have increased penalties for criminal domestic violence. Some Democrats are calling on Altman to resign or for House Speaker David Wilkins, R-Greenville, to remove him from the committee.
This week Wilkins and Jim Harrison, R-Richland, chairman of the Judiciary Committee, have made extraordinary attempts to get a new bill passed. On a weekly public television program that originates from the House, Wilkins wouldn't reveal comments in a private conversation with Altman. "There is no secret that I find his comments inappropriate," Wilkins said. He tried to paint a bright picture by saying that Altman had signed on as a sponsor of new criminal domestic violence rules that could get through committee and the House this week in order to make the May 1 deadline for new legislation. "We are likely to have more conversations with Altman and give him a chance to talk to some folks," the speaker said, answering a question about whether Altman had apologized for last week's comments.
South Carolina may well wind up with a better criminal domestic violence law, one that increases fines and makes the crime an automatic felony if it occurs in front of a minor. South Carolina needs to improve the lot of people who are abused by their partners.
In 2003, according to State Law Enforcement Division statistics, 51,814 domestic assaults occurred in South Carolina. About one-third of the assaults were between a spouse, an ex-spouse, a boyfriend or girlfriend. South Carolina is also among national leaders of women who are killed by their husbands, according to the Violence Policy Center, a national nonprofit agency that works to reduce violent deaths, The Greenville News reported.
South Carolinians desperately need a better law. But no matter how stringent a law is passed, the state will have Altman in the legislature. It's unlikely that Altman will resign as Democrats would like. Wilkins also can't kick Altman out of the General Assembly, but he can remove him from positions of responsibility.
Beyond removal from committees, Charleston voters will have to take steps to make sure that they are represented by a responsible person in the House. The old adage that people generally get the government they deserve rings truer than ever.