COLUMBIA - Sen. David Thomas says he doesn't think highly of the state grand jury because of the way the panel worked a prison sex and drug scandal.

The grand jury was used to "stonewall" lawmakers who were searching for wrongdoing in the system, said Thomas, former Senate Corrections and Penology Committee chairman.

Thomas' comments came during a hearing in which Attorney General Henry McMaster was asking for extra money for the state grand jury.

Thomas' former committee was investigating the problems and was prepared to issue subpoenas for prison officials when former Attorney General Charlie Condon asked it to back off.

"The galling part of it was that we were kicked off the investigation and told to back off. And then they came up with nothing," Thomas said.