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URL: http://www.independentmail.com/and/news/article/0,1886,AND_8203_3666291,00.html

Chamber head gets apology after heated exchange with spokesman

By NICHOLAS CHARALAMBOUS
Anderson Independent-Mail
March 31, 2005

Gov. Mark Sanford’s spokesman Will Folks apologized to Anderson Area Chamber of Commerce President Lee Luff Thursday for comments seen as "an implied threat" of economic development consequences based on the chamber’s opposition to the governor’s "Put Parents in Charge" legislation.

Mr. Folks phoned Mr. Luff after Mr. Luff relayed to legislators and business leaders the contents of a "heated exchange" with Mr. Folks in a morning phone call prompted by an article in the Anderson Independent-Mail about the chamber’s opposition to the bill establishing tax credits for private school tuition.

Mr. Luff said Mr. Folks angrily questioned why the chamber would weigh in on the issue. Mr. Luff said the 20-minute conversation culminated with an "outburst" from Mr. Folks that he was "going to take the article to the Commerce Department."

"To me that sounded like an implied threat," Mr. Luff said.

Mr. Folks said he apologized for "anything in the course of our conversation that he took offense to ... That was absolutely not intended."

Mr. Luff said he was "very satisfied" with the apology and said he was looking forward to continuing policy discussions with Mr. Folks in the future.

Mr. Folks said he called Mr. Luff — without the knowledge of the governor — to share information about the success of a Milwaukee tax-credit program, similar to Put Parents in Charge.

Mention of the article was made in the context of a routine daily briefing of the Governor about stories involving him and cabinet agencies in the state’s newspapers, Mr. Folks said.

It was "absolutely ridiculous" to suggest that disagreement with the governor would impact economic development, he said.
"That’s obviously something I didn’t say and wouldn’t say," he said.

State Rep. Dan Cooper, R-Piedmont, a member of the House Ways and Means Committee, said he hoped Mr. Folks was voicing only personal frustration and suggested the governor take "better control" of his spokesman.

"I would be surprised that a governor would actually jeopardize economic development in any county in the state just over a piece of legislation," he said.

Nicholas Charalambous can be reached at (864) 260-1256 or by e-mail at charalambousnc@IndependentMail.com.