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close video South Carolina wants new residents ‘to pay their fair share’: Sen. Stephen Goldfinch

Sen. Stephen Goldfinch, R-S.C., says the state’s ‘Yankee Tax’ would help pay for necessary infrastructure to accommodate a rising number of new residents.

South Carolina lawmakers began efforts Thursday to fire Comptroller General Richard Eckstrom after a $3.5 billion accounting blunder. The move comes one day after Eckstrom was strongly advised to quit or be fired.

The 74-year-old seasoned public accountant told senators in March he unintentionally exaggerated the state's cash position by $3.5 billion by overstating the amount sent to colleges and universities for approximately a decade, according to The Associated Press.

Eckstrom has been in his position for 20 years and spent four years during the 90s as the state treasurer.

Though the error was not in actual cash, it affects the way the state reports its balance sheets and could negatively impact South Carolina's credit rating. The error has also eroded confidence that many lawmakers across party lines had in the seasoned accountant, The AP reported.

ACCOUNTING ERRORS TO COST EXECUTIVES THEIR BONUSES UNDER SEC RULE

FILE – South Carolina Comptroller General Richard Eckstrom holds up a book he wanted to present to his new Chief of Staff James Holly during his introduction at the Budget and Control Board meeting, Aug. 13, 2009, in Columbia, S.C. (AP Photo/Mary Ann Chastain, File)

"At least for a decade we know that he has signed his name, Richard Eckstrom, CPA, on our state's closing financial document and every year he has been wrong," said Republican Sen. Larry Grooms.

Grooms is the sponsor of a resolution introduced in the state legislature Thursday seeking a two-thirds vote from the House and Senate to trigger a state constitutional provision that would allow Gov. Henry McMaster to remove Eckstrom for "willful neglect of duty."

Of the state's 46 senators, 38 of them signed on to sponsor the proposal – and only 30 are needed to hit the two-thirds threshold. In the House, 83 out of 124 representatives need to sign on for the resolution to pass.

Grooms said the legislature needs to act because Eckstrom is not doing the "honorable thing" by refusing to resign.

According to The AP, McMaster said last week Eckstrom should be held accountable by voters instead of being impeached by lawmakers. His office said Thursday he had not changed his mind.

FIRST REPUBLIC BANK EXECUTIVES SOLD $12 MILLION IN STOCK IN MONTHS BEFORE CRASH

South Carolina Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette, left, administers the oath of office to state officers, from left, Secretary of State Mark Hammond, Treasurer Curtis Loftis, Attorney General Alan Wilson, Comptroller General Richard Eckstrom, Education Superint (AP Photo/Meg Kinnard, File)

The constitution allows Eckstrom a hearing in his own defense if that is what he wants, though the exact procedure isn't clear. Several senators also could not remember the process being used since it was added more than 50 years ago.

"We're consulting… right now to ensure we do the correct procedures," Grooms said. "He'll have an opportunity to rebut."

Eckstrom responded to the Wednesday Senate report by stating he isn't quitting, adding that his office worked "tirelessly" to find and fix the problem in 2013. The AP said the problem wasn't reported to lawmakers or government officials until months ago.

The error started as a $12 million coding error in 2007 and was compounded when the state switched accounting systems four years later in 2011, according to what Eckstrom has told senators at recent hearings.

It was discovered that state cash transferred to colleges and universities was being counted twice and Eckstrom allegedly ignored repeated warnings from auditors. He is also accused of waiting five years to conduct a full review of accounts that eventually assisted in uncovering the problem about a year ago.

Grooms said once Eckstrom is dealt with, he expects the Senate will take up other matters his subcommittee recommended like dismantling his agency and sending duties to other offices.

South Carolina Sen. Larry Grooms, R-Bonneau, introduces a resolution calling for the governor to remove state Comptroller General Richard Eckstrom from office if the House and Senate approve with a two-thirds vote. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Collins)

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Eckstrom has run unopposed in the past two elections. He last had a challenger in the Republican primary in 2010.

He said he would support a constitutional amendment making his job one appointed by the governor, but in the meantime, he will be focusing on the job he was elected to do, adding that he will not be "distracted by anyone."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Springer out after 3rd base hop, ending Jays’ rally

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Springer out after 3rd base hop, ending Jays' rally

TORONTO — Blue Jays outfielder George Springer skipped into third base on a key RBI hit by teammate Alejandro Kirk, and hopped right into an inning-ending out in the fifth on Sunday against the Athletics.

Springer was called out following a replay review after Athletics third baseman Max Schuemann alertly kept his glove on the Blue Jays right fielder while Springer hopped up and down on third base.

Springer, who had reached on an RBI single that opened the scoring for Toronto, was celebrating Kirk’s double that cut the deficit to 3-2.

The out call meant Toronto slugger Addison Barger didn’t get to bat with runners at second and third.

Schuemann had just entered the game as a defensive replacement, taking over for Miguel Andujar.

The Athletics had lost five straight and 16 of 17 entering Sunday.

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Ukraine’s drone attack in Russia shows Kyiv felt it had nothing to lose

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Ukraine's drone attack in Russia shows Kyiv felt it had nothing to lose

An audacious Ukrainian drone attack against multiple airbases across Russia is a humiliating security breach for Vladimir Putin that will doubtless trigger a furious response.

Pro-Kremlin bloggers have described the drone assault – which Ukrainian security sources said hit more than 40 Russian warplanes – as “Russia’s Pearl Harbor” in reference to the Japanese attack against the US in 1941 that prompted Washington to enter the Second World War.

Ukraine war latest: Russia accuses Kyiv of ‘terrorist attack’

The Ukrainian operation – which used small drones smuggled into Russia, hidden in mobile sheds and launched off the back of trucks – also demonstrated how technology and imagination have transformed the battlefield, enabling Ukraine to seriously hurt its far more powerful opponent.

Moscow will have to retaliate, with speculation already appearing online about whether President Putin will again threaten the use of nuclear weapons.

“We hope that the response will be the same as the US response to the attack on their Pearl Harbor or even harsher,” military blogger Roman Alekhin wrote on his Telegram channel.

Codenamed ‘Spider’s Web’, the mission on Sunday was the culmination of one and a half years of planning, according to a security source.

More on Russia

In that time, Ukraine’s secret service smuggled first-person view (FPV) drones into Russia, sources with knowledge of the operation said.

Flat-pack, garden-office style sheds were also secretly transported into the country.

The drones were hidden in truck containers and the tops remotely lifted for the drones to be flown out to attack. Pic: SBU Security Service
Image:
The drones were hidden in truck containers. Pic: SBU Security Service

The oblong sheds were then built and drones were hidden inside, before the containers were put on the back of trucks and driven to within range of their respective targets.

At a chosen time, doors on the roofs of the huts were opened remotely and the drones were flown out. Each was armed with a bomb that was flown into the airfields, with videos released by the security service that purportedly showed them blasting into Russian aircraft.

These drones were used to destroy Russian bomber aircraft. Pic: SBU Security Service
Image:
These drones were used to destroy Russian bomber aircraft. Pic: SBU Security Service

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Among the targets were Tu-95 and Tu-22 bomber aircraft that can launch cruise missiles, according to the Ukrainian side. An A-50 airborne early warning aircraft was also allegedly hit. This is a valuable platform that is used to command and control operations.

The use of such simple technology to destroy multi-million-pound aircraft will be watched with concern by governments around the world.

Suddenly, every single military base, airfield and warship will appear that little bit more vulnerable if any truck nearby could be loaded with killer drones.

Read more:
Russia investigates bridge collapses
What new Stalin statue says about Putin’s regime

The most immediate focus, though, will be on how Mr Putin responds.

Previous attacks by Ukraine inside Russia have triggered retaliatory strikes and increasingly threatening rhetoric from the Kremlin.

But this latest operation is one of the biggest and most significant, and comes on the eve of a new round of peace talks between Moscow and Kyiv that are meant to take place in Turkey. It is not clear if that will still happen.

US President Donald Trump has been pushing for the two sides to make peace but Russia has only escalated its war.

Ukraine clearly felt it had nothing to lose but to also go on the attack.

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Phils moving Walker to relief in bullpen shakeup

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Phils moving Walker to relief in bullpen shakeup

PHILADELPHIA — The Phillies made moves to restructure their bullpen Sunday, removing Taijuan Walker from the rotation and recalling right-handed reliever Seth Johnson before their series finale against the Milwaukee Brewers.

Mick Abel will take Walker’s place in the starting rotation Thursday in Toronto. Reliever Jose Ruiz was designated for assignment to clear a roster spot for Johnson.

“I think Tai’s got a chance to make us a lot better coming out of the ‘pen,” manager Rob Thomson said.

Walker has made 10 appearances, including eight starts and two long relief appearances, with a 2-4 record and 3.53 ERA in 43⅓ innings. Thomson will use Walker in one-inning roles.

The 32-year-old Walker has been primarily a starter throughout his 13-year career. He is in the third year of a $72 million, four-year contract.

Abel made his major league debut on May 18, throwing six scoreless innings. The 23-year-old was the No. 15 pick in the 2020 amateur draft.

Johnson, 26, is 2-2 with a 4.91 ERA and 42 strikeouts in 33 innings with Triple-A Lehigh Valley, transitioning from the starting rotation to a relief role. He made one appearance for the Phillies last year, allowing nine earned runs in 2⅓ innings on Sept. 8 against Miami.

Johnson was acquired by the Phillies from Baltimore on July 30, 2024, in a trade for Gregory Soto.

Ruiz had an 8.16 ERA in 14⅓ innings this season, including allowing five runs in one inning of Saturday’s 17-7 loss to the Brewers. The 30-year-old right-hander had a 5-1 record and 3.71 ERA in 52 appearances in 2024.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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