SC Attorney General McMaster Pitches Donors To Move Cash To Governor’s Race

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) - South Carolina Attorney General Henry McMaster is asking campaign contributors for permission to use their donations for his gubernatorial campaign.

But state Ethics Commission deputy director Cathy Hazelwood said Tuesday that McMaster may be breaking the state’s campaign finance laws in the process.

The Republican McMaster is using money from his attorney general re-election campaign account to get contributors’ permission to convert their donations to his unannounced bid for governor.

Hazelwood said McMaster needs to make that request using a governor’s race account.

McMaster spokesman Brad Henry said that would require that McMaster open a governor’s race account and would be the same as announcing for governor. McMaster’s not ready to do that.