Email: Withington offered to drop out of race for ‘maybe 20K’

An Horry County Council candidate charged with accepting a bribe sent an email to other candidates saying he’d drop out of the race for “maybe $20,000.”

Richard “Dick” Withington, 72, of Myrtle Beach was arrested earlier this month and charged with inducement to file for, or withdraw from, candidacy for election, according to J. Reuben Long Detention Center records. He was given a $10,000 bond and no-contact orders from several of the victims.

In an email obtained by The Sun News through a Freedom of Information Act Request, Withington told other council candidates that he would drop out of the race if he is given “immediate substantial donations.” The email shows it was sent at 2:30 a.m. March 20.

“If this should occur in the next few days, I can change my filing, and even endorse [redacted], if the facts should so warrant,” the email said.

Withington, who is still running for Horry County Council District 4 and the South Carolina State Senate District 34 seat, could not be reached for comment Tuesday afternoon.

Last week, he denied allegations that he attempted to gain thousands of dollars from four people as payment to drop out of the Horry County race. He told The Sun News that he was not asking anyone for money to drop out of the race and thought he was being given a “fishy” campaign contribution when he accepted an envelope from an undercover Horry County police officer last month.

In the March 20 email sent to at least one opponent, Withington said he would switch races for money. The email was sent to several email addresses, though that information was blacked out before Horry County released the email in response to The Sun News’ FOIA request. Withington told The Sun News he sent the email to County Councilman Gary Loftus, who Withington is running against to represent District 4; and councilmen Cam Crawford and Johnny Vaught.

“Help me get a little help, maybe 20k and you win, or spend a small fortune and you lose,” the email said.

Withington’s two-page email explains his campaign strategy and boasts how he has an “almost 100% Positive (sic) response” to his efforts so far. He accuses one of the recipients of being too distant from voters in his district and not serving his constituents well.

Withington also personally attacks the recipients’ physical appearance in the email.

“I am not trying to scare anyone, but with your age and general appearance, you seem old to me...” Withington said in the email.

Loftus declined to comment.

An undercover officer talked to Withington, who said he wanted $20,000 from the victim, but said he would take $5,000 as his share from the victim instead, according to a police report.

Authorities arranged to meet Withington at 12:20 p.m. March 29 to get the money, and the undercover officer arrived with an envelope of $5,000, police said.

Details of that meeting and how money changed hands was blacked out of the Horry County police report, but the reports notes that Withington was arrested during that meeting. An arrest warrant states Withington accepted the money.

Withington ends the email saying he has a clear conscience because “I have offered a fair option, which should make everyone happy, I believe.” He also told the recipients to keep the email confidential.

This story was originally published April 12, 2016 at 4:48 PM with the headline "Email: Withington offered to drop out of race for ‘maybe 20K’."