SC city council candidate accused of trying to buy votes with water bills, ice cream

A former Loris city council candidate was arrested after allegedly trying to buy residents’ votes in the 2025 election.

Lamar Jordan was charged with procuring or offering to procure votes by bribery, as well as three counts related to fraudulent checks under $500. He was booked at the J. Reuben Long Detention Center on Feb. 24 and released the same day.

“The Defendant, who was running for a city of Loris Council seat, did offer or propose to procure, another, by the payment or promise of money or other article of value, if they voted for him during a city council election,” the arrest warrant says.

But attorney Jonny McCoy, who’s representing Jordan, says the case is a conflict of interest, making it “one of the most corrupt and improper investigations” he’s witnessed.

“It’s an investigation by the City of Loris, who is city council, about a city council seat,” said McCoy. “And who does the Loris police department work for? City council.”

McCoy questions who initiated the investigation and why the case isn’t being handled by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED).

“Why didn’t Loris Police Department turn over this incestuous investigation to SLED?” McCoy said. “And what I’m hearing is that SLED laughed at them when they contacted them and said that, ‘This guy’s paying for people’s ice cream. We need you to investigate it.’”

Here are the details of the case.

Paying water bills, buying ice cream and transferring money

On Sept. 29, Jordan streamed a video live on Facebook telling Loris residents to come to City Hall, where he would pay their water bills until 10:30 a.m. According to police, after paying their water bills, Jordan prompted residents on camera to tell the public to vote for him.

“[Jordan] said that when the person found him, that he was paying their bill, they would need to come in and shout really loud, ‘Lamar for Loris’ and your bill would be paid. Jordan proceeded to show his check book on camera,” the case report says. “He then stated ‘who wouldn’t want a councilman, that’s willing to look out for you.’”

Police say Jordan told viewers they had to be city residents over the age of 18 who owned the water bill account in order to meet him at City Hall and have their water bill paid.

In the City Hall livestream, Jordan told one person, “I’m going to pay your October water bill, alright, now tell them people right there to vote for Lamar.”

According to police, Jordan paid the water bills of city employee Joan Griffin and approximately five other city residents, including a C. Grissett and an M. Spain.

However, on Oct. 14 Griffin told Loris police that she never heard Jordan bring up the election or ask anyone to vote for him.

Both Grissett and Spain agreed, saying Jordan never mentioned votes or the election.

Grissett told police Jordan is “very generous,” having “done these types of things” before. Similarly, Spain said Jordan had paid her phone bill and given her money “out of generosity.”

In another incident on an unspecified date, police say Jordan appeared live on Facebook in a golf cart heading to Ritchie’s Eatery on Main Street. According to the case report, Jordan told viewers he would buy them ice cream.

“Ice-cream at Ritchies, come get it, its on me, spreading the love all over town, because we want you to vote Lamar for Loris,” Jordan said in the livestream, according to police.

A third and final reported livestream featured Jordan in an Applebee’s, where police say he told people to chant, “Lamar for Loris,” on social media and tag him in the post to receive money through Cash App.

Felony or generosity?

These incidents elicited a police complaint and sparked an investigation into Jordan’s conduct.

For his part, Jordan told police the money he spent was unrelated to his bid for council. He said he went to City Hall to pay his own bills due to past billing issues, and “that he was a man of service and enjoys helping others,” who had helped people pay bills and buy food in the past.

“He denied paying anyone’s bill to gain votes,” the case report says. “He advised that he lost the election but that doesn’t stop him from providing service to the community ... When asked if he thought that his offer to pay Loris residents’ water bills affected anyone’s vote for or against him, he advised that he didn’t think so and that it was a kind gesture.”

Jordan also reportedly told police he paid bills and bought ice cream for people who live outside Loris city limits and were therefore ineligible to vote for him. As for the ice cream incident, police say Jordan claimed he wanted people to get out enjoy local businesses.

Other people interviewed by police also vouched for Jordan’s generosity.

A man identified only as K.G. said Jordan paid $20,000 to $25,000 to fix a church’s heating and cooling system, a woman dubbed M.H. in the case told police Jordan helped her with childcare and a witness called C.C. claimed Jordan financially supported her for food and bills 10 to 15 times without requesting repayment. C.C. also said Jordan and his family catered a Black history event for free.

Felony charge

Despite witnesses’ statements, authorities presented the case to a judge, who found probable cause and signed a warrant for procuring or offering to procure votes by bribery.

If convicted, Jordan could face a fine and up to five years in prison for the felony bribery offense.

This story was originally published March 4, 2026 at 11:56 AM.