Former SC lawmaker caught up in State House corruption probe leaves prison on parole
A former South Carolina legislator convicted on corruption charges and sent to prison in a long-running probe of the state Legislature will be home for the holidays after receiving parole.
Former Rep. Jim Harrison had been incarcerated since July 1 at the Kirkland Correctional Institution off Broad River Road in Columbia, prison records show. Since then, the Richland Republican briefly left the prison twice for medical appointments. But records of his movements end on Dec. 10, when he departed for a parole board hearing in Charleston and never returned.
Harrison had a projected release date of April 1, 2022, but he ended up being paroled two days after he became eligible.
The record from the S.C. Department of Corrections notes Harrison had no escape attempts or disciplinary sanctions during his five months of incarceration. The former lawmaker also earned education credits during his time at Kirkland, and even worked as a wardkeeper assistant up until his parole.
Harrison could not be immediately reached by phone.
Under the conditions of his parole, Harrison must report to a parole agent who must have access to Harrison’s home and place of employment. Harrison cannot own a gun or any other weapon while on parole, and submit urine and blood samples or other forensic evidence upon request. He cannot leave the state, move house or change jobs without informing the agent, nor “enter establishments whose primary business is the sale and drinking of alcoholic beverages.”
He must also pay a supervision fee to the Department of Probation, Pardons and Parole.
Harrison, 70, was once the chair of the powerful House Judiciary Committee, until he was swept up in a probe of corrupt payments and influence-peddling in the Legislature by outside lobbyists.
In 2018, a Richland County jury found Harrison guilty of two counts of misconduct and one count of perjury after lying to the state grand jury.
The misconduct charge was centered around his illegal acceptance of some $900,000 over 13 years from the now-defunct Richard Quinn & Associates consulting firm — a company that used to run the campaigns of prominent Republicans. That money, prosecutors said, was then used to illegally influence legislation.
In June, a judge ordered Harrison imprisoned on an 18-month sentence for his perjury conviction, the first lawmaker to be sent to prison in the corruption probe. Harrison finally reported to Kirkland after a lengthy appeal ended with the S.C. Supreme Court upholding his prison sentence.
Five others who have pleaded guilty to various charges from their time in the Legislature have been given probation.
This story was originally published December 22, 2021 at 9:55 AM with the headline "Former SC lawmaker caught up in State House corruption probe leaves prison on parole."
.jpg)