SC House member resigns after being indicted for criminal domestic violence

Rep. Chris Corley, indicted on criminal domestic violence charges for beating his wife, has resigned his House seat. Legislation calling for his expulsion was to be introduced on Tuesday by the chamber’s most powerful member – the House Speaker.

Corley resigned before that happened, at about 1 p.m.

The resolution from House Speaker Jay Lucas, R-Darlington, would have called for the expulsion of Rep. Chris Corley, R-Aiken, who has been charged and indicted on allegations that he beat his wife in front of his children.

The resolution would have gone through the House Ethics Committee, unless there was an effort to pull it directly to the floor.

Lucas released a statement Tuesday: “I have received and accepted Representative Chris Corley’s letter of resignation. The South Carolina Constitution clearly states that the House of Representatives has the sole authority to expel one of its members for disorderly conduct. Even though I prepared a resolution calling for his removal, I am grateful that the House did not have to take such extraordinary measures and expel Rep. Corley from this Institution. ”

Corley was arrested Dec. 27 on charges of first-degree criminal domestic violence, which is a felony, and pointing and presenting a firearm at his wife in the presence of two of their children, ages 2 and 8, an incident report states. He was later indicted by a county grand jury on the most serious tier of domestic charges, criminal domestic violence of a high and aggravated nature.

Since his indictment, the majority leaders of both the Senate and the House have called for his resignation. Corley was suspended from the House since Jan. 4.

Just a few weeks later, he was accused of an “escalating pattern” of domestic violence during his bond hearing on Jan. 18 by a prosecutor.

It was also revealed then that Corley’s wife, who The State newspaper is not naming, confronted him about a text message that led her to believe he was having an affair, said Assistant Attorney General Kinli Abee. Corley then threw his wife on the bed and began punching her, Abee said.

Corley’s attorney, John Delgado, said at the time of the hearing that Corley had “given up” his House seat as a result of his suspension. He later clarified that Corley had not resigned and declined to comment on whether Corley planned to do so.

But Corley’s colleagues have been growing anxious over his indecision in recent weeks. Several legislators told The State newspaper that repeated efforts to reach Corley had been unsuccessful.

The resolution that was to be introduced Tuesday would have placed Corley’s fate as a legislator in his colleagues’ hands. Two-thirds of the House would have to vote for him to be expelled. But getting kicked out wouldn’t have prevented Corley from getting re-elected in a special election.

This story was originally published January 24, 2017 at 1:18 PM with the headline "SC House member resigns after being indicted for criminal domestic violence."