Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough

Weekly Washington Wrap

• The shock of Jared Loughner’s shooting spree in Tucson on Sunday hit Washington in the gut. The tragedy that hospitalized Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ) and killed six, including a federal district judge and a 9-year old girl prompted immediate political debate over security and whether the shooting was a consequence of overheated partisan rhetoric or a fatal act by a mentally sick man prone to violence. The House did not debate repeal of the health care law as planned. Rather, it met briefly to condemn the shooting before breaking for Republican and Democrat strategy sessions that will continue through the weekend. The House is in session next week and the Senate is out until January 31.

• On Tuesday, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce presented its state of the U.S. economy and used the opportunity to praise President Obama's choice of Bill Daley as his new chief of staff. The Chamber will continue to aggressively challenge the Obama administration's efforts on net neutrality, greenhouse gas restrictions, and other regulatory efforts, but welcomed Daley's pro-business reputation as an improvement.

• Also on Tuesday, the Oil Spill Commission released its report on the Gulf of Mexico oil spill. The Commission's report squarely placed blame on BP, but identified sector-wide problems by characterizing safety challenges as "systemic" within the oil industry and within the government structure designed to oversee safety. Among the report's recommendations, the Commission suggested raising the cap on oil spill liability, restructuring and strengthening the government's oversight role at the Department of Interior, and better integration of state and local spill response authorities. Industry responded to the report by largely agreeing with a focus on safety, but cautioned against policy makers using the report to continue a de-factor moratorium on offshore exploration and drilling. The report is already being used by drilling critics to advocate for limiting oil exploration and production in the Arctic.

 

Snowy Start

Yesterday, David Wilkins and the team participated in festivities surrounding the 95^th South Carolina Inaugural.

It was crystal clear - but freezing cold - just before noon yesterday on the majestic steps of the historic South Carolina state house, when Nikki Haley officially became the 116^th governor of the Palmetto State. The 38-year-old wife and mother of two is the first woman and first person of Indian descent in our state to serve as South Carolina's chief executive.

A snow storm that blew into South Carolina Sunday night and the aftermath of frigid weather caused one Inaugural event to be postponed until this weekend. But the prayer breakfast, swearing-in ceremony and Inaugural Gala went off without a hitch.

We have to give props to our own Ashley Martin who served as Wilkins right-arm as he led the Haley Transition team following the November election and did some heavy volunteer lifting to help the Inaugural Committee ensure the success of the day's historic events.

With Haley's husband Michael (a full-time federal technician with the South Carolina National Guard) holding the Bible, and surrounded by their two children, Nikki Haley takes the oath of office and walks into state history books.

CNN on the Case

Due to the historic nature of yesterday's SC Inaugural, a good deal of national and international media - including CNN – were paying close tab on all the events.

CNN Political Producer Peter Hamby focused particular attention on the fact that Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour, a friend of our own David Wilkins, was on hand.

Here's more from the CNN story:

"Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour braved some frigid weather Wednesday to appear at South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley's historic inauguration, but he also managed to take care of some political business on the side as he prepares for a possible presidential bid in 2012.

After Haley's swearing-in, Barbour convened something of a meet-and-greet with a handful of Republican legislators at the Palmetto Club in downtown Columbia, multiple GOP sources informed CNN. Among those planning to attend the closed-door meeting: David Wilkins, a former U.S. Ambassador and South Carolina House Speaker who remains a power broker in state GOP politics. Wilkins was also the chief of Haley's transition team.

Barbour has been putting out feelers in the pivotal early primary state but hasn't appeared there since March of last year, when he keynoted an event for the Spartanburg County Republican Party.

A Haley adviser said Barbour was one of several potential 2012 contenders invited to witness Haley be sworn in as South Carolina's first female governor..."

Winter Wonderland

Kids across the great state of South Carolina had a rare treat this week - back-to-back snow days. Every winter, South Carolinians can mostly expect a light dusting of the white stuff - but when the snow not only sticks but sticks-around - that's every Southern kid's definition of climate nirvana. Throw in three (and in some areas four) cancelled days of school, well, there are no words to describe the sheer, unadulterated joy.

Little ones across the Palmetto State are enjoying the freezing fluff, including the Wilkins' two-year-old grandchildren, Clary and Whit.

Ironically (at least to us), David Wilkins who always enjoyed the snow in Canada (it was great joke material, after all) found himself in a not-so-snowy Toronto just as the snowstorm hit down south. Wilkins, Nelson Mullins Partner Jim Lehman and the President and CEO of Global Public Affairs Randy Pettipas, were in Toronto early this week on business.

Speaking of South Carolina

Last week as the 112^th Congress was sworn-in, David Wilkins was in Washington, D.C. and attended a welcome event for our state's new Congressional delegation. Five new members, all of them Republican, were elected in November in what turned out to be a somewhat historic election in South Carolina. Tim Scott is our state's first African-American Republican representative and hails from the first Congressional district. Trey Gowdy is the former solicitor from Spartanburg and represents the fourth congressional district. Jeff Duncan represents the third district and is a former member of the SC House of Representatives elected when David Wilkins was speaker. He is also a friend who was known to visit Ottawa from time to time on Wilkins' watch. Mick Mulvaney represents the fifth congressional district and is the first Republican to hold that seat since 1883. A former SC state senator, Mulvaney defeated longtime Representative John Spratt in what was considered a "bellwether" race last fall.