As part of our ongoing commitment to delivering impactful local news, we have proactively reached out to the candidates running in the Statewide Primary on June 11th. We invited them to submit a letter introducing themselves, explaining their reasons for running, and outlining the issues they are passionate about.
We will not manipulate their answers in any way, we’ll simply provide it to you, our readers. This will allow you to make an informed choice. The order was determined by response time to our inquiry.
We’ll continue with Kevin Brackett, who is running for re-election as the 16th Circuit Solicitor.
For a list of all local primary candidates, please refer to our original article from several weeks ago: https://tegacaysun.com/election-coverage/
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In South Carolina the District Attorney is called the Solicitor. I served as an assistant then Chief Deputy solicitor from 1991-2006, then was appointed the Solicitor in 2006 and have been re-elected every year since 2008. In my career I have prosecuted countless murderers, rapists, drug dealers and corrupt public officials. The Attorney General has enlisted my help to prosecute corruption and violent crime in numerous other counties in South Carolina and has endorsed my re-election.
In my time as Solicitor in the 16th Judicial Circuit I have worked to develop a team of passionate and committed attorneys, investigators, and other staff to ensure that victims of crime receive the very best possible representation in court. These men and women work tirelessly to ensure that justice is done in each case. Our office is truly a family that not only works hard together but also are friends outside of work. We dine out together, our kids play together and some of us even vacation together. It is a special place filled with special people who function as a tight team, love their work and respect each other.
In my time in office, we have been at the lead on so many issues in South Carolina prosecution. These are just a few:
-While we controlled the management of the docket until Covid hit in 2020, we led the state month after month for 25 years in the speed with which we moved cases from arrest to conviction. This was accomplished while also being at or close to the top in terms of conviction rates. Quality was NOT sacrificed.
-We were one of the first in the country to implement a paperless office to expedite the distribution of case files. We have been paperless for over 20 years now. Many offices still have not accomplished this.
-We implemented the first web-based Case Management System in South Carolina in 2014. When Covid hit and courts were closed many offices came to standstill. My attorneys forwarded their desk phones to their cell phones, took their laptops home, and continued to work their cases.
-I have developed strong relationships with external agencies both locally, state- wide, and nationally to make sure that when we need help, we get what we need to succeed. Law-enforcement leaders, clerks of court, legislators, court officials, prosecutors across South Carolina and the nation, prison officials and many others all have their contacts in my phone and answer when I call.
-Successfully pushed for legislation strengthening our laws to hold fentanyl traffickers accountable, accomplished important bond reform measures to ensure violent criminals are not released repeatedly, strengthened our states response to domestic violence. I currently am in a lead role in the effort to reform how we select our judges to allow for greater independence. In addition, I have testified before numerous legislative bodies on public safety issues including the United States Senate Judiciary Committee. I have often been asked to lecture locally and nationally to prosecutors and judges on issues from docket and office management, ethical issues in prosecution, cross-examination and the use of technology to enhance efficiency in the prosecutors office.
My opponent has done none of the things described above. He has never supervised other attorneys, managed a significant budget, overseen a docket, initiated positive legislative change or innovated a solution to a complex problem facing a prosecutor’s office. He has only had a small handful of trials and never tried a murder, rape or major violent felony. He is completely unprepared to assume this important role and the community will suffer if he is elected.
It is for these reasons that I have been endorsed by the Governor, the Attorney General, every other elected Solicitor and a great number of our local legislators and law enforcement professionals both retired and active.
The 16th Circuit Solicitor’s Office has been the statewide gold standard for efficiency and excellence for 30 years. On June 11th when you enter the voting booth your safety and the safety of this community will literally be in your hands.
Please vote to Keep Kevin Brackett your 16th Circuit Solicitor.
