Democratic Party Chairman blasts Haley's staff picks (update: GOP counters)

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Update August 26: Not content to take an idle bruising, S.C. Republicans have fired back.

Namely, S.C. Republican chairman Chad Connelly, who is saying, in effect, that state Democrats won't fight for local jobs as they aren't challenging National Labor Relations Board’s fight against Boeing’s new 787 assembly plant in North Charleston.

Read about the latest here.

-Update by Ken Hawkins.

First reporting August 24: In the never ending finger pointing world of state politics, South Carolina Democratic Party Chairman Dick Harpootlian has criticized Nikki Haley for filling her staff with inexperienced but well-paid former campaign workers.

Harpootlian admits that yes, many politicians regularly hire campaign staff after they assume office, but his beef with Haley is that despite how adamantly she spoke of and promised change, she is just another "good old boy." Under Haley, $500,000 in taxpayer money is going in the pockets of former campaign staffers whose previous experience, according to Harpootlian, does not reflect their salaries.

You can take a look at the salary information of six staff members that have Harpootlian up in arms. The article in today's Post and Courier has the names, numbers and previous jobs held by each.

In addition to attacking her staff picks, The Post and Courier reports that, "Harpootlian said he wants individuals to urge state lawmakers to pass a new law allowing voters to recall elections. He said Haley's administration is a disaster and he won't sit idly by."

Naturally, Haley is sticking behind her staff and is dismissing the accusations as a "political rant."

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