Education
Who is Neil Mellen? Hint – Anti-School Prayer Advocate in SC Politics
VMI Cadet Neil Mellen ’02 & ACLU filed a lawsuit to stop prayers at VMI
The date was January 23, 2002 … the last day cadets at Virginia Military Institute (VMI) had prayer before evening mess (dinner). The Citadel held out until August 2003.
Why? Why do student cadets not have prayer before meals at VMI & The Citadel? Because then VMI Cadet Neil Mellen ’02 filed a lawsuit to stop prayers at VMI … and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) represented him as their lead plaintiff in the case.
The ACLU won … VMI, The Citadel, society and the rest of us all lost.
Neil Mellen went on to graduate VMI, got a job in Micronesia with the Peace Corp … and in 2003 he proudly received a $1,000 Student Activist Award from the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF). Yes … FREEDOM FROM RELIGION FOUNDATION … there is such a thing.
But, somehow after all that, Mr. Mellen made his way to South Carolina.
In 2005 (until 2008) Neil was hired by the conservative SC Policy Council.
In 2008 (until 2013) Neil was hired by the private K-12 school choice advocacy group South Carolinians for Responsible Government (SCRG).
Who hired him at SCRG? It was Randy Page (Bob Jones University & pro-DeSantis Never Back Down PAC) & Chad Connelly (former SCGOP Chairman, faith based advocate for the Republican National Committee & pro-life SC Citizens for Life). Randy and Chad were also both board members at Palmetto Family Council at the time (reportedly late 1990s – 2020) … focused upon implementing conservative Christian ideas in South Carolina.
Why? Does any of this make sense? NO, not to us either.
Yes, all indications are that Randy Page, Chad Connelly and others all knew Neil’s background … and still hired him anyhow. So the real question is what really is these people’s agenda?
CONTROLLED OPPOSITION: Check out our story on “Controlled Opposition … Does It Exist?” (HERE) … and was we teach …
“Watch what they DO, not what they SAY.“
SOURCE DOCUMENT: November 20th, 2017 employment application for the Children’s Trust of South Carolina … a job Neil did obtain given his obvious political connections.
EMPLOYMENT REFERENCES: Interestingly, even Edward Earwood, the Executive Director of the South Carolina Association of Christian Schools and now Board Chairman of the failed special needs school choice program here in South Carolina, provided Neil an employment reference for government funded Children’s Trust of South Carolina.
Again, why are supposedly Christian Conservatives promoting an ACLU represented anti-school pray advocate?
The other two references … Robert Adams, the now deceased lobbyist, and attorney Rick Reames, the former Director at the SC Department of Revenue who is directly attributed by the SC Inspector General’s Office with targeting a faux audit of Jeff Davis, Olga Lisinska and Palmetto Kids FIRST Scholarship Program. Perhaps we will have more history updates on that later.
Developing story so stay tuned …
Coffee & Politics – May 8th, 2026 – YouTube (HERE), RUMBLE (HERE) & X (HERE)
Friends, we have been running a weekly Coffee & Politics Meeting out of our Greenville Headquarters for nearly 5 years now … and it has been a huge hit. It is how we communicate our vision and #Mission to or local Volunteers and Community … and it one way we RECRUIT more people to the MAGA America First movement.
Thank You to Our Special Guests!!!
Rom Reddy (2026 Candidate for SC Governor).
Reddy for Governor: HERE
Congressman William Timmons (4th Congressional District – running for reelection)
Campaign Website: HERE
Congressional Website: HERE
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OK friends … this one is a homework assignment.
Joe Kernell has served as Greenville County Administrator since 2004. Over that time, he has become one of the most controversial figures in local Greenville politics. Despite repeated calls over the years—if not the past decade—to “make a change,” Kernell remains in place.
So what’s going on?
The 2024 County Council elections brought significant turnover, with four new members (out of twelve total) campaigning – at least in part – on removing Kernell. Yet, just before those new members were sworn in, his contract was renewed on December 3, 2024.
Then it happened again.
On January 20, 2026, Kernell’s contract was extended for an additional 18 months—reportedly as a “final” extension. Voters were told Council had no real option but to approve the extension.
But does that actually make sense?
Remember: Watch what they DO, not what they SAY.
So here’s the assignment:
Below are the employment contracts for Kernell dating back to 2006. Many of you have legal or human resources backgrounds. Take a close look and tell us what you see.
Is there – or was there – a way out of these contracts?
We’re told the answer is no. That Council’s hands were tied.
But as we often say: where there is a WILL, there is a WAY.
So the real question becomes:
Was there simply no will to replace Kernell?
Send us your thoughts: team@mySCGOP.com
THE EMPLOYMENT CONTRACTS:
November 15, 2006 (HERE):
December 7, 2011 (HERE):
March 13, 2019 (HERE):
March 5, 2024 (HERE):
December 3, 2024 (HERE):
January 20, 2026 (HERE):
Coffee & Politics – May 1st, 2026 – YouTube (HERE), RUMBLE (HERE) & X (HERE)
Friends, we have been running a weekly Coffee & Politics Meeting out of our Greenville Headquarters for nearly 5 years now … and it has been a huge hit. It is how we communicate our vision and #Mission to or local Volunteers and Community … and it one way we RECRUIT more people to the MAGA America First movement.
Thank You to Our Special Guest!!!
Benton Blount (Greenville County Council – Chairman – District 19).
Website (HERE & HERE)
Facebook: (HERE & HERE)
Substack: (HERE)
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The Precinct Project USA – Hosted by Steve Stern – April 30th, 2026 – YouTube (HERE), RUMBLE (HERE) & X (HERE)
We focus on Precinct ReOrg and Saving South Carolina … but the great Steve Stern & Dan Schultz are the force behind Precinct ReOrganization NATIONWIDE!!!
Steve Stern is now hosting a regular NATIONWIDE call on the Precinct Project USA helping bring people together to SAVE AMERICA in all 50 states.
Friends, this is ultimately what it is going to take. We can not “just” take back South Carolina and the SCGOP from the RINO “establishment” … we have to do this in all 50 states!!!
ReOrg 2027 happens for us in South Carolina in March, April & May 2027. Once we win that … we move forward with helping our friends in other states take back their local county and state GOP.
JOIN the MAGA / America First movement – NATIONWIDE!!!
www.PrecinctProjectUSA.org
WHEN: Stay Tuned for Future Calls
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Coffee & Politics – April 24th, 2026 – YouTube (HERE), RUMBLE (HERE) & X (HERE)
Friends, we have been running a weekly Coffee & Politics Meeting out of our Greenville Headquarters for nearly 5 years now … and it has been a huge hit. It is how we communicate our vision and #Mission to or local Volunteers and Community … and it one way we RECRUIT more people to the MAGA America First movement.
Thank You to Our Special Guest!!!
David Atchley (Candidate – US House District 04). Website (HERE)
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Coffee & Politics – April 17th, 2026 – YouTube (HERE), RUMBLE (HERE) & X (HERE)
Friends, we have been running a weekly Coffee & Politics Meeting out of our Greenville Headquarters for nearly 5 years now … and it has been a huge hit. It is how we communicate our vision and #Mission to or local Volunteers and Community … and it one way we RECRUIT more people to the MAGA America First movement.
Thank You to Our Special Guests!!!
Chuck Rhode (Candidate – SC House District 22). Website (HERE)
Robert E. Lee (Candidate – 4th Congressional District). Website (HERE)
Allen Kellet (Candidate – Greenville County Council District 28). Facebook Page (HERE)
WHEN: Every Friday from 11am – 1pm
JOIN US!!!
ON YouTube!!! (HERE)
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SUSTAINING & INDIVIDUAL DONATIONS:
Make a Charitable Donation TODAY: HERE
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