Last Tuesday we shared with you our initial thoughts on S244 … the “supposed” Tort (over) Reform bill being pushed by SC Senate Majority Leader Shane Massey … yes, the Senator from Edgefield who endorsed Nikki Haley against President TRUMP in the 2024 primaries.

See mySCGOP.news, 2/25/2025: HERE

Well … a lot has happened in a short time since then … and it get’s more interesting … and more educational!!!  Heck, we made a simple “tweet” on X.com sharing the article (HERE) and mentioning Senator Massey endorsing Nikki Haley … and we got a rather quick 36,000 views!!!  That is a fair amount … 

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Massey “Loses It” at State House!

The day after our article and “tweet” … on February 26th … Senator Shane Massey, who is known to have rather thin skin, had a bit of an emotional TIRADE … literally showing up on the SC House Floor … and getting in the face of SC House Rep. Gil Gatch (R – Dorchester) … a fellow lawyer legislator.

Why?  Because Rep. Gatch made the following post accusing Senator Massey of being in the “pocket” of big insurance companies.  See exactly below … and note the reported EXPLETIVES by Massey.

And when the Post & Courier catches you cursing … it’s not good!!!

Nick Reynolds tweet – The Post & Courier:  HERE

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The POLL …

Next, on the 27th, a poll was published showing that GOP Voters … who understand the impacts of S 244 on average citizens … overwhelmingly OPPOSE S244 … by 73% to 19% margin.  

It wasn’t a good week … for someone making BIG PROMISES to BIG MONEY DONORS / INSURANCE COMPANIES … and potentially looking to fill his coffers so as to test running for Governor … AGAIN?!?!?! 

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Massey’s Previous

Failed Governor Consideration

You all may remember when Senator Massey was considering challenging Governor Henry McMaster in 2022 for governor … before he had a run in with famed defamation lawyer Lin Wood … and Senator Massey said he would not ask for a forensic audit of the 2020 election … and that he believed BIDEN WON in 2020?  It was an uncomfortable interaction … for MASSEY!

Watch June 24th, 2021 video HERE.

Yes … Senator Massey dropped out of the race for governor shortly thereafter as he had lost ALL “potential” support of anyone in the MAGA America FIRST movement … and certainly was not going to get TRUMP’s endorsement then (but maybe Nikki’s).  And no, WE have not forgotten.

NOT A GOOD THING:  As we were told recently about another “ladder climber” … when ambition is > talent (or common sense – have we mentioned Massey endorsed Nikki Haley against President TRUMP???) … it’s not a good thing.

But it does not appear Senator Massey is ready to call it quits on his ambition for “Governor” … and it appears his eyes are set on 2026 (per rumors we have heard) … but that takes MONEY … and lots of it … and who better than BIG INSURANCE to fill his coffers?!?!? 

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Massey Dials It Up!!!

We know Senator Massey very well from our fight for “real” School Choice … and we know he sold out the K-12 kids for the monied special interest and companies like CLASS WALLET (see video HERE) … who received a $4.2 MILLION contract (more than the kids) with Massey’s now failed / unconstitutional ESA legislation (HERE, HERE & HERE).  

So we know firsthand that Shane Massey does not do anything for our SC Citizens … and especially the kids.  And after all the failures last week … even after MASSEY pulled $250,000 from the SC Senate Republican Caucus to fund an ad campaign for S 244 … something we hear that fellow Senate Republicans are not happy about … Senator MASSEY and the INSURANCE COMPANIES appear to have dialed it up even more … with $$$$ & favors.

(#1) First of all SCGOP Chairman Drew McKissick sent out a desperate MASS email from the SCGOP supporting S244.  I am personally on the SCGOP State Executive Committee … for nearly 4 years now … and I don’t recall us voting on anything related to “Tort Reform”.  Who authorized (or paid) DREW MCKISSICK to do that???

(#2) Next, Senate Majority Leader Massey got S244 set for SPECIAL ORDER this week … so S244 skips to the front of the line … in front of all the other bills being debated.  The Senator appears to want to get this over the finish line in the SC Senate before people catch on.  A typical special interest trick!!!

(#3) And finally … apparently Massey has pulled the GOVERNOR “favor”.  Maybe since Massey did not run against Governor McMaster in 2022, a favor is owed … but it appears McMaster is going to step in an see if he can save S244 on Wednesday at 11AM.  We can’t wait to see this!!! 

TRUST NOTHING!!!  Seriously … do we trust anything Massey … Drew McKissick … Governor McMaster … or the SC CHAMBER OF COMMERCE … does???  And “where” is all this MONEY coming from to push this so called massive omnibus “Tort Reform” bill???  

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Massey dupes the SC Venue Crisis Folks???

SC Venue Crisis – DUPED, Again???:  HERE

Seriously … the really sad part is we ALL want to help the small business venues … and like in 2024 when they were led astray (I received tons of calls wanting us to help them … and YES, the SC Venue Crisis folks were being duped by all the wrong people back then) … it seems like they are being DUPED … and USED … again.

S 244 as we have already discussed is a massive and overly expansive piece of legislation.  It uses an untested nuclear bomb to kill a fly.  Ask yourself “why”, if legislators actually cared about our small venues, would you not just use a targeted bill to fix that one issue???  Why does it appear that the lawyer legislators … and insurance brokers … want such an expansive bill … and not just fix the one problem???

Hey, it will be interesting … and with the Governor weighting in … it is even more questionable than ever.

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Join Us!!!

WHEN:  Wednesday, March 5th – 11:30am

WHERE:  SC Statehouse, 1100 Gervais Street, Columbia, SC  

WHAT:  Watch the Governor and Senator Massey … along with the SC Chamber of Commerce and other “grifters” … live and in person try to “sell” the Citizens of South Carolina on “Tort Reform”.

Are we buying it???

We will be chatting with our small venue friends … and we will ask them how those “promises” work out last time?  Fool me once, … 

Maybe find a targeted bill … not a massive bill where you are the target.  Learn from the School Choice experience.  10 years worth of lies from these same guys … and all they do is keep lying!!!  

#FollowTheMONEY!!!

#FollowTheAmbition!!!

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR …

Jeff Davis is co-founder of mySCGOP.com. Jeff is a ’89 graduate of The Citadel and in 1993 received his Law/MBA from USC. A tax attorney / CPA licensed in Georgia, Jeff is an uncompromised school choice advocate for K-12 children with special needs. Originally from Charleston, and having practiced in Atlanta, Jeff and his wife Olga now live in Greenville. Jeff completed his two year term as Greenville County Republican Party Chairman and is currently serving as GCRP State Executive Committeeman.

Jeff is also “barred” from attending the SCGOP State Executive Committee Meetings (HERE). Why? Because he dared to run against Drew McKissick for SCGOP Chairman – coming in 2nd with Drew only being reelected by 1.8% (HERE & HERE) – and in September 2021 he told the State Executive Committee that Chad Connelly had been under SLED investigation for a year and a half … and it was true (HERE & HERE).

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Send us your opinion on this great debate … and how you would like to see it solved … by emailing us at team@mySCGOP.com.

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