Apr 17 2008
Beaufort Mayor Cleared of Ethics Charges
Local real estate agent and former mayoral candidate Billy Keyserling told the commission in August that Rauch had offered in May to vote in favor of the proposed annexation of 1,005-acre McLeod Farm in exchange for favors from Keyserling. Keyserling said Rauch wanted him to serve as treasurer of Rauch’s re-election campaign staff and write a letter to TheBeaufort Gazette, praising Rauch’s work.
The Ethics Commission did not attempt to determine whether Keyserling’s allegation was true, executive director Herb Hayden said. Instead, the commission ruled that Keyserling’s allegation was irrelevant because the owner of McLeod Farm withdrew the petition for annexation.
