Carolina Politics Online

Apparently in Atlantic Beach if you challenge the status quo and win, their buddies on the Election Commission throw out your votes.  OK, I don’t really know for certain it’s a case of the “ole boys club” or in this case, girls.   They claim there are voting “irregularities.”  I am just amused that such a small town can generate so much news of corruption, fraud, and abuse and become a total laughing stock for the entire state.

They did get one thing right this past week, however.  They finally got around to suspending the mayor’s pay after she, herself, was suspended from her post by the governor.  Just for old times sake, let’s bring back that Pulitzer winning mug shot of Ms Pierce.  It’s been such a hit here.

This is overdue.  What the hell took so long?

State Rep. Tracy Edge, R-North Myrtle Beach, released a letter Friday calling on Gov. Mark Sanford to remove Atlantic Beach Mayor Retha Pierce from office.

The letter comes after Pierce was charged with a misdemeanor DUI after being stopped by police Wednesday on U.S. 501 in Marion County. She was released Thursday.

“When she took office, it was a great opportunity for Atlantic Beach, and it was the time they were going to turn the corner,” Edge said. “The problems have continued, largely with the troubles that she’s had. Would the town of Atlantic Beach be better off with a different mayor?… I think the answer is yes, without a doubt.”

The Sun News

A turning point?  Pierce?  Let’s not over indulge in pleasantries here.  That woman was having issues right up to the election.  The warning signs were there.  Those imbeciles in Atlantic Beach traded one corrupt mayor for this psycho they’ve got in there now.  I can’t believe there isn’t something in the town charter allowing for her removal.

Well, this makes number four for rambunctious ole Retha.  You’d think there would be some sort of ethics clause in the Atlantic Beach town charter that would warrant the removal of an elected official after being arrested four times.  Then again, what difference does it make?  The boneheads in that town will just replace her with a carbon clone.

The town of Atlantic Beach is kind of like that “this is your brain on drugs” commercial from the 80s with the eggs frying in the pan.  In honor of the wealth of reading enjoyment they provide for us all at their expense, I have decided to give Atlantic Beach their very own subcategory under Corruption.

The struggling town - which recently went through multiple elections to settle one mayor’s race, saw a town manager resign in frustration and another suspended - fired Kenneth McIver during a Thursday meeting about revising the town’s ordinances.

Town Council fired Kenneth McIver during a Waccamaw Council of Governments meeting and hired William Booker, a landowner in the town, Taylor said.

McIver was appointed to that position to fill the void left by former town manager Charles Williams. The Municipal Association of South Carolina sent Williams to the town in March 2008 after the former town manager Marcia Conner and then-Mayor Irene Armstrong were suspended for misconduct in office. Williams withdrew Dec. 1 after the council rejected his recovery plan.

The Sun News

I’m amused by how they refer to Booker as a “landowner” as if this is colonial America or feudal Europe.  Although, Atlantic Beach hasn’t progressed much past medieval times, neither economically nor politically.

Atlantic Beach again!!  My God, what is wrong with these people?

Last year at this time the previous mayor was arrested and indicted for bribery and the town manager was arrested for misconduct in office.  They had a enormous hissy about the election outcome.  The current mayor, Retha Pierce, while running for the office was arrested for reckless driving and resisting arrest.  She got elected anyway as the mayor and now this model of the community has already been arrested once for disorderly conduct since taking office and now again for sideswiping someone’s car.

Ain’t she a beauty?

To the people of Atlantic Beach, you are a bunch of dumbed down, ignorant boobs who are nothing more than lambs to your own slaughter.  You keep electing douche bag after douche bag to run your place.  It’s no wonder that place is a run down third world cesspool.  You are getting exactly what you deserve.

The state Supreme Court ordered a third iteration Monday of Atlantic Beach’s November 2007 mayoral race, cancelling a runoff scheduled for Tuesday and ordering another contest within 30 days with no write-in candidates on the ballot.

“It didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure this out,” said Councilwoman Retha Pierce.

The Sun News

That’s good because I’m pretty sure there aren’t any rocket scientists in Atlantic Beach.  In fact, you’d be hard pressed to find a junior high school graduate.

ATLANTIC BEACH, S.C. — A potential compromise to solve a financial crisis in Atlantic Beach means the town may not have to close by the end of the week.

Town Council will hold a special meeting Tuesday to consider a deal that would sell some of the town’s land for $120,000 and have North Myrtle Beach take over its policing, interim Town Manager Charles Williams told The Sun News of Myrtle Beach.

The Council refused to approve a proposal to sell the land this week, which prompted Williams to say that without more money, Atlantic Beach would have to lay off the town’s five police officers and two clerks until property tax collection began again at the end of the year.

But a day after the vote, Williams heard at least one council member might be willing to change her vote if North Myrtle Beach hires the five Atlantic Beach officers and agrees to police the city for at least a one-year trial.

The Sun News

It’s not news to me that the place is hinging on financial collapse.  That’s what happens when a town is inhabited by ignorant, uneducated, slum scum living in a welfare entitlement culture.  Raising taxes isn’t even an option because there is no income there to tax.  North Myrtle Beach ought to just annex the place and dissolve it’s current government, but would they honestly even want that headache?

Atlantic Beach town councilwoman Retha Pierce filed an appeal on Thursday against a judge’s decision to hold a new election for mayor.

The declared winner of last November’s Atlantic Beach mayor’s race, Retha Pierce, filed an appeal against a circuit court judge’s decision to hold a new election in the town’s disputed mayoral election.

Pierce beat incumbent Irene Armstrong by just one vote in last year’s election. Since then, Pierce was arrested for resisting arrest and Armstrong was indicted for misusing town money and paying for votes. Both candidates appealed the decision by the town’s election commission to hold a new election. In a hearing on March 17, both Pierce and Armstrong pleaded their sides to a circuit court.

The Morning News

It doesn’t really matter which one of these bimbos won.  Atlantic Beach lost in either scenario.  I don’t know if the Supreme Court will enforce the new election or not, but it’s quite obvious why Pierce doesn’t want another one.  She’ll lose.

I am all for the new election.  Get some completely new people on the ballot and get these two women as far as away from City Hall as possible.

ATLANTIC BEACH — The disputed mayor of this tiny beach town was indicted today, accused of bribing two voters with a total of $30 on Election Day, prosecutors said.

Mayor Irene Armstrong, 44, was indicted on two counts of misconduct in office and three counts of bribery at elections. Armstrong also bribed a voter with $20 to choose her brother, who was running for town council, prosecutor Greg Hembree said.

The Greenville News

All of this for just two lousy votes? And all for a piddly elected office in a town of 300 people? What a moron! My God lady, if you’re going to risk going to prison by bribing people for votes at least make it worthwhile. Run for the U.S. Senate or something. Run for Governor. Go all out and seek a glorious throne of real power!

Atlantic Beach town manager Marcia L. Conner also was indicted today on two counts of misconduct in office and also violating an employer’s obligation.

Conner, 50, was suspected of taking employee contributions for the police officer’s retirement fund and transferring it to the town’s general account, according to the indictment. She also was accused of transferring money from drug seizure and municipal court accounts into the town’s general fund.

I guess there was more than one pea in that pod. Learn something from this, folks. Pay attention to whom you’re handing over the reigns.

Retha Pierce, the Atlantic Beach Town Council member and mayoral hopeful who was charged with resisting arrest during a traffic stop last week, said she did not know she was expected to stay in her car after she was pulled over.

On Wednesday, Pierce said she would use the experience to push for better communication in Atlantic Beach between police and citizens so people know what they should do during a traffic stop.

“All of my life, I’ve taken every bad situation and looked for the good,” Pierce said. “I can take what happened to me and bring to light that people should become educated of the urgency of staying in the car.”

The Sun News

What a load of bullshit. And who voted for that woman? I mean, look at her! Everyone has the right to be ugly, but she’s abused the privilege

Retha Pierce Sturdivant, a candidate for Atlantic Beach mayor in the town’s disputed election, was arrested early Wednesday morning and charged with reckless driving and failing to give a proper signal.

She was booked at J. Reuben Long Detention Center at about 3 a.m. Wednesday morning and stayed overnight. She will appear in magistrate’s court this morning, jail officials said.

Pierce Sturdivant defeated incumbent Mayor Irene Armstrong by one vote in the Nov. 6 election. Armstrong said four voters who were turned away should have been allowed to vote.

On Nov. 15, the town’s election commission voted to hold another election, but that decision is being challenged by Pierce Sturdivant in court.

The Sun News

I’m sure that after this she’ll be quite passionate about not having a second election held.  Getting arrested while running for mayor is certainly a great way to get your name out there, though I’m not sure notoriety is one of the qualities your average voter is wanting in their town leadership.  Then again, New Orleans reelected Williams Jefferson to Congress so maybe I’m wrong.  This could be a badge of honor for Ms Sturdivant.