Political Blogger Alleges Affair with SC Gubernatorial Candidate Nikki Haley (UPDATE)
And thus begins this week’s edition of Election Year Infidelity Scandal. Will Folks, the founding editor of the conservative blog FITSNews has written a post, this morning, alleging to have had affair with Rep. Nikki Haley, one of the candidates for the Republican gubernatorial nomination in South Carolina. According to Folks’ post, the affair happened “several years ago,” so presumably after Haley married her husband in 1996.
From Folks’ post:
“In recent weeks, however, a group of political operatives has attempted to do just that. In fact, on a very personal level I have become the primary target of a group that will apparently stop at nothing to destroy the one S.C. gubernatorial candidate who, in my opinion, would most consistently advance the ideals I believe in. For those of you unfamiliar with the editorial bent of this website, the candidate I am referring to is S.C. Rep. Nikki Haley.
This network of operatives has made it abundantly clear that in the process of “taking down” Rep. Haley, they will also stop at nothing to humiliate me, destroy my family and take a sizable chunk out of the credibility this website has managed to amass for itself. Such is the blood sport of S.C. politics, I suppose – particularly in the wake of the scandal that consumed my former boss, Gov. Mark Sanford.
Specifically, within the last forty-eight hours several pieces of information which purportedly document a prior physical relationship between myself and Rep. Haley have begun to be leaked slowly, piece by piece, to members of the mainstream media. I am told that at least one story based upon this information will be published this week. Watching all of this unfold, I have become convinced that the gradual release of this information is deliberately designed to advance this story in the press while simultaneously forcing either evasive answers or denials on my part or on Nikki’s part.
I refuse to play that game. I refuse to have someone hold the political equivalent of a switch-blade in front of my face and just sit there and watch as they cut me to pieces.
The truth in this case is what it is. Several years ago, prior to my marriage, I had an inappropriate physical relationship with Nikki.”
It will be interesting to see if Folks’ attempts to head off the scandal by beating Haley’s enemies to the punch will have any positive affect. He does make it clear in his post that he still believes that Haley is the best nominee for the governor of South Carolina. However, there has not yet been a statement from the Haley camp and it is unclear if she will remain in the race following the allegations.
Just a week and a half ago, Haley was endorsed by Sarah Palin who posted this quote on her Facebook page:
“Nikki is a strong pro-life, pro-Second Amendment fiscal conservative who served with distinction as a state lawmaker, a reformer who fought her own party to protect the interests of the taxpayer, a proud daughter of immigrants who worked night and day to achieve the American dream, a wife of an officer in the Army National Guard, a board member at her family’s Methodist church, and – most proudly – the loving mother of two beautiful kids.”
This scandal breaks only six days after the news of Rep. Mark Souder’s affair with a part-time staffer. If another one breaks next week, then it’ll be clear that the Politician Infidelity Variety Hour (an even better name than Election Year Infidelity Scandal) is the big hit of the summer. Good thing too, since we all need something to entertain us now that Lost is done.
UPDATE:
Haley has denied the allegations entirely. The Washington Post has published this quote from her:
“I have been 100 percent faithful to my husband throughout our 13 years of marriage,” Haley said in a statement released to a local television station. “This claim against me is categorically and totally false.”
She alleges a political motivation behind the “smear.” It will be interesting to see if the “network of operatives” that Folks mentioned in his original post now come forward with further evidence. If Folks is a supporter of Haley, as he claims, we can assume he would only come forward with his admission if proof of the affair was inevitable. If nothing else appears than it is possible that Folks himself was behind a deceitful attack on the representative. Only time will tell and we will publish new information as it becomes available.
