MONCKS CORNER, S.C.–State Rep. Edward Southard of Moncks Corner resigned from the House on Wednesday. The move comes not long after learning that a sexual harassment allegation involving a female Statehouse page had been filed against him.
His lawyers, Bakari Sellers and J. Preston Strom, Jr., released the lawmaker’s resignation to the media:
“After much deliberation, I submitted my resignation to the S.C. House of Representatives today. Although it was an extremely difficult decision, I felt this decision was necessary to protect my family, my honor, and the integrity of the esteemed South Carolina House of Representatives.
As my record will attest, I have a strong desire for public service. I will remain dedicated to public service and continue to find ways to help South Carolina progress in the future.”
Southard, a local businessman, is said to have made this decision at the advice of his attorneys.
He had been serving in the House since September 2011, representing District 100, which encompasses parts of Moncks Corner, Summerville and Ladson.
In an interview with The Post & Courier, Southard stated that the incident stemmed from him asking a female page to help him create a PowerPoint presentation on his Statehouse laptop computer, saying he was not technology-savvy.
“It just beats the hell out of me that things can be alleged and not verified,” he told the paper.
This is apparently not the first time he’s been accused of questionable conduct in office. In March of this year, the Moncks Corner Police Department filed an incident report after woman accused him of making her feel “very uncomfortable” while doing business at Hill Tire Co.
The report claims Southard even followed the woman in his blue pickup truck after she left the business.
Southard reportedly told police it was all a misunderstanding, and no charges were filed.
