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Alan Wilson in the race for AG's office
11/5/2009 7:57 PM   4 comment(s) on this story E-mail this story to a friend

Running for the job as the top prosecutor in South Carolina, Alan Wilson is setting his stall as a leader, a public servant and someone with a passion for putting criminals on trial.

Wilson, son of Rep. Joe Wilson, R-S.C., has prosecuted cases from within the Attorney General's office, as a local solicitor and as part of the Judge Advocate General's office. Now he hopes his future lies in leading the office in which he once served.

"I love prosecuting, fighting hard in the courtroom," he said, speaking to the Aiken Standard on Thursday.

The husband and father of one, with a second on the way, is a veteran of the Iraq war and has logged 13 years with the South Carolina National Guard where he holds the rank of major.

Wilson energetically described the feeling of being in the courtroom and enthusiastically offered anecdotes of the feeling of prosecuting violent offenders.

"Money can't buy that feeling," he said.

Though a child of a much-discussed politician, Wilson sees the office he is seeking as a destination rather than a stepping stone.

"Attorney general doesn't just mean aspiring governor," he said. "I want to run this office, and I will never make a decision on what I want to do afterward. I am not even contemplating anything else."

Wilson said he did not mean his remark as a rebuke of South Carolina's current attorney general, gubernatorial-hopeful Henry McMaster.

Wilson had nothing but praise for his former boss and plans, if elected, to continue many of the current initiatives.

"Henry McMaster has done an excellent job," he said. "He allowed me to serve him and the state of South Carolina. I hope I can continue what he has done and bring my own management leadership style to the office."

In that office, Wilson plans to extend those under his control to be more active in the local solicitor's office in helping to shift the backlogged cases that all the counties of South Carolina seem to have.

"I want to get the assistant AGs out on the street helping Solicitor," he said. "I want to make staff available to ween out the jail, clear their dockets."

Wilson wants to work more closely with local sheriff's offices and law enforcement. His plan is to institute continued legal training for police.

"When a law enforcement officer comes out of the academy, they have been taught to be crime fighters," he said. "They are given tepid, at best, information on rules of criminal procedure. Quarterly, biannual or annual training for law enforcement on how they can effectively or efficiently handle cases. I want them to be thinking what's going to happen in court two to three years from now when this comes to trial."

In a nutshell, Wilson wants cops to think more like prosecutors, but he also wants prosecutors to think more like cops so the groups can work better together.

There are currently three vying for the Republican nomination for attorney general; the other two are Columbia lawyer Leighton Lord and former deputy Attorney General Robert Bolchoz.

Contact Mike Gellatly at mgellatly@aikenstandard.com.


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  4 comment(s) on this story

Fruit dont fall far from the tree :  11/6/2009

He is just like his big mouth daddy! The fruit dont fall far from the tree! He even look bullheaded and eager to yell out uncontrollably like he dont have any home training.

cc

:  11/6/2009

My oh my kindly remove your head from Alan's butt!! So he claims that the AG's office is not a stepping stone to enhance his political career! HMMMMMM "HE LIES".

NOT another Wilson :  11/6/2009

I have known Alan Wilson professionally since 2001. I can assure you that he is NOT "another dumb Wilson". Whether you like his father or not, Alan is his own person and will not be a pawn for any party or a slave to his own future political ambition. I know that he likes and respects Henry McMaster, but he's genuine when he says that the AG's Office is not a political stepping stone. After so many years of having Attorney Generals that were keeping the seat warm while they planned their Gubernatorial campaigns (McMaster and Condon before him), it is refreshing to have someone running for AG because he wants to be the Attorney General. Wilson will be, and has been throughout his career, an advocate for law enforcement and for JUSTICE. South Carolina needs this Wilson, and I only hope that the voters will take the time to learn about Alan, because they will be impressed with who HE is, and not because of who his father is.

:  11/5/2009

Just what the state needs another dumb Wilson.

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