Area native in stimulus lawsuit fight
Justin Williams graduated from the University of South Carolina in 2006, serving as Student Body president his senior year.
He spent the next 15 months working in pharmaceutical sales in Atlanta before returning to USC to attend law school and has completed his second year.
"In my heart, I'm still a country boy from Wagener," Williams said in a telephone interview Sunday. "I grew up with the people there ... and that allows me to see the world through their eyes. If no one is standing up for them, they need someone representing their issues."
That's one of the reasons why Williams has joined a highly-publicized lawsuit that, if successful, would force the state to accept about $700 million in federal stabilization funds to offset cuts to K-12 and higher education and to law enforcement.
Williams' parents, Shorn and Judy Williams, still live in Wagener.
Gov. Mark Sanford has refused to use the funds for that purpose, arguing that the money should be used to alleviate state debt requirements. Sanford wanted other cuts in the state budget to pay for education, but the S.C. General Assembly approved a budget that includes the stabilization funds.
Sanford is seeking a ruling to have a total of three lawsuits on the issue heard in federal court instead of state court.
U.S. District Court Judge Joe Anderson could issue a ruling on Sanford's request today.
Williams has seen the impact of state cuts directly at the law school. He's a member of the mock trial team, and he doesn't think travel funds will be available during the next term for competitions against other universities. Adjunct professors also won't be rehired. While they didn't teach the required core courses, Williams said, they did provide practical courses related to insurance, the legislative process and workers' compensation. Such courses add to the law school experience, he said.
He's also concerned about K-12 education, where the budget cuts are impacting Wagener schools and those throughout the Aiken County School District and the state. The loss of the stabilization funds would also hurt law enforcement and prisons, which could see inmates released early.
Sanford's stance is one of principle, said Williams. In his desire to see some funds used to retire debt, the governor might actually be right in terms of economic theory, Williams said.
"But in practice," he said, "in a state where the educational system is already suffering, it doesn't make sense to pay down debt. We have public universities and schools that are struggling, as well as law enforcement. This money was sent to the state for the clear purpose of helping them get through the slump right now."
The governor is entitled to his opinion, said Williams, but that opinion is going to have a negative impact on the state.
"I don't understand how he could just say he would rather send it (the stabilization money) back," Williams said. "That's what's going to happen if we don't take it."
The lawsuit was originally filed with only Chapin High School student Casey Edwards as a plaintiff. Williams heard about it and decided to research the positions of Sanford and others objecting to his stance before getting involved. Then the suit was dismissed as "premature."
Earlier this month, Williams talked with lawyers involved in the case and confirmed his interest in becoming part of the renewed legal action. Columbia attorney Dwight Drake said Edwards will graduate from high school June 6 and may no longer have standing in the lawsuit.
"It's helpful to have another plaintiff," Drake said. "He's a rising third-year law student, and the universities are impacted by this funding situation as much as the public schools."
Williams won't predict what will happen with the lawsuits. Just because the facts may appear to favor one side doesn't necessarily assure a favorable outcome.
"I'm honored to have this opportunity to do what I feel is right for the citizens of the state," he said. "Standing on the sidelines would not be a good feeling for me. We have a possibility to get these funds drawn down. But I wish the governor had signed the legislation to get the money drawn before. Then we wouldn't have to be here."
Like other career fields, the legal profession is not immune to the slumping economy. Williams is interested in employment and labor law and is hopeful that some prospective positions will emerge next year.
"I've been blessed with a lot of opportunities, and my family has always been supportive," he said. "I'm proud to be from a place like Wagener, which has given me the perspective to use good judgment in life."
Contact Rob Novit at rnovit@aikenstandard.com.