Claim: (Nikki) Haley (R) had "inappropriate relationship"

[Ian David]

Source: Charleston City Paper

Will Folks, South Carolina's top political blogger, is claiming this morning that he had an "inappropriate relationship" several years ago with gubernatorial candidate Nikki Haley.

Haley, a Statehouse representative, recently climbed into the lead in the GOP primary. Folks makes clear that this alleged relationship was prior to his own marriage, but he seems to suggest that it was an indiscretion on the part of Haley, who has been married for 14 years and has two children.

It is what it is, and aside from the Haley family — Michael, Nikki, Rena and Nalin — I feel no need to apologize or explain myself to anyone.

Folks claims he was forced to admit the alleged "relationship" because the news was destined to be published this week. He says he will not make any further comment about the alleged relationship.

Read more: http://www.charlestoncitypaper.com/RockBottom/archives/2010/05/24/claim-haley-had-inappropriate-relationship

---

FYI: Will Folks is a Conservative Libertarian: http://twitter.com/fitsnews


See also:

Haley Alleged to Have Had an Affair
Will Folks, a well known South Carolina political blogger, confessed to have "an inappropriate physical relationship" with gubernatorial candidate Nikki Haley (R) several years ago.

Charleston City Paper: "Haley, a Statehouse representative, recently climbed into the lead in the GOP primary. Folks makes clear that this alleged relationship was prior to his own marriage, but he seems to suggest that it was an indiscretion on the part of Haley, who has been married for 14 years and has two children."

Haley was recently endorsed by Sarah Palin as the "pro-family, pro-life" candidate.

More:
http://politicalwire.com/archives/2010/05/24/haley_alleged_to_have_had_an_affair.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=political-wire

Hat-tip to: http://twitter.com/cqpolitics/status/14624413326


Nikki Haley, her husband, and two children, one of whom looks like their dad (some people say).

[bigworld]

1. ouch, that caption's gotta hurt.

[Jack from Charlotte]

46. Her real name is......Namrata Randhawa........

sounds Muslim, to me. Probably not a real American.

Someone needs to check her birth certificate....... over and over and over......

Come on, South Carolina Republic Party.... we want to birther this person.

[marylanddem]

2. We need a picture of Folks to see how he stacks up against her spouse.

Found one through googling but couldn't paste it in. But he looks a lot younger & handsomer than the husband.

[bigworld]

3. Mister Folks

?w=468&h=300

[Ian David]

4. You JUST beat me to it...

Sic Willie Will Have to Save the Country
http://otherbrooksbrother.wordpress.com/2008/01/10/sic-willie-will-have-to-save-the-country/

The Conservative Libertarian blogger who claims to have been fucking Sarah Palin's Pro-Life, Pro-Family Candidate Nikki Haley

[bigworld]

6. She could do a lot better!

[Ian David]

12. Well, let her know. Apparently, she's sort of available. Good luck. Let us know how it goes. n/t

[muriel_volestrangler]

18. Folks isn't better, though: "Will Folks pleads guilty to criminal domestic violence"

September 28, 2005 - Former gubernatorial spokesman Will Folks has pleaded guilty to criminal domestic violence in a Columbia court.

The 31-year-old Folks was arrested in July and accused of shoving his fiancee, Ashley Smith, into furniture during a heated argument. A week after Folks was arrested, he denied accusations that he shoved her.

Folks received a 30-day suspended sentence, meaning he will avoid jail time as long as he stays out of trouble for the next six months. He also was ordered to attend anger management classes and not to contact his ex-fiance Ashley Smith.

Folks says he hopes his guilty plea shows something about his character. He says he did not want to put his ex-fiancee or her family through a trial that would have exposed private details. He previously had denied the accusations.

http://www.wistv.com/Global/story.asp?S=3911359

Slimeball.

[Ian David]

20. Sure, he's a slimeball. He's a Conservative. But at least he's getting some decent tail.

:sarcasm:

[rurallib]

8. another governor hiking the old Appalachian trail?

from the little I have read, i get the feeling this guy is an egotist.
She should confirm it or sue his ass.

Who would name their kid Nalin?

[Ian David]

11. In case you missed it, Folks is a "Conservative Libertarian."

It's not like it's Kos or Avaros claiming they were nailing her.

Although it would be funny if they were, too.

[rurallib]

15. yeah, I saw that. But from his site, I get the impression he loves Will Folks

Having a huge eo seems to be a prerequisite for a libertarian. See Paul, Rand.
He is sure a sweetheart. Puts her in a position of denying and getting into a verbal spat with Folks, ignoring which won't work and admitting which will probably bring us one of those teary "Christ has forgiven me" press conferences.

[Ian David]

17. Oh, I didn't mean to deny that.

I wonder though, when KKKatie Couric and Fox "News" say "Folks are saying," do they mean Will Folks and his family?

[DeSwiss]

50. Hikin' the Appalachian Trail. . .

Changin' my diapers. . . Having a wide stance. . . Liftin' my luggage. . . Campin' in a state park. . .

- Take your pick.....

[HillWilliam]

10. Do they ALL look just like

a dog that suddenly heard a new noise?

[pundaint]

14. heh heh heh

[The Backlash Cometh]

24. This has to serve as encouragement to all ugly men out there.

[rasputin1952]

29. WOW...

I'm no handsome goomer...but this guy is triple bag/butt ugly. She must have been attracted by that sensual "vacant stare" look...:eyes:

[alteredstate]

37. Here's another photo

[HughBeaumont]

44. Conservative women must have limbo-low standards.

"AWs Yeah, come get some'a DIS Joe Sportsbar, baybeee!"

[Lorien]

65. Well, they are self hating

otherwise they wouldn't be conservative women.

[davidinalameda]

27. I'd hit it

[senseandsensibility]

52. self deleted

I guess I really want no part of this discussion since I can't relate to any of the characters.

[Dappleganger]

It's that toxic atmosphere in the capitol of South Carolina...

must be something in the air and water up there.

:sarcasm:

[Iowa]

42. It's the cesspool of the right.

[Ian David]

5. BOMBSHELL: SC Blogger Admits AFFAIR With Palin's Pick For Governor

BOMBSHELL: SC Blogger Admits AFFAIR With Palin's Pick For Governor
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=8404117&mesg_id=8404117

[Ava83]

7. The hypocrisy

of a "pro-family" candidate at times can be mind boggling.


Unless republicans have made extra curricular activities outside of ones marriage/relationship a part of their platform. *eye roll*

[Gidney N Cloyd]

9. "Adultery is the application of democracy to love" [H.L. Mencken]

I say they go with that one. Makes it sound like a patriotic thing.

[rurallib]

16. hats off to the application of HL Menncken to the situation

very adroit!
:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[Blue_Tires]

51. the more i ponder that quote, the less sense it makes to me

lol

[SpiralHawk]

13. Republicon Family Pharisee Values

As usual.

Ptooey.

[Ian David]

19. Nikki Haley canceling interviews this morning. Blogger was former Sanford staffer.

Nikki Haley canceling interviews this morning. Blogger was former Sanford staffer. Was ANYBODY working down there? http://j.mp/byLU7Z
http://twitter.com/TeresaKopec/status/14625665595

[MineralMan]

21. Ah, another teabagger scandal.

When will it all end, then? That's what I want to know.

I did discover one interesting thing. Nikki Haley's full name is Nimrata Nikki Kaur Randhawa Haley. Now there's a mouthful for the baggers to pronounce...

The name is of Sikh origin.

[PfcHammer]

22. Where do Jesse and Tiger fit in?

[alteredstate]

23. Haley says it isn't true.....

http://www.wistv.com/Global/story.asp?S=12531179
"Haley, who is married and has two children, "emphatically" denied the claim Monday morning."

[Ava83]

28. Okay

So this one guy claims they did have a "physical relationship" Flat out admits it.

Haley states it is not true.

The blogger claims they had proof (right?) which is why he admits it.

If it is true (lets give the benefit of doubt) why would she deny something that is true and can be proven?

Or is this some type of publicity thing to get her sympathy? Is that crazy thinking on my part?

[Ian David]

30. Conservatives almost always deny everything, even when it's on tape.

"No, I never said you should pay your doctor in chickens."
"I never said I don't care that much about Osama bin Laden."
"We never said 'Drill, Baby Drill.'"
"Liberals started calling us 'teabaggers' first."

The list goes on and on and on.

[Ava83]

31. They don't they?

Maybe because I employ this little tool called common sense I cannot compute it.

But your list rocks..its not like every one of us can play cub reporter and dispute their claims.

[Ava83]

36. I meant..They do don't they

funny how that one little word can change the meaning of something..Sorry

[Ian David]

25. Nikki Haley: Blogger Affair Denial

COLUMBIA, S.C. — A political blogger claimed Monday that he had an affair several years ago with a married Republican vying to become the state's first female governor.

The candidate, Rep. Nikki Haley, vehemently denied the allegation, made in a post on blogger Will Folks' website that contained no proof of a relationship. Haley called the claim a "disgraceful smear" planted to derail her campaign, which has gained steam from high-powered endorsements, including one from former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.

"I have been 100 percent faithful to my husband throughout our 13 years of marriage. This claim against me is categorically and totally false," Haley, a 38-year-old mother of two, said in a statement. "It is quite simply South Carolina politics at its worst."

The allegation comes nearly a year after Gov. Mark Sanford famously vanished from the state for five days, reappearing to admit to an affair with a woman he later called his "soul mate." The scandal ended Sanford's marriage and led to calls for his resignation. He is term-limited and leaves office in January; in years past he had backed Haley's political aspirations, and his ex-wife campaigned with her earlier this month.

<snip>

Folks, a former Sanford spokesman, is a political consultant who now runs FITSNews.com, a conservative site that features occasionally insightful commentary, thinly sourced stories of state political intrigue and photos of women in bikinis. It refers to him as "Sic Willie," sports the tag line "Unfair. Imbalanced," and often promotes Haley's campaign.

More:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/05/24/nikki-haley-blogger-affai_n_587156.html?ref=twitter

[davidinalameda]

26. does the daugther look like she just stepped out of the Children of the Corn movie

or is it just me

[brendan120678]

40. Not very nice criticizing a politicians kid, IMO...

Especially one who looks to be no more than 10 or 11.
I happen to think that they have very nice looking children.
Lucky for them they appear to both have gotten most of their mother's genes.

[Ian David]

32. She seems to have a thing for baldies. Here's another photo of Will Folks..

http://www.wistv.com/Global/story.asp?S=12531179

[Ian David]

33. Blogger, fmr. Sanford aide claims past affair with Nikki Haley

Blogger, fmr. Sanford aide claims past affair with Nikki Haley

<snip>

About an hour after Folks announced their alleged relationship, Rep. Haley canceled an interview with WIS News 10 that had been previously scheduled for Monday morning and had been confirmed by the campaign shortly before the FITSNews page went live.

Haley recently rocketed to the front of the polls in the Republican race for governor after being publicly endorsed by Republican icon Sarah Palin and former first lady Jenny Sanford. Ms. Sanford, who divorced her husband after the governor announced an extramarital affair of his own, has not commented on the news of Haley's alleged affair.

<snip>

The Columbia Free Times has "been investigating a story involving an alleged affair between Haley and Folks for several weeks," and on Monday cited an unnamed source who claimed Folks privately admitted the affair in 2009. "Furthermore, the source ... says former Haley staffer B.J. Boling told him Haley had confided in him about the affair around the time Boling was working on her House reelection campaign in 2008," the Free Times reported.

Haley and the other candidates for governor recently participated in a debate sponsored by the Palmetto Family Council where they spoke about being maritally faithful while serving in politics. "You are being held to a higher standard and so you have much more service you have to give and you're a role model to everybody that follows you," Haley said during the debate.

More:
http://www.wistv.com/Global/story.asp?S=12531179

[Ian David]

34. Former Sanford staffer/blogger had affair with GOP governor candidate in SC

Monday, May 24, 2010
Former Sanford staffer/blogger had affair with GOP governor candidate in SC
by John Aravosis (DC) on 5/24/2010 11:19:00 AM

A rather juicy story. Outgoing governor had an affair, wife divorces him. Former wife now supports new GOP gubernatorial candidate, who we now know also had an affair - with a staffer of the adulterous governor - and who distanced herself from the governor because of HIS affair. Oh, and it even involves Sarah Palin too!

More:
http://www.americablog.com/2010/05/former-sanford-stafferblogger-had.html

[EXneoCON]

35. Once again....

....my adopted State does me proud! :sarcasm:

[Ian David]

38. Palin's goofy supporters think the Haley blogger is a lefty. HE WORKED FOR HER CAMPAIGN, IDIOTS.

Palin's goofy supporters think the Haley blogger is a lefty. http://bit.ly/a7G0rU HE WORKED FOR HER CAMPAIGN, IDIOTS. http://politi.co/d3PMOv
http://twitter.com/TeresaKopec/status/14638259914

See also:

May 24, 2010
Haley accuser was on payroll

The South Carolina blogger and former Sanford spokesman whose claim to have had an affair with gubernatorial candidate Nikki Haley is roiling the state's politics was on her campaign's payroll in 2008.

State ethics filings available online indicate that Haley's campaign for State Senate paid Will Folks's company, Viewpolitik, a bit more than $1,100 in consulting fees for the months of January and February of that year, along with a reimbursement of $173.50.

Folks has for years been a booster of Haley, though she suggested in a statement today that he had fabricated the claim to damage her politically. South Carolina Republicans said he's paid by a number of Republican candidates, though often listed as a subcontractor because he is a controversial figure.

More:
http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0510/Haley_accuser_was_on_payroll.html?showall


Nikki Haley in Opposition’s Crosshairs: a Good Sign for Nikki and South Carolina!
Today at 10:55am

Well, whaddya know? South Carolina’s conservative candidate, Nikki Haley, recently zipped to the front of the line in her state’s race for governor; and lo and behold, now accusations of an affair surface.

Nikki categorically denies the accusation that was spewed out there by a political blogger who has the gall to throw the stone, but then quickly duck and hide and proclaim he would not comment further on the issue. Quite convenient.

When Nikki and I held her endorsement rally on the steps of the beautiful and historic South Carolina state house last month, I warned her and her family that she would be targeted because she’s a threat to a corrupt political machine, and she would be put through some hell. That, unfortunately, is the nature of the beast in politics today – especially for conservative “underdog” candidates who surge in the polls and threaten to shake things up so government can be put back on the side of the people.

South Carolina: don’t let some blogger make any accusation against your Nikki if the guy doesn’t even have the guts or the integrity to speak further on such a significant claim. And don’t believe anything a liberal rag claims or suggests unless the reporter involved has the integrity and the facts to report to you so you can make up your own mind. For traditional media to rely on an accusation via some blog entry is almost laughable, but I know the seriousness of it because that’s exactly what my family and colleagues have had to put up with, every single day, for the past couple of years.

More:
http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=392492378434

[alteredstate]

39. This Just In by Free-Times Writers Source: Folks Admitted to Haley Affair a Year Ago

http://www.free-times.com/index.php?cat=1992209084141467&act=post&pid=11862405103707328


"Former Sanford spokesman and FITSNews blogger Will Folks privately admitted a year ago to having a brief extramarital affair with GOP gubernatorial contender S.C. Rep. Nikki Haley, according to a Palmetto State Republican political operative.

Amid longstanding questions at the State House about the alleged affair, a source told Free Times several weeks ago that Folks, a former spokesman for Gov. Mark Sanford, called him in 2009 and admitted it was true.".........

"Free Times has been investigating a story involving an alleged affair between Haley and Folks for several weeks and spoke with Folks about it May 14.

“I am told that at least one story based upon this information will be published this week,” Folks wrote on May 24.

Haley was married at the time of the alleged affair; Folks says he got married in June of that year.

Haley’s husband, Michael, works as a technician for the South Carolina National Guard and serves as an officer in the Army National Guard. They married in 1996 and have two children.

The source tells Free Times that on June 26, 2009, Folks called him, near tears, admitting that he’d had an affair with Haley and urging him not to tell members of the media about it."

[alteredstate]

41. Palin defends Haley!

http://www.facebook.com/notes/sarah-palin/nikki-haley-in-oppositions-crosshairs-a-good-sign-for-nikki-and-south-carolina/392492378434

[truthisfreedom]

43. If she still has aspirations to be President she might want to have her handlers monitor her online

language. I.e. "lamestream media". Not exactly Presidential.

[alteredstate]

45. No shit

:)

[Ian David]

48. Palin seems like a satirical character from Landover Baptist. n/t

[No Elephants]

62. Can she afford that steep a pay cut?

[Ian David]

47. Clearing the air (More on the SC Governors Political Drama

Clearing the air (More on the SC Governors Political Drama
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=8413744&mesg_id=8413744

[alteredstate]

49. Pollster: Haley likely to make runoff despite affair rumor

http://www.thestate.com/2010/05/25/1302101/second-poll-affirms-haleys-lead.html

"A new poll taken over the weekend shows Republican gubernatorial candidate Nikki Haley with twice the support of her closest competitor in the four-way primary.

However, the poll was taken over the weekend before an allegation on Monday that a political blogger had an "inappropriate physical relationship" with Haley in 2007. Haley, who is married, has denied any relationship.

The poll by Public Policy Polling, an automated telephone survey of 638 likely Republican primary voters, showed Haley with 39 percent support among those polled. Attorney General Henry McMaster was second at 18 percent, while U.S. Rep. Gresham Barrett had 16 percent and Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer had 13 percent. Fourteen percent of voters were still undecided.

A Rasmussen Reports poll last week showed Haley with an 11 percentage-point lead over her nearest rival, McMaster.

Dean Debnam, president of Public Policy Polling, said Haley is likely to make a runoff even with Monday's news....."

http://www.thestate.com/2010/05/25/1302101/second-poll-affirms-haleys-lead.html#ixzz0oz65qBjU

[alteredstate]

53. Folks has posted some text messages on his blog....

http://www.fitsnews.com/2010/05/26/haley-gate-the-storm-before-the-storm/

[Ian David]

54. Purported Haley-Gate Text: 'Your The One Who SCREWED Her'

Purported Haley-Gate Text: 'Your The One Who SCREWED Her'
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=8421345&mesg_id=8421345

[CanonRay]

55. What else is there to do in South Carolina?

[Ian David]

56. Digital paper trail offers clues in alleged kiss-and-blog political scandal

Digital paper trail offers clues in alleged kiss-and-blog political scandal

<snip>

Blogger and political consultant Will Folks, who claims to have had an "inappropriate physical relationship" with Tea Party backed candidate Nikki Haley, released a raft of damning text messages showing that he collaborated for weeks with Haley's campaign manager to quash the impending revelation of the affair before preemptively confessing to it on his web site Monday. Haley has categorically denied that she had any relationship with Folks, but the text messages—while they don't contain any direct evidence of an affair—certainly don't show Haley's campaign manager Tim Pearson disputing the charge.

The messages show that Pearson and Folks worked together to shut down press speculation about the rumored affair earlier this month after Folks received inquiries about it from reporters for the Columbia Free Times and the Associated Press. Both men accused Wes Donahue, another South Carolina blogger and supporter of one of Haley's primary rivals, of spreading the rumor.

<snip>

The texts also show that Haley herself called Folks on May 17, as rumors were swirling, and refer to claims that pictures exist: "Nikki knows about the picture from last year," Folks wrote to Pearson. "Bottom line I don't know that they don't have it. That threat has been made." (This 2007 photograph, of Folks with Haley and Gov. Mark Sanford, has already emerged.)


It’s a framed photo of Mark Sanford, Nikki Haley and Sic Willie following a fundraiser for Haley back in 2007.
http://www.fitsnews.com/2010/05/25/memories-of-the-way-they-were-2

<snip>

Folks—who originally pledged that his confession would be his final comment on the matter—appears to be delighting in the drip-drip nature of the unfolding story. FITSNews has followed up with no less than nine posts on the drama in the past two days, including one virtually daring Haley to sue Folks for libel and another laying out the steps Folks has taken to secure the e-mail, phone, and text message communications he's had with Haley. And he's repeatedly threatened to divulge more evidence. Given today's disclosure, that looks increasingly likely.

More:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ynews/20100526/pl_ynews/ynews_pl2264

[Ian David]

57. Report: Blogger Claiming Affair Has Years Of Text Messages With SC Gov Candidate

Report: Blogger Claiming Affair Has Years Of Text Messages With SC Gov Candidate
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x8424711

[Ian David]

58. Witnesses, Evidence Mounting Against Haley

Witnesses, Evidence Mounting Against Haley
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=433x316157

[jobwithout]

59. Who cares who she is screwing

Its none of our business!!

[Dappleganger]

60. It is if she's a hypocrite.

[Democat]

61. Palin has made it everyone's business!

By saying that this blogger is lying, Sarah Palin has made this a valid national news story.

[cbdo2007]

63. You prefer your politicians be liars?

If she's willing to lie to her husband and kids she'll throw her constituents under the bus in about 3 seconds.

[Lorien]

64. I thought that was Nia Vardalos

[harry_pothead]

66. Here's the deal: Your sexual choices are judged to the same extent as you judge those of others.

Live and let live, nonjudgmental kind of person who sleeps around? More power to you.
Religious right asshole who wants to be moral arbiter and dictate to everyone who to live their lives, and who sleeps around? You should be publicly lashed.