Duncan speaks to First Monday

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Expecting indictment for Hillary

Congressman Jeff Duncan was in town this week, and he spoke to The First Monday Club. He offered his views on a number of topics, but his most startling revelation concerned the possible Democratic candidate for President.

“From what I am hearing, and what I know, I don’t expect Hillary Clinton to make it to the Democratic Convention without being indicted,” he told a capacity crowd. Clinton continues to be under investigation by the FBI for her handling of classified materials contained in e-mails which she stored on a non-secure server.

Duncan also seems to be prepared for, if not resigned to, a Donald Trump nomination by the Republicans. “The idea of a brokered convention is not the end of the world. But if a third party, like Paul Ryan, is forced on the convention, I have no idea what the impact on the Republican Party would be.”

“The fact is that people are liking what Trump is saying. Maybe we should start listening,and working some of his ideas into our own plans. Like him or not, his message is resonating with a lot of people. We should shut up and listen. I mean what is Congress’s approval rating right now, twelve per cent or so?”

The Congressman, who faces opposition in his re-election race this year, raised the issue of Puerto Rico’s recent decision to file bankruptcy rather than try to resolve its debt problems. “They want the cowboy with the white hat – that’s the Congress – to ride in and save them. One problem I have with this is that a lot of language from the federal bankruptcy law, specifically chapter nine, has been copied and pasted verbatim into the pending agreement with Puerto Rico. I am concerned that if this language is retained, and Puerto Rico is allowed to declare bankruptcy, somewhere down the road, states may do the same. Right now, that is not an option for a state. That is a slippery slope we need to avoid in my opinion.”

Duncan also explained that he has introduced a resolution in the House of Representatives that would give the Speaker of the House legal standing in federal court to seek a stay or an injunction against President Obama’s proposed moving of terrorists from Guantanamo Bay to federal facilities on the mainland, including the Charleston Naval Brig.”Actually, it has been illegal for the president to make such transfers since 2009.The support for that prohibition has been bipartisan and steady. “

He also touted Governor Nikki Haley’s outspoken opposition to the proposal. “The Governor recently spoke before a Congressional committee and was stalwart and articulate in her opposition. She has done a very credible job of addressing this issue. And I agree fully with her. To turn our state into a dumping ground for some of the world’s worst terrorists is absurd.”

On a related issue, he expressed his preference for establishing safe zones and no fly zones for Syrian refugees in their own country and in western Iraq, instead of bringing them to the United States.”Sooner or later, this civil war will end, and it would be much better to have those refugees close by to begin rebuilding their country. Once they get here, the chances of them returning to Syria are pretty slim.”

He expressed disappointment that South Carolina’s offshore waters were not included in the Energy Department’s five year exploratory plan. “That means there will be no investment into exploration in our state for several years at least”. He stressed that offshore drilling would create thousands of jobs both offshore and onshore. “It would be an enormous economic boon for South Carolina.”

He slid smoothly from that point to his basic campaign message. It includes jobs, energy, and the founding fathers. The jobs and energy elements are self explanatory, while the Founding Fathers reference is to a return to smaller, less intrusive government with less regulation and greater freedom. “ Jobs, energy and founding fathers. That comes down to JEFF, and that’s me. I am asking for your support in this Congressional race.”