| John E. Courson | |
|---|---|
 | |
| President pro tempore of the South Carolina Senate | |
| In office March 13, 2012 – June 4, 2014 | |
| Preceded by | Glenn F. McConnell |
| Succeeded by | Yancey McGill |
| Member of the South Carolina Senate from the 20th district | |
| In office December 15, 1985 – June 4, 2018 | |
| Succeeded by | Dick Harpootlian |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1944-11-21) November 21, 1944 (age 80) Columbia, South Carolina |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Elizabeth Exum |
John E. Courson (born November 21, 1944) is a former American politician. He served as a Republican member of the South Carolina Senate, representing the 20th District from 1985 to 2018. He resigned after pleading guilty to a common law misconduct charge in office.
Early life and education
John Courson was born on November 21, 1944, and graduated from the University of South Carolina in 1968.
Career
He has served as a Republican state senator for South Carolina from 1985 to 2018. In 1998, he ran for Comptroller General of South Carolina, but lost to Jim Lander.
He was elected President Pro Tempore of the South Carolina Senate on March 13, 2012, but resigned this office on June 4, 2014, to avoid becoming Lieutenant Governor, a weak position that needed to be filled for six months before a new Lieutenant Governor was elected in 2014.
Resignation
In March 2017, during the South Carolina Statehouse corruption investigation, Courson was indicted on ethics charges for mishandling campaign funds and subsequently suspended from office. He resigned June 4, 2018, after pleading guilty to such charges.
Personal life
He is married to Elizabeth Poinsett Exum, and they have three children: James Poinsett, Elizabeth Boykin, and Harris Russell. He is Episcopalian.
References
- "South Carolina Legislature Online - Member Biography".
- ^ "Richland Sen. John Courson Enters Guilty Plea, Resigns from Office". WLTX. June 4, 2018.
- Strope, Leigh (1998-11-05). "Candidates edgy waiting on tally". The Charlotte Observer. p. 68. Retrieved 2022-07-01 – via newspapers.com.
- Smith, G. N. (March 13, 2012). "Columbia senator is Senate's new top dog". The State. Archived from the original on 2019-01-23.
- "COLUMBIA, SC: Courson resigns SC Senate leadership post in spat with Lt. Gov. McConnell (Update) | the Buzz | the State". Archived from the original on 2014-07-27. Retrieved 2014-07-26.
- Monk, John (March 16, 2017). "SC state Sen. Courson indicted on misconduct allegations, vows to fight the charges". The State. Retrieved 2023-05-03.
External links
| Party political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded byDell Baker | Republican nominee for South Carolina Comptroller General 1998 |
Succeeded byRichard Eckstrom |
- Appearances on C-SPAN
- Project Vote Smart - Senator John E. Courson (SC) profile
- Follow the Money - John E. Courson
- Gaither, Tanita; Holland, Ashleigh (2018-06-04). "Suspended SC Sen. Courson enters guilty plea, resigns from office". www.wistv.com. Retrieved 2023-09-10.
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- 1944 births
- Living people
- University of South Carolina alumni
- Republican Party South Carolina state senators
- Politicians from Columbia, South Carolina
- South Carolina politicians convicted of crimes
- Members of Sons of Confederate Veterans
- 21st-century members of the South Carolina General Assembly
- South Carolina politician stubs