Ted Vick

Ted Vick (born November 14, 1972) is an American politician and a member of the Democratic Party. He served in the South Carolina House of Representatives from 2005 to 2014.

Ted Martin Vick
Member of the South Carolina House of Representatives
from the 53rd district
In office
January 3, 2005 – November 2014
Preceded byMary Beth Freeman
Succeeded byRichie Yow
Personal details
Born (1972-11-14) November 14, 1972
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse(s)Melissa
Professionbusinessman

Early life, education, and early career

Vick was born in 1972 in Cheraw, South Carolina to Julian Ted and Jan Sellers Vick. He got a B.S. from The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina in 1995 and a Masters from the University of South Carolina in 1997. Since 1990, he has been a Major in the South Carolina National Guard.

Vick is a member of the American Legion Post 74, Lower Macedonia Baptist Church, Phi Kappa Phi Society, and Sandhills Citadel Club. In recent years, he has owned a few companies such as V&B Properties, MTV Properties, and Ted Vick Motor Company.[1]

South Carolina House of Representatives

Elections

In 2004, Vick ran for the South Carolina House of Representatives in the Chesterfield County based-53rd House District. James Sweeney and Vick both qualified for the run-off election as no candidate got 50% of the vote in the Democratic primary. Sweeney got 36% and Vick got 35%.[2] Vick defeated Sweeney in the run-off 54%-46%.[3] He won the general election unopposed.[4] He won re-election in 2006, 2008, and 2010 without any opposition.[5]

Tenure

In 2005, he was named Legislator of the Year by CIADA. Between 2006 and 2008, he was the Democratic House Whip. He is the Chairman of South Carolina Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus.[6] He has called himself a "pro-life Baptist" who also supports gun rights. After U.S. Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords was shot in January 2011, he sponsored an unsuccessful bill that would have allowed state lawmakers with concealed weapons permits to carry a handgun inside of the Statehouse.[7]

After 8 years as a member of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), Vick resigned from the organization.[8]

Committee assignments
  • Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs (Secretary)
  • Interstate Cooperation (Chairman)
    • Subcommittee on Wildlife (Chairman)

2012 congressional election

In November 2011, he announced he would run in the newly created South Carolina's 7th congressional district.[9] The Blue Dog Coalition endorsed him.[10]

Arrest

Vick was arrested May 14, 2012 after a state Bureau of Protective Services officer saw him stumbling in the State House parking garage before getting into his truck and running into a traffic cone.

That case was delayed in October after a judge ruled attorneys from the state Department of Public Safety had no authority to prosecute the case. Public Safety plans to appeal the ruling.

About 11 pm on the night of May 14, 2012, Vick was arrested in Columbia, SC by the Bureau of Protective Services on the Statehouse grounds and was charged with driving under the influence (DUI), speeding, and carrying a handgun without a permit. An officer saw Vick stumbling as he walked into a parking garage located in the Statehouse grounds in Columbia. Vick got into his car and hit a cone before the officer could catch up and ask him to stop. Vick smelled of alcohol but refused to take a breathalyzer test. Columbia Police Department officials indicated that Vick had been at a local bar prior to his arrest. A 21-year-old female USC student was in the car with Vick.[11][12][13][14][15]

On May 16, Vick's attorney J. Todd Rutherford, who is also a state representative said that Vick had a pebble in his shoe and that is why he was walking funny. Vicks attorney went on to say that there are too many inconsistencies in the officer statement in regards to how the parking garage was laid out and to what the officer said what happened and also that the cone Vick is accused of hitting "Has a lot of black marks on it because people hit it all the time." Rutherford says that he can produce several people who can testify that Vick was perfectly sober when he left the restaurant.[16]

The charges were eventually dropped.[17]

Aftermath

Vick dropped out of the race after his arrest.[18] However his name still appeared on the June Democratic ballot. Gloria Bromell Tinubu ended up winning the nomination, but lost the November general election to Republican Tom Rice.

Personal life

Vick lives in the City of Chesterfield, South Carolina with his wife Melissa and their twin daughters Willow and Laurel.

References
  1. "Representative Ted Vick - Biography - Project Vote Smart". Votesmart.org. 1972-11-14. Retrieved 2012-05-25.
  2. "SC State House 053 - D Primary Race - Jun 08, 2004". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 2012-05-25.
  3. "SC State House 053 - D Primary Runoff Race - Jun 22, 2004". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 2012-05-25.
  4. "SC State House 053 Race - Nov 02, 2004". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 2012-05-25.
  5. "Candidate - Ted Martin Vick". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 2012-05-25.
  6. "South Carolina Legislature Mobile". Scstatehouse.gov. Retrieved 2012-05-25.
  7. "Democratic legislator announces run for Congress". Southcarolinaradionetwork.com. 2011-11-04. Retrieved 2012-05-25.
  8. http://topics.dallasnews.com/article/07Zd4yGe89bjN
  9. Press Release. "Vick announces candidacy for 7th District Congressional seat". SCNOW. Archived from the original on 2012-04-15. Retrieved 2012-05-25.
  10. Joseph, Cameron (2011-12-14). "Blue Dog PAC backs five challengers - The Hill's Ballot Box". Thehill.com. Retrieved 2012-05-25.
  11. Turnage, Jeremy (2012-05-21). "Vick statement: "Politics will have to wait" - wistv.com - Columbia, South Carolina |". wistv.com. Retrieved 2012-05-25.
  12. Kinnard, Meg (15 May 2013). "SC state Rep. Ted Vick arrested again for DUI". The Sun News. Retrieved 15 May 2013.
  13. "SC Rep. Ted Vick arrested for second DUI". Carolina Live WPDE. Retrieved 15 May 2013.
  14. "SC lawmaker Ted Vick seen stumbling in statehouse parking lot, arrested for 2nd DUI". WBTW. Retrieved 15 May 2013.
  15. "Lawmaker Ted Vick arrested for second DUI". WMBF-TV. Archived from the original on 18 July 2013. Retrieved 15 May 2013.
  16. "Vick's lawyer blames pebble in shoe for "stumbling" through State House grounds". WMBF-TV. Archived from the original on 18 July 2013. Retrieved 16 May 2013.
  17. http://www.thestate.com | DUI charge against SC legislator Ted Vick tossed on a technicality By ANDREW SHAIN | OCTOBER 29, 2014
  18. http://www.wbtw.com/story/21023126/rep-ted-vick-drops-out-of-7th-congressional-race
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