Update: Roll Call reports he’s dropped out of the race.
South Carolina state Rep. Thad Viers, who’s running for a seat in Congress and was named a one of the National Republican Campaign Committee’s “On The Radar” candidates, was arrested on Friday for allegedly harassing a 28-year-old woman who broke off her relationship with him in July.
Viers previously pleaded “no contest” and was fined $500 for harassing his ex-wife’s boyfriend with threatening and graphic answering machine messages in 2006, according to The Sun News. This time around, Viers allegedly called, texted, emailed and appeared at the victim’s home and work repeatedly.
The woman apparently was reluctant to press charges against Viers “because she didn’t want to injure the offender’s reputation and career if the information was made public,” according to a police report cited by the newspaper.
An officer spoke with Viers near the woman’s home on Dec. 16 and told him to stop contacting the woman, but Viers subsequently emailed her on Dec. 22 and borrowed a friend’s phone to text her on New Year’s Eve.
The report states that the filing features several documents that show that she asked Viers to stop contacting her on multiple occasions.
He’s currently awaiting a bond hearing in Myrtle Beach Jail.
“When the NRCC Finance Chairman is facing a criminal investigation for a campaign finance scheme, it should come as no surprise that NRCC Young Gun program candidates are being arrested too,” a Democratic operative told TPM.
