Moore of the Same

I rarely get really pissed off about politics. I generally find the fascination with how everything works overcomes any anger at their incompetentcy.

I can’t do it this time.

I graduated from the University of South Carolina in 1997. While working I attended the graduate business program and earned a masters degree in business.

During my pursuit for an MBA, Darla Moore contributed $25 million to the business school. Are you kidding me? $25 Million? What did she want? She wanted the business school to be a top school in the world. She saw the potential. It was her alma mater as well, so I understand where she was coming from.

She was appointed to the board of trustees and the business school was subsequently named the Moore School of Business.

It’s not like Ms. Moore was the first woman ever to be featured on the cover of Fortune magazine. Oh yeah...she was. She has plenty of credentials. In 2004 she pledged another $45 million to the school. She also gave $10 million to Clemson University (the bitter rival of her alma mater) in her husband’s name.

Someone as accomplished and well respected who has contributed both her money and her time to the University....how can you repay her?

Throw her off the board and put one of your buddies there.

That is apparently the opinion of Nikki Haley, governor of the state.

South Carolina State Rep. Boyd Brown - (D) Fairfield - issued a statement on Moore's ouster late Tuesday night.

"Like many South Carolinians and USC graduates, I am certainly disappointed in Governor Haley's decision to remove Darla Moore from the USC Board of Trustees, and to replace her with a campaign contributor," Brown said. "Moore has given her finances, time and energy to improve not only her alma mater, but the State of South Carolina. Not only is Governor Haley's action dumb and immature, but it certainly calls her ethics into question.”

I won’t call Nikki’s ethics into question, but her intelligence is definitely lacking. South Carolinians, you deserve better.