FLORENCE — Florence Mayor Stephen J. Wukela said the matter of Florence City Councilman Ed Robinson’s most recent arrest should be referred to the state Attorney General’s office for prosecution.
Robinson, 62, was stopped by a S.C. Highway Patrol trooper about 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at the intersection of Church and Lucas streets, just outside Florence city limits, S.C. Highway Patrol Lance Cpl. Sonny Collins told WBTW News13 on Tuesday. It’s not clear what prompted the traffic stop.
Robinson, of 804 Kershaw St., was arrested and charged with driving under suspension-second offense, Florence County Detention Center booking reports show. He was released from the jail in Effingham about 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, but wasn’t present for city council’s budget work session at 4 p.m. Wednesday and could not be reached for comment.
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Wukela said he was dismayed to hear of Robinson’s latest arrest.
“Well of course I was disappointed, but you must remember I’m a lawyer and I’m very serious about the presumption of innocence,” Wukela said.
“Well I can’t speak for other city leaders but I said during the campaign that one of my main concerns about this kind of activity in the past, is the appearance of impropriety,” he said “... and that in my opinion these types of matters should be referred to the Attorney General's office for prosecution, and I stand by that in this case.”
In March 2008, Robinson was charged with driving under suspension, failing to surrender his driver’s license and disregarding a traffic device. He also was charged in January 2007 with driving under suspension and carrying a suspended vehicle license.
In October 2005, Robinson was charged with hindering Florence police officers who had pulled over a teenager. He pleaded no contest to the charge and paid a $468 fine.
Robinson was charged with and later acquitted by a jury of simple assault (no battery) against Florence resident Murray Jordan following a September 2004 incident during a Florence City Council meeting.
If Robinson does not resign or take a leave from office, Gov. Mark Sanford or voters would have to remove him — not council, Wukela said. According to the state’s constitution, the governor can suspend any public official indicted for high-level crimes.
“Absent a felony or a crime of moral turpitude, the city council is somewhat constrained in its powers in the removal of a councilman from office,” the mayor said. “There’s certainly a political avenue for that, and that was the impetus of my campaign ... the political move for change and the power of the voter at the ballot box to bring change ...to bring new openness, to bring new credibility into office, by virtue of that change.
“That’s what I encouraged when I was campaigning and I certainly would encourage that now.”
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