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Knotts denies meddling in DHEC |
State Sen. Jake Knotts says he complained to South Carolina’s environmental protection agency about “unprofessional” conduct by one of its criminal investigators.But the Lexington County Republican said he didn’t tell anyone to drop a criminal probe the investigator was conducting.In a federal lawsuit, the former agent, Christopher D. Phillips, claims he was stripped of his duties and assigned to another position after “one or more state elected officials” complained in 2007 about a toxic waste dumping investigation of their “friends.” The suit said the complaint chilled the probe.The suit does not identify any elected official, and Phillips and his lawyer, Lewis Cromer of Columbia, declined to reveal names.Other state senators and representatives from Lexington County say they did not complain about Phillips’ criminal investigation near Swansea. But Knotts said he did forward complaints from residents about Phillips to the Department of Health and Environmental Control.
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