SC Senate Votes to Remove Treasurer Curtis Loftis Over $1.8 Billion Accounting Error
COLUMBIA, S.C. — On Monday, April 21, 2025, the South Carolina Senate voted 33–8 to remove State Treasurer Curtis Loftis from office, citing a $1.8 billion accounting error that remained unreported for years. If successful, this would be the first time in South Carolina’s 235-year history that a statewide elected official is removed through this constitutional process.
The Accounting Error
The controversy centers on a decade-old discrepancy uncovered during a transition between accounting systems. As the state shifted from its legacy system to the South Carolina Enterprise Information System (SCEIS), unbalanced entries accumulated in a special account, eventually totaling $1.8 billion. Forensic accountants later determined that this sum was not actual cash but rather an accumulation of accounting errors.
Senators accused Treasurer Loftis of willful neglect of duty, asserting that he failed to report the error to lawmakers and obstructed subsequent investigations. Loftis, who has served since 2010, defended himself by stating that no funds were missing and that the errors did not originate in his office. He characterized the Senate’s actions as a politically motivated “witch hunt” and expressed his intention to continue serving.
Local Senators’ Votes
Senators representing York and Lancaster counties cast their votes as follows:
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Wes Climer (District 15, York County): Voted No
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Everett Stubbs (District 17, Lancaster County): Voted Yes
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Harvey Peeler (District 14, representing parts of Cherokee and York counties): Voted Yes
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Michael Johnson (District 16, York and Lancaster counties): Excused Absence
Next Steps
The matter now advances to the South Carolina House of Representatives, which must also approve the removal by a two-thirds majority vote. If the House concurs, Loftis will be officially removed from office. This process, known as “removal on address,” is a constitutional mechanism that has never before been completed in South Carolina.
