MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WBTW) – Dick Withington, Horry County Council District 4 and South Carolina State Senate District 34 candidate, has been jailed on accusations he offered to accept thousands of dollars from four people to drop out of an upcoming election.
According to online booking records from J. Reuben Long Detention Center, Richard “Dick” Withington, 72, of Myrtle Beach, was booked into jail Tuesday and is charged with inducement to file for, or withdraw from, candidacy for election.
An Horry County Police incident report documents that Withington contacted four victims and attempted to have each of them pay him $20,000 to drop out of the race for Horry County District 4. The report states that an officer contacted all four victims to make them aware of the investigation and then enlisted the help of one of the potential victims to arrest Withington.
The report states that an officer partnered with an unnamed victim to arrange a meeting with Withington in which the council candidate thought he would be receiving $5,000 from the victim. The meeting was arranged for 12:20 p.m. Tuesday, where Withington accepted an envelope with $5,000 in it, according to the police report, and was subsequently arrested.
The arrest warrant for Withington says the suspect contact four victims and told them “he would accept a bribe from them of $20,000 to drop out of the race for the District 4 County Council Chair.” The warrant goes on to confirm that Withington had filed for candidacy for the race prior to sending the email.
In an arraignment Wednesday afternoon, Withington was granted a $10,000 bond and as part of his bond agreement, he can have no contact with victims. Withington is being represented by Greg McCollum.
According to the J. Reuben Long Detention Center website, Withington was released Wednesday evening.
