Justin Bamberg | |
---|---|
Member of the South CarolinaHouseofRepresentatives from the 90th district | |
Assumed office December 2014 | |
Preceded by | Bakari Sellers |
Personal details | |
Born | Justin Tyler Bamberg March 7,1987 Bamberg,South Carolina,U.S. |
Political party | Democratic |
Education | University of South Carolina (BA,JD) |
Justin Tyler Bamberg (born March 7,1987) is an American attorney and politician serving as a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives from the 90th district,which includes all of Bamberg County and parts of Orangeburg County. [1]
Bamberg was born in Bamberg,South Carolina March 7,1987. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of South Carolina and a Juris Doctor from the University of South Carolina School of Law in 2011. [2] [3]
Bamberg serves as a Democratic member of the South Carolina House of Representatives . He serves on the House Judiciary Committee. [4]
Bamberg's predecessor,Bakari Sellers,vacated the South Carolina House of Representatives District 90 seat to run for Lieutenant Governor in 2014. Bamberg defeated Monnie Singleton to win the Democratic Primary. [5] He narrowly defeated Republican Travis Lee Avant by a little over 1% of the vote. [6]
In late 2015,Bamberg initially supported and formally endorsed Hillary Clinton for president. In January 2016,Bamberg pulled his endorsement and formally endorsed Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders,highlighting Sanders' unwavering support of "racial,social and economic justice". Bamberg went on to undertake a role as one of Sanders' national surrogates,appearing with Sanders at events across the country as well as on his behalf. [7]
In 2016,Bamberg successfully defended his seat,defeating Evert Comer,Jr. to win the Democratic Primary, [8] and Republican Dan Lawrence in the general election. [9]
On November 9,2017,Our Revolution—a national,grassroots organization that emerged in the wake of Senator Sanders' Presidential run—announced that Bamberg had been elected to its national board of directors. [10]
Bamberg was noted in August 2017 to have been "exploring" a possible run for governor in the State of South Carolina,the same stirring conversation on the possibility of the state having its first Democratic governor in over a decade. [11] In 2018 Bamberg had no Democratic primary and was unopposed in the general election. [12]
In 2018 Bamberg had no Democratic primary opponent and was unopposed in the general election. [13]
In April 2019,Bamberg endorsed Bernie Sanders in the 2020 Democratic Party presidential primaries. [14]
In 2020,Bamberg successfully defended his seat,defeating Evert Comer,Jr. to win the Democratic Primary. [15] After a recount,Bamberg narrowly defeated Republican Glenn Posey by less than 1% of the vote. [16]
In 2021,Bamberg was appointed to the South Carolina House of Representatives Redistricting Ad Hoc Committee. After Committee meetings and public hearings,the Committee,along with its Senate counterpart,presented redistricting plans for approval to the full legislature and the Governor. In January 2022,Representative Jerry Govan called for the City of Orangeburg to join a redistricting lawsuit,because the plan moved most of the City of Orangeburg into the District represented by Representative Bamberg. [17]
In June 2022,Bamberg successfully defended his seat,defeating Evert Comer,Jr. to win the Democratic Primary. [18] Redistricting plans were passed by the General Assembly on June 15,2022,and signed by the Governor on June 17,2022. [19] In September 2022,Bamberg criticized US Senate Democratic Nominee Krystle Matthews for remarks about white people released by Project Veritas and subsequently by major news outlets. Bamberg joined other South Carolina Democrats in calling for Matthews to resign. [20] [21] [22]
In November 2022,Bamberg went on to defeat Republican Sharon Carter to secure his next term in office. [23] [24]
Bamberg works as a personal injury trial lawyer with Bamberg Legal,LLC. He has served as attorney for clients in some of the United States' most high-profile cases,particularly in regards to officer-involved incidents. [25] [26] In addition to the Walter Scott case,Bamberg has represented the families of Alton Sterling in Baton Rouge,Louisiana; [27] Bryant Heyward in Hollywood,South Carolina; [28] and Keith Scott in Charlotte,North Carolina. [29] Bamberg represented the family of 20-year old Kouren-Rodney Bernard Thomas of Raleigh,North Carolina,who was shot and killed by a neighbor when leaving a house party in August 2016 –a shooting that drew comparisons to Trayvon Martin's death in Florida, [30] and "Jane Doe," an Orangeburg County,South Carolina woman who was allegedly coerced into performing a sex act by an on-duty deputy sheriff. [31] In 2017,Bamberg resolved the civil case against the Orangeburg County Sheriff's Office pre-suit for $350,000,stating at the time:"Most officers and the departments in which they serve are amazing,and we should be grateful that they have dedicated their lives to serving and protecting us all;however,we must continue to fight against any abuse of power. And we will play an important role in addressing that issue." [32]
Bamberg took the case of an unarmed,86-year-old man tasered by an officer with the Town of Kingstree after a traffic stop in rural South Carolina. [33] The police department reported that the elderly man had failed to stop for blue lights and on exiting his vehicle,was tasered by the officers "for his own safety." In less than one month,Bamberg had negotiated a $900,000 legal settlement on behalf of the grandfather for civil rights violations,representing one of the quickest and most substantial pre-suit legal settlements in an officer involved taser case in the history of South Carolina. [34]
During the same time period,Bamberg undertook representing the mother of Del'Quan Seagers,a minor who died in 2015 while in the custody of the South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice and residing at a wilderness camp operated by AMIKids,Inc.,a national non-profit organization operating juvenile wilderness camps and alternative school across the United States. [35] On January 27,2017,the South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice and the wilderness camps operated by AMIKids came under tremendous scrutiny after a thorough review and scathing report was issued by the South Carolina Legislative Audit Council,which found numerous failures by the department and company in the operations of the camps for detained juveniles. [36] A day after the report was released,then SCDJJ Director Sylvia Murray resigned. [37] Bamberg's representation helped prompt national discussions on alternative placement facilities for juveniles in the United States. [38]
In addition to his civil rights trial work,Bamberg has successfully represented individuals in personal injury and wrongful death matters,such as the fatal tractor trailer accident that claimed the life of a Bamberg City Councilwoman in 2015, [39] and a Duke University Hospital employee who was sexually assaulted by an unknown assailant while on the job. [40]
See also Killing of Walter Scott
Bamberg represented the family of police-shooting victim Walter Scott. In October 2015,Bamberg along with L. Chris Stewart of Stewart Seay &Felton in Atlanta,Georgia,negotiated a $6.5 million pre-suit settlement on behalf of the Estate of Walter Scott to resolve claims for wrongful death and civil rights violations. It was the largest pre-suit settlement of its kind in South Carolina history. [41] The former officer,Michael Slager,pled guilty to federal civil rights violations and sentenced to 20 years for the murder of Walter Scott. [42]
See also Kidnapping of Kamiyah Mobley
In January 2017,news arose that Kamiyah Mobley,who was abducted from a Jacksonville,Florida hospital in 1998 at eight hours old,had been found in Walterboro,South Carolina,having been raised by her abductor under the name Alexis Manigo. [43] Then eighteen,Mobley retained Bamberg to represent her interests,such as working to obtain identification and a Social Security card. [44]
See also Trial of Alex Murdaugh
On December 16,2021,Bamberg announced he was representing Johnny Bush,an alleged victim of Alex Murdaugh. Murdaugh is alleged to have stolen $95,000 of Bush's settlement money. [45] Murdaugh was subsequently convicted of the murder of his son and estranged wife in 2023.
On September 3,2023,Murdaugh's attorneys announced that they had evidence to file for a new murder trial . [46] At a press conference held on September 5,2023,Murdaugh attorneys Dick Harpootlian and Jim Griffin alleged jury tampering by Colleton County Clerk of Court Rebecca Hill,who subsequently released a book on the case,Behind the Doors of Justice:The Murdaugh Murders. They requested an evidentiary hearing to determine whether there should be a new trial. Harpootlian also sent a letter to United States Attorney for the District of Carolina Adair Ford Boroughs requesting a federal investigation of conduct in the case. [47]
Hill hired two attorneys,Bamberg and Will Lewis to represent her in the case. [48]
At a press conference held on March 25,2024,Hill,standing with attorney Bamberg,submitted her resignation from the post of Colleton County Clerk of Court to Governor Henry McMaster. [49] [50]
Orangeburg County is a county located in the U.S. state of South Carolina. As of the 2020 census,the population was 84,223. Its county seat is Orangeburg. The county was created in 1769.
Bamberg County is a county located in the southwestern portion of U.S. state of South Carolina. As of the 2020 census,the population was 13,311,making the rural county the fourth-least populous of any in South Carolina. Its county seat is Bamberg.
James Enos Clyburn is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative for South Carolina's 6th congressional district. First elected in 1992,Clyburn represents a congressional district that includes most of the majority-black precincts in and around Columbia and Charleston,as well as most of the majority-black areas outside Beaufort and nearly all of South Carolina's share of the Black Belt. Since Joe Cunningham's departure in 2021,Clyburn has been the only Democrat in South Carolina's congressional delegation and as well as the dean of this delegation since 2011 after fellow Democrat John Spratt lost re-election.
South Carolina's 1st congressional district is a coastal congressional district in South Carolina,represented by Republican Nancy Mace since January 3,2021. She succeeded Democrat Joe Cunningham,having defeated him in the 2020 election. Cunningham was the first Democrat to represent the district since the 1980s.
South Carolina's 6th congressional district is in central and eastern South Carolina. It includes all of Allendale,Bamberg,Calhoun,Clarendon,Hampton,and Williamsburg counties and parts of Charleston,Colleton,Dorchester,Florence,Jasper,Orangeburg,Richland and Sumter counties. With a Cook Partisan Voting Index rating of D+14,it is the only Democratic district in South Carolina.
There are currently seven United States congressional districts in South Carolina. There have been as few as four and as many as nine congressional districts in South Carolina. The 9th district and the 8th district were lost after the 1840 census. The 5th district and the 6th district were also briefly lost after the Civil War,but both had been regained by the 1880 census. Because of the state population growth in the 2010 census,South Carolina regained its 7th district,which had remained unused since the Civil War.
C. Bradley Hutto is an American politician currently serving as a Democratic member of the South Carolina Senate,representing Senate District 40 since 1996. He is the Democratic Minority Leader in the Senate,succeeding Nikki Setzler on November 17,2020.
The 1992 United States House of Representatives elections in South Carolina were held on November 3,1992,to elect the six U.S. representatives from the state of South Carolina,one from each of the state's six congressional districts. The elections coincided with the 1992 U.S. presidential election,as well as other elections to the House of Representatives,elections to the United States Senate and various state and local elections.
Bakari T. Sellers is an American attorney,political commentator,and politician.
The 2008 South Carolina Senate election were held on Tuesday,November 4,2008. The primary elections were held on June 10 and the runoff elections were held two weeks later on June 24. The current composition of the state delegation is 27 Republicans and 19 Democrats. Senators are elected for four-year terms,all in the same year.
The 2012 United States House of Representatives elections in South Carolina were held on Tuesday,November 6,2012,and elected the seven U.S. representatives from the state of South Carolina,an increase of one seat as a result of reapportionment thanks to the continued strong growth found in South Carolina as reported in the 2010 United States census. The elections coincided with the elections of other federal and state offices,including a quadrennial presidential election. The people of South Carolina elected six Republicans and one Democrat to represent the state in the 113th United States Congress.
Gilda Cobb-Hunter is a Democratic member of the South Carolina House of Representatives. She is the first African American woman elected to the State House from Orangeburg County. Cobb-Hunter is the former representative for South Carolina's 66th district. Following redistricting and the 2022 general election,Cobb-Hunter now represents South Carolina House District 95 and David L. O'Neal represents South Carolina's 66th district.
Wendell G. Gilliard is an American politician,steelworker,and union official. A Democrat,Gilliard serves as a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives,representing the 111th District.
Jerry N. Govan Jr. is an American politician. He is member of South Carolina House of Representatives District 93.
The 2018 South Carolina gubernatorial election was held on November 6,2018,to elect the governor of South Carolina. Incumbent Republican governor Henry McMaster,who took office after Nikki Haley resigned to become U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations,ran for election to a full term. The primary was held on June 12,with the Democrats nominating State Representative James E. Smith Jr. McMaster failed to win a majority of the vote,and then defeated John Warren in the Republican runoff on June 26. In the general election,McMaster defeated Smith,winning election to a full term.
The 2020 United States House of Representatives elections in South Carolina were held on November 3,2020,to elect the seven U.S. representatives from the state of South Carolina,one from each of the state's seven congressional districts. The elections coincided with the 2020 U.S. presidential election,as well as other elections to the House of Representatives,elections to the United States Senate and various state and local elections.
Richard A. "Dick" Harpootlian is an American attorney and politician who served as a member of the South Carolina Senate from the 20th district from 2018 to 2024. He served as the chair of the South Carolina Democratic Party from 1998 to 2003 and again from 2011 to 2013. He also previously served as solicitor for the Fifth Judicial Circuit of South Carolina from 1991 until 1995.
Kambrell Houston Garvin is an American injury attorney and politician from South Carolina. He serves as a Democratic member of the South Carolina House of Representatives,representing House District 77,Richland County,Columbia,SC. He was first elected in 2018.
The 2020 South Carolina State Senate elections took place as part of the biennial 2020 United States elections. South Carolina voters elected state senators in all 46 senate districts. State senators serve four-year terms in the South Carolina Senate,with all of the seats up for election each cycle. The primary elections on June 9,2020,determined which candidates appeared on the November 3,2020,general election ballot.
The 2022 United States House of Representatives elections in South Carolina were held on November 8,2022,to elect the seven U.S. representatives from the state of South Carolina,one from each of the state's seven congressional districts. The elections coincided with other elections to the House of Representatives,elections to the United States Senate and various state and local elections.