Henry McMaster

Henry McMaster has faced several ethics and campaign finance controversies during his career: In 2017, the South Carolina State Ethics Commission fined McMaster $5,100 and ordered him to refund $73,000 in excess campaign contributions collected during his 2010 gubernatorial bid. His office also paid $600 in fines for late lobbying reports. McMaster has been frequently associated with political consultant Richard Quinn, who was indicted during a statehouse corruption investigation. While McMaster was not charged, critics alleged his office may have been influenced by Quinn’s activities during his time as attorney general. In 2015, a federal lawsuit (Smith v. McMaster) named McMaster and Quinn, alleging fraud and abuse of office, but the case did not result in criminal findings against him. In June 2026, McMaster denied allegations of a backroom deal regarding his son's potential candidacy for lieutenant governor following an endorsement from Donald Trump.