John Courson
American politician (born 1944)
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John E. Courson (born November 21, 1944) is an American former politician. He served as a Republican member of the South Carolina Senate, representing the 20th District from 1985 to 2018. He resigned after pleading guilty to a common law misconduct charge in office.[2]
John E. Courson | |
|---|---|
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| President pro tempore of the South Carolina Senate[1] | |
| In office March 13, 2012 – June 4, 2014 | |
| Preceded by | Glenn F. McConnell |
| Succeeded by | Yancey McGill |
| Member of the South Carolina Senate from the 20th district | |
| In office December 15, 1985 – June 4, 2018 | |
| Succeeded by | Dick Harpootlian |
| Personal details | |
| Born | November 21, 1944 Columbia, South Carolina, U.S. |
| Party | Republican |
| Spouse | Elizabeth Exum |
Early life and education
John Courson was born on November 21, 1944, and graduated from the University of South Carolina in 1968.
Career
He has served as a Republican state senator for South Carolina from 1985 to 2018. In 1998, he ran for Comptroller General of South Carolina, but lost to Jim Lander.[3]
He was elected President Pro Tempore of the South Carolina Senate on March 13, 2012,[4] but resigned this office on June 4, 2014, to avoid becoming Lieutenant Governor, a weak position that needed to be filled for six months before a new Lieutenant Governor was elected in 2014.[5]
Resignation
In March 2017, during the South Carolina Statehouse corruption investigation, Courson was indicted on ethics charges for mishandling campaign funds and subsequently suspended from office.[6] He resigned June 4, 2018, after pleading guilty to such charges.[2]
Personal life
He is married to Elizabeth Poinsett Exum, and they have three children: James Poinsett, Elizabeth Boykin, and Harris Russell. He is Episcopalian.
