OPINION: Governor McMaster Should Seek a Second Opinion on Head of Department of Public Health

 

Written by Tony J. Spain, Palmetto Examiner
March 26, 2025
 
The practice of medicine often involves a mix of science, experience, and judgement and second opinions can play a big role in refining that process. Doctors rely on established theories—like how diseases work, how drugs or vaccines interact, how things like masks, quarantines and social distancing prevents the spread —grounded in evidence from studies and trials. But medicine isn’t just plugging symptoms into a formula: it’s about interpreting those theories in the messy reality of the situation you find yourself in, and sometimes the experts can disagree.

And let me say, I’m not a doctor, never played one on tv, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express and have gotten a second opinion in the past that was a much better outcome than what was originally recommended.

Sometimes a second opinion is smart. A second opinion is essentially a check on the first doctor’s reasoning. No one is infallible. Studies show misdiagnosis rates can range from 5 percent to 20 percent, depending on the condition. Different doctors might weigh the same evidence differently or spot something the other missed. It’s not necessarily the science changes; it’s the application of it can vary.

South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster seems unwilling to look at a second opinion when it comes to Dr. Edward Simmer, Interim Head of South Carolina Department of Public Health and his nominee for the first South Carolina Department of Public Health. McMaster continues to stand solidly behind his decision calling Simmer “exceptional” and “eminently qualified,” but many in his own party are not in agreement. They label Simmer as “South Carolina’s Dr. Fauci” and an opponent to “medical freedom.” Those complaints have centered around the State’s response to COVID-19. Opponents claim Simmer pushed for school closures, shutdowns and vaccine and mask mandates.

“Dr. Edward Simmer’s track record during the pandemic demonstrated a clear disregard for South Carolinian’s values and freedoms, prioritizing mandates and divisive policies over individual rights,” Sen. Tom Fernandez, a Summerville Republican who sits on the committee, wrote on Facebook in a post Simmer specifically addressed in his Senate Medical Affairs Committee Confirmation Hearing Thursday claiming it to be “absolutely false.”

McMaster says he has heard the critics but doesn’t understand them, claiming no one is more qualified for the position in the state.

“I’ve been listening closely to the things the critics have been saying about him so far in the last few days, and I have not found an ounce of truth in any of it. I have not found a word of truth about the allegations they’re making against the man. He wasn’t even here when all those mandates were going on,” McMaster said in January when criticism was mounting. “He wasn’t even here. He arrived after all the federal mandates and all that, all of which we challenge in court and all of which we won,” McMaster said. “I do not know if we could find anyone as good as, much less better than, Dr. Simmer, so I think those that are criticizing him ought to take a good look at the facts and then decide what they want to say.”

And that is exactly the goal here is to take a good look at the facts before deciding what to say.

Simmer was appointed by McMaster to take over the lead of Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) in February 2021 before the agency was dissolved into separate departments and has been the interim head of the newly created South Carolina Department of Public Health since November 2021 and it is true, most of the mandates had ended by then. Simmer claims even if he had been in the state when the pandemic began in 2020, he wouldn’t have recommended closing schools or businesses.

“Let me be perfectly clear, so that everyone on this committee and every citizen of this state can hear it directly from me. I have never prioritized any mandates,” Simmer said during testimony. “I will continue to preserve and defend South Carolinians’ freedom and individual rights.”

Simmer likes to continuously point out that he hasn’t required or supports mandating the COVID vaccine to anyone. And technically he is right, but he has recommended and ran a $5 million public relations campaign to manipulate information and push the vaccine through peer pressure tactics to get as many people as possible to get the vaccine.

In more than 25 hours of 2021 DHEC board meetings led by Simmer and condensed into about a 30-minute highlight reel, compiled by Palmetto State Watch, Simmer talks about giving “free admission to state parks during holiday weekends” to anyone getting the COVID vaccine on site, mobile units going into communities “street by street getting people to vaccinate right where they are” stating the “goal is to get as many people vaccines as we can.”

In June 2021, Simmer also talks about a “shot and chaser” campaign with local breweries to target 21–26-year-olds, the lowest group of unvaccinated people.

“We are really trying to get younger people vaccinated. We think this is a good way to reach out to some of those folks,” Simmer says. “When we can find things where people are going out with friends, and friends say, hey, let’s go get vaccinated. Those kinds of things have shown in the past to be highly effective.”

Yes, peer pressure is highly persuasive. It’s how many young people end up with tattoos they later regret or a drug habit pushed by a drug dealer that also uses peer pressure. It’s highly manipulative.  

This is not a suggestion that Dr. Simmer is nefariously pushing a vaccine to “hurt children” or “put poison in people’s arms” as some of his critics have suggested. I think Dr. Simmer believes in the effectiveness of the vaccine as he has gotten the vaccine himself.

I also believe some criticism of Simmer is unwarranted and unfounded as McMaster says, but not all of it.

In August 2021, Simmer is on video during a board meeting, requiring masks for schools despite not having the legal authority.

“The best way to protect our children is to require the use of masks by everyone in the school. Whether or not our schools are allowed to do that I think is a question that is an open one. I know there may be a legal case regarding that. I’m certainly not an expert in the area and can’t comment on that part,” he said in the video. “I think we know from the public health standpoint and what the science shows that if we want to protect our students…and keep them in school we should require masking.”

That seems to be in contradiction to “never requiring mask mandates.”

It also seems clear, that if not for the state legislature banning mask and vaccine mandates, Dr. Simmer would have not hesitated to require vaccine and mask mandates for everybody.

Simmer also likes to tote the line that at the Department of Public Health, “we inform, and you decide,” but it also seems not all the information is being provided. Only the information that aligns with certain beliefs while other information from other groups of doctors is discredited and labeled misinformation.

At the same time, I won’t go as far as other critics who say Dr. Simmer has contradicted himself on several occasions. I can understand the information provided to him can change, especially through an ongoing pandemic.

The practice of medicine is science based. Science is based in theory, which is why you have second opinions and doctors can agree or disagree on best treatments. I’d prefer the option of someone that presents all the information available, not just the cherry-picked information that aligns with certain beliefs and recommendations.

After a hard look at the facts, Governor McMaster should seek a second opinion on who should be the Head of South Carolina Department of Public Health. I think he will find we can do better. South Carolina definitely deserves better.

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About the Author: Tony Spain is a former candidate for Richland County Council 2020 and an award winning former military photographer and journalist while in the Public Affairs Office for the U.S. Army. His photos and writing have been published in numerous publications such as The Commercial News, Danville, Ill.; The Paraglide, Fort Bragg, N.C.; Soldier of Fortune Magazine; The State Newspaper, Columbia, S.C., and more.

He lives in Columbia, S.C.

What Say You? Got something you'd like to say? Letter to the Editor (Guest Column), praises, criticism, hate mail, news story tip or just want to say, howdy. Send them to Tony@palmettoexaminer.com

Threatened: SC Department of Health Nominee Testifies He was "Threatened" Car was "Vandalized" in attempt to "Intimidate" During Senate Confirmation Hearing

Dr. Edward Simmer, nominee to
South Carolina Department of
Health testifies before the State Senate
during his confirmation hearing at the 
State House in Columbia, S.C. 

Written by Tony J. Spain, Palmetto Examiner
March 21, 2025

 COLUMBIA SC—(PE) Dr. Edward Simmer, nominee to head the South Carolina Department of Health, said he has been the target of threats, vandalization with a fake car bomb and attempted intimidation since Gov. Henry McMaster picked him to lead the department.

"I have been threatened. Our car has been vandalized. In an apparent attempt to intimidate me," South Carolina Department of Health nominee Dr. Edward Simmer testified during his Senate confirmation hearing yesterday.

Simmer later told reporters from the Post and Courrier the car he shares with his wife was vandalized with a device attached to the license plate with two wires that were connected to a battery pack, then went into a box made to look like a bomb. 

“Thankfully it wasn’t (a bomb), but it was frightening,” Simmer said, adding it was the reason his wife, Peggy, did not attend the confirmation hearing to shield her from the hostile encounters.

Simmer also testified in his opening statements of threats and to a “negative” encounter before the hearing in the hallway.

“Peggy’s absence is not a show of non-support, but rather a shield to protect her from a potentially hostile encounter with opponents and those that wish us harm,” he said. “I already had a very negative encounter with someone in the hallway as much as I tried to get away. So that is a real risk.”

Complaints about Simmer have centered around the State’s response to COVID-19. Opponents claim Simmer pushed for school closures, shutdowns and vaccine and mask mandates. Simmer was appointed by McMaster to take over the lead of DHEC in February 2021 before the agency was dissolved into separate departments and has been the interim head of the newly created South Carolina Department of Health since November 2024.

McMaster has stood solidly behind that decision calling Simmer "exceptional" and "eminently qualified" but many in his own party are not in agreement. They label him as "South Carolina's Dr. Fauci" and an opponent to "medical freedom". 



“Dr. Edward Simmer’s track record during the pandemic demonstrated a clear disregard for South Carolinians’ values and freedoms, prioritizing mandates and divisive policies over individual rights,” Sen. Tom Fernadez, a Summerville Republican who sits on the committee, wrote on facebook.

Since being nominated Simmer says he has been called an “enemy of medical freedom” a “health czar,” “not a real doctor” and “evil,” he told the committee in his opening statement.

He told reporters later he has received threatening letters, in which people said they want to hurt him because he was “putting poison in people’s arms” and that he was “killing people.”

“No threats, no lies on social media, no smear campaign from cowards, many of whom hide behind anonymous letters and false social media identities, will ever deter me from continuing to serve the people of South Carolina to the very best of my ability,” Simmer told the committee.

Sen. Josh Kimbrell, R-Spartanburg, one of only two lawmakers who was able to question Simmer and converse with him during the hearing condemned any threats made.

“Anybody that’s made threats against you or threatening your family, I think that’s despicable and wrong, and please understand I would never condone or support that in any way” Kimbrell told Simmer.

Palmetto Examiner has not found any evidence of a police report related to the vandalism and fake bomb placed on the car and has reached out to South Carolina Law Enforcement Division and the State’s Attorney General’s Office asking if there is an ongoing investigation into the threats of a state government official. No response has been received as of the writing of this article.

The committee did not take a vote to advance Simmer’s confirmation as more senators are scheduled to ask questions. It is unclear when the hearings will resume. 

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About the Author:  Tony Spain is a former candidate for Richland County Council 2020 and an award winning former military photographer and journalist while in the Public Affairs Office for the U.S. Army. His photos and writing have been published in numerous publications such as The Commercial News, Danville, Ill.; The Paraglide, Fort Bragg, N.C.; Soldier of Fortune Magazine; The State Newspaper, Columbia, S.C., and more.

He lives in Columbia, S.C.

What Say You? Got something you'd like to say? Letter to the Editor (Guest Column), praises, criticism, hate mail, news story tip or just want to say, howdy. Send them to Tony@palmettoexaminer.com 

Stop the Witch Hunt—Protect South Carolina’s Financial Future

"This political circus has real consequences. It’s putting South Carolina’s financial future at risk." 


Written by S.C. State Treasurer Curtis Lofits
Wednesday, March 19, 2025

    

The facts are clear—though some politicians would rather muddy the waters.
    
South Carolina isn’t under financial threat from mismanagement or missing money. The real danger comes from a relentless, politically motivated attack on my office—one that risks undermining our state’s financial reputation, increasing taxpayer costs, and stripping voters of their Constitutional right to elect a Treasurer who works for them, not the political elite.
    
For over a year, certain members of the State Senate have been fixated on a $1.8 billion accounting entry that was part of a larger $3.5 billion reporting mistake made by the former Comptroller General. Instead of focusing on real solutions, they’ve turned this into a headline-grabbing spectacle, calling for resignations and manufacturing a crisis where none exists.
    
Let’s be clear about what’s really happening: Some senators don’t want you—the voters—to elect your State Treasurer. They want to take that power away from you and appoint someone they can control. They see an opportunity to overturn an election, weaken the independence of the Treasurer’s Office and seize control of the state’s financial management.
    
The problem with their plan is South Carolinians have already spoken. In the last election, 80% of voters chose me to continue leading this office. These citizens understand the importance of having an independent watchdog over the state’s money—someone who answers to them, not political insiders.         

Auditors confirmed that the $1.8 billion in question was a bookkeeping mistake that occurred during a computer system conversion years ago. Of that amount, $1.6 billion was appropriations—budgeted dollars, not real cash.
    
No taxpayer funds were lost. No money disappeared. And at no point did this error affect the Treasurer’s actual bank balances.
    
These entries weren’t made in secret. The conversion process included representatives from all state financial agencies. My office has been fully transparent and cooperative in addressing the issue. Yet, certain senators continue to falsely point fingers at me and my team of highly qualified bankers, accountants, and investment professionals.
    
This isn’t accountability—it’s a power grab. If they can’t beat me at the ballot box, they want to change the rules so they can control billions of public dollars for their own special interests.
    
Just look at the precedent. In 2023, the disclosure of a $3.5 billion accounting mistake in the Comptroller General’s annual report led to resignations and calls for reforms. Back then, the focus was on fixing systemic flaws, not launching personal attacks. But now, with the former Comptroller gone, the attention has shifted toward me, despite overwhelming evidence that my office acted honorably and professionally.
   
This political circus has real consequences. It’s putting South Carolina’s financial future at risk. The state’s credit rating is the key to low-cost borrowing for schools, roads, and infrastructure. Rating agencies don’t just look at spreadsheets; they assess financial stability and leadership. Every exaggerated headline and baseless claim of “missing money” erodes confidence. If our rating drops, borrowing costs go up, and taxpayers, not the Senate, foot the bill.
   
Let’s not forget how much taxpayer money has already been wasted on this self-serving witch hunt. How much more will they burn on a problem my office didn’t create?
   
For 15 years, I’ve fought for stricter financial oversight, better accounting systems, and greater transparency. While I’ve pushed for real reforms, these elected officials have clung to blame and distraction, using taxpayer dollars to fuel their vendetta.
   
Meanwhile, a federal investigation is underway into the state’s financial reporting, not the Treasurer’s Office, and needs to run its course without this political grandstanding.
   
I was elected to protect your tax dollars, not play political games. I am committed to fight against this power grab.
   
South Carolinians deserve leadership, not theatrics. Our financial stability, reputation and future are too important to be sacrificed for political games.
   
It’s time for the Senate to drop this sideshow and focus on the real work of governing.
   
Your money is safe. South Carolina is strong. Let’s keep it that way.

                                                ***************************************

About the Author: Curtis Loftis is the State Treasurer of South Carolina. First elected in 2010, he is currently serving his fourth term as State Treasurer.  

What Say You? Got something you'd like to say? Letter to the Editor (Guest Column), praises, criticism, hate mail, news story tip or just want to say, howdy. Send them to Tony@palmettoexaminer.com