COLUMBIA, SC (WACH) - Newly elected Republican Lt. Gov. Ken Ard's campaign consultant, Robert Cahaly, has been arrested according to the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division.
Cahaly turned himself in to SLED agents Wednesday morning. The State Law Enforcement Division said Tuesday it had six warrants for his arrest. He is now free on bond.
Cahaly is charged with making illegal automated calls on behalf of Republican candidates. The practice is commonly referred to as robo-calls in political circles.
WACH Fox News spoke with several Republican operatives Tuesday who would not speak on the record; each defended Cahaly and said the charges appear to be politically motivated. A Democratic Party official declined to comment on the matter.
An attorney familiar with the Cahaly situation said Tuesday Cahaly is likely to sue SLED over what he described as a "false arrest."
The announcement marked the second hurdle for Ken Ard on Election Day. Ard's son was arrested early Tuesday morning and charged with driving under the influence. James Ard, 20, was booked at the Florence County jail shortly before 6 a.m. Tuesday. He made bond on Wednesday.
Ard released the following statement Wednesday addressing both matters:
“Tammy and our family are blessed to be able to celebrate this election, and we want to thank the people of South Carolina for their enduring support. We are blessed, also, to have three wonderful children. With the burdens of parenthood comes the difficult times that our children must face. Such is the case with our oldest son, Jesse. I ask the media to please understand that Tammy and I will address Jesse’s issues as a family and with the privacy he deserves. I will not comment publicly again on this personal family matter.
As for the recent issues regarding one of my campaign advisors, Robert Cahaly, I want to make two things very clear. Robert is a respected advisor who has served Republican leaders throughout our state and nation, and I consider him a friend. I am unfamiliar with the details surrounding recent news reports; however, I am certain of one thing—my campaign is not the subject of any of these reports. I am eager to begin the business of the transition of the Lt. Governor’s office and will be keeping the media and the people of our state fully informed on those details as we progress.”
Ard beat out Democrat Ashley Cooper, a lawyer, in the race for the state's number two post in Tuesday's elections.
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