COLUMBIA (WACH) -- Some Republican activists are forming a group to question Republican gubernatorial candidate Nikki Haley over what they say are unanswered questions by her campaign.
The group, calling itself Conservatives for Truth in Politics, held a press conference Thursday afternoon calling on Haley to provide additional information to the public. Some of their questions concern Haley's work for an engineering firm and a local hospital.
The group is led by Cyndi Mosteller and Dave Woodard. Mosteller is a former vice chairwoman of the state Republican Party and Charleston County GOP chairwoman. Woodard is a Clemson University political science professor and party activist.
"We are asking for a little sunshine to be let in amidst the clouds of vagueness and lack of specifics on several issues surrounding Ms. Haley," says Mosteller. "We are not here to ask people to vote for or against anyone," Woodward added.
State GOP Chairwoman Karen Floyd and former chairman Katon Dawson attended Thursday's announcement. Both told reporters the state party remains behind the Haley campaign.
"We are a party of individuals and as Cyndi said, this is about freedom of speech and what were saying is that the bulk of the Republican Party is behind Representative Haley," says Floyd.
"I don't agree," says state Democratic Chairwoman Carol Fowler. "There were at least two prominent Republicans standing there and obviously they have more people backing them up who are seriously questioning their own nominee for governor."
The three-term House member has built her campaign on transparency, but questions of hypocrisy arose after Haley disclosed she was paid more than $40,000 as a consultant for Lexington Medical Center. A spokesman initially said Haley applied for that job, but later disclosed the position was in fact created for Haley based in part on her access to state government.
Haley also drew fire earlier this month after launching a television ad criticizing Democrat opponent Vincent Sheheen for his support of a Competitive Grants program state lawmakers created to funnel money for projects in their districts. Records released by the Sheheen campaign after the ad show that while Haley voted against the program she did so only after her requests for more than a million dollars in funds from the program were rejected.
Mosteller also called on Haley to release more detailed emails about her alleged affairs with Republican operatives Will Folks and Larry Marchant. "It is our understanding that she only gave reporters access to emails spanning a period of three or four months this year, and not the neccesary three years and not granting access to her hard drive."
Campaign manager Tim Pearson says all relevant questions have been answered. But he says everyone is entitled to free speech and their moment in the spotlight.
(The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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