Longtime SC political consultant Richard Quinn Sr. dies

Richard Quinn Sr., a top South Carolina political consultant whose web of influence was known as the “Quinndom” and whose firm was found to have made secret payments to influential lawmakers, has died.

The death was confirmed Thursday morning by Bill Stern, longtime Quinn friend and political fund-raiser.

“A man is measured by his lifetime of achievements. Throughout his consulting career that spanned decades, Richard advised some of the most impactful politicians in our state and helped influence politics on the national stage. Beyond his work, he cared deeply for his family and friends, and I am fortunate to have been counted among them. My deepest sympathies and prayers are with his family during this difficult time,” Stern said.

At his height, during the 1990s and well into the 2000s, no other consultant in South Carolina could match Quinn in the range and importance of elected officials, institutions and businesses he represented, including a governor, the attorney general, members of the Legislature and Congress, as well as institutions such the University of South Carolina. His estimated fees from these clients ran into the millions over the years.

“As far as political consultants in South Carolina, everyone else was in the minor leagues compared to him,” said David Pascoe, a special prosecutor who used a state grand jury with subpoena powers to investigate Quinn and his web of influence.

But, said Pascoe, he also learned from the investigation how much Quinn “loved his family and was a devoted family man to his children, grandchildren and their families.”

The investigation resulted in Pascoe and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division using a search warrant to uncover a trove of emails and financial information from Quinn’s firm, Richard Quinn & Associates.

Pascoe successfully brought charges against lawmakers who accepted money from Quinn and charges against Quinn’s business.

And Pascoe’s investigation resulted in a guilty plea by Quinn last year to four counts of perjury and two counts of obstruction of justice. Judge Carmen Mullen sentenced him to 18 months home detention to be followed by probation.

Quinn’s plea was what is called an Alford plea, meaning he acknowledged the government had enough evidence to likely convict him in a trial but at the same time, he asserted his innocence.

This story will be updated.