Folks is Talking
UPDATE 5/25/2010 9:15: The Will Folks-Nikki Haley story gets more complicated. Folks has lawyered up, claimed that the Haley campaign has not requested the removal of the post claiming the affair, and has threatened to release text messages and e-mails proving it. He also claims that no lawyer from the Haley camp has called to mention the words, “libel” or “defamation” to him.
Folks’ latest post mentions a rumor I also heard yesterday – that Folks and Haley ginned up this scandal together. This seems implausible, but it is absolutely being talked about and gaining steam in Columbia. If true, it is working perfectly. Will Folks is believed to be the villain and is gaining plenty of new hits to his site, while Haley was taking hours of sympathetic phone calls on talk-radio yesterday; the callers believe she is a victim of the media. (How Palin-like!)
So far only the details Folks has provided have been confirmed. We know, as he claimed, that S.C. media outlets were working on this story before his admission. I would expect Folks to begin releasing correspondence that at least shows the formerly friendly relationship he had with Haley soon.
Many conservative voters in S.C. are going to be bitterly disappointed if this turns out to be true.
Original Post: Carolina gubernatorial candidate, Nikki Haley probably had an affair with political blogger, gadfly, and operative Will Folks – who is a one man clearinghouse for Palmetto state rumors. Folks posted this morning that he once had an “inappropriate physical relationship” with the very attractive, and recently-favored Haley. Haley denies it.
I’m told that the affair occurred in 2008 when Folks was working with Haley on her Congressional re-election campaign. Haley was married at the time.
Folks is a former spokesman for Gov. Mark Sanford who left after several personal fights and wild political scandals. (He was a useful source in my profile of Gov. Sanford last year.) His reputation since leaving the governor’s office has only increased. He has become South Carolina’s essential political blogger.
In fact, Folks is like the Anna Wintour of South Carolina politics, generally unknown to the larger public, but within the right circles, revered and feared. He is so plugged-in that most political stories in South Carolina appear on his blog before they make the daily papers. I believe he remains a confidential source of advice and comment for Governor Sanford.
At first, I thought that Folks may be pulling his largest stunt ever. Just knowing his character, I believed that he was parodying the style of “affair disclosures.” Also, there is the timing; the primary will be June 8. But I now believe, after speaking with a few South Carolina sources, that Folks had a lawyer go over these words and that he feels genuinely threatened.
After alleging that there is a conspiracy to take down Haley and himself through a by a thousand political cuts, Folks justifies the disclosure by saying, “I refuse to have someone hold the political equivalent of a switch-blade in front of my face and just sit there and watch as they cut me to pieces.” That sounds like Folks.
In judging the veracity of Folks’ admission, it should be noted that Columbia, South Carolina is one of the most treacherous, gossiping, and self-obsessed political capitals on earth. Everyone there talks, and whispers about an affair between Haley and Folks are nearly a year old at this point. Political consultants were wondering two years ago why Haley’s car was so often seen in front of Folks’ home.
Corey Hutchins, a whip-smart, and well-sourced reporter for the Columbia-based alt-weekly, Free Times, reports that Folks admitted to the affair almost a year ago. If true, this would put to rest the defense that these rumors are only coming out because the primary is in two weeks. The AP, the Free Press and other South Carolina sources have been working on this story for over a month, apparently badgering Folks.
Some conservatives, like Sarah Palin and Erick Erickson have rushed to Haley’s defense. Erickson contends that hot women who are married to military men don’t sleep with poor, ugly bloggers. A good argument, but it doesn’t apply in this case.
There are a few unflattering pictures of Folks out there. But I happen to know that Will Folks is a bit of a ladies man. He is very funny, extremely capable, and a raconteur. From what I hear, Folks is rumored to have had “physical relationships” with nearly every female consultant in the state. His affair with Haley supposedly began after he had done some writing work for her.
Some have speculated that, despite his prior support and work for Haley, Folks is acting out against her social conservatism and her association with Jenny Sanford, whom Folks has battled with since the early days of Gov. Sanford’s first gubernatorial campaign.
That part is true. Folks isn’t exactly Palinesque on the social issues. He writes on his site: “On social issues, we are primarily libertarians but readily admit that Aaron Sorkin and Annie Savoy have corrupted our good girl, Calvinist upbringings.” But there are good reasons to believe his prior (and continuing) support of her candidacy isn’t fake.
Despite his differences with Jenny (and Mark) Sanford, if the Sanford’s are behind a candidate, Folks probably is too. He is a fiscally conservative, and libertarian leaning the type that is coming out to support Haley all cycle. He has worked with her before. And so it is hard not to take this morning’s admission as anything other than genuine.
If this turns out to be true, and I think it will, the affair will be a black mark not only on Haley’s promising campaign, but on Jenny Sanford who is about to launch a book-tour, and Sarah Palin who seems determined to go to the mat for Haley. Unless I’m mistaken it would also be one of the first great adultery scandals for a female politician in the United States.
Photo from Flickr account, NikkiHaleySC
Now the whole world is waiting for a sex tape or a stainted dress.
Can he provide it???
So I guess Erick Erickson’s wife isn’t hot? What a tool.
[...] City Paper, The New Ledger, Hot Air, National Review, CNN, RedState, No More Mister Nice Blog, The American Conservative, Mediaite, FrumForum, Talking Points Memo, msnbc.com, The Other McCain, Daily Kos, The Hill, The [...]
I’d never heard of Haley until a few weeks ago. I’d never heard of Folks until today. I don’t know the character of either or who is more credible, and I’m cetainly not privy to insider gossip from that state.
But I’ve seen pictures of her, and now I’ve seen pictures of him. And based solely on that, I don’t believe anything he said.
[...] work — but this is all still hearsay. Haley’s denial remains unequivocal.UPDATE II: Michael Brendan Dougherty says we’re underestimating the Will-Meister:I happen to know that Will Folks is a bit of a ladies man. He is very funny, extremely capable, and [...]
I have no reason to care about these people and I don’t, but I have too much time on my hands so I did some reading. And I’m astonished that anyone would accept the word of a guy who says about his blog:
“Conceptualized out of sheer boredom and an insatiable lust for attention, FITSNews is the brainchild of South Carolina political consultant and former gubernatorial spokesman Will Folks (a.k.a. “Sic Willie“) and a group of blazing-hot babes that may or may not exist entirely in his imagination.”
His web site features lots of photos of scantily clad, busty ladies, and his bio (see Sic Willie) reads as though it was written by someone with more than a little narcissism. This is a blogger who thinks being outed for an affair could ruin him? A guy that pleaded guilty to a domestic violence charge while simultaneously proclaiming his innocence?
I’m surprised to see a piece like this on this site.
[...] for that other story, it reminds me of Conan with Kal Penn and Letterman with Aishwarya: nobody seems to know what to do [...]
Folks claims the relationship was “several” years ago. Not 2 years ago.
I have to agree with the conspiracy theory crowd here. It seems as if “Sic Willie” is just looking for some attention.
http://tinyurl.com/25ynqon
What is your source for the assertion that “Political consultants were wondering two years ago why Haley’s car was so often seen in front of Folks’ home.”
Are there in fact any reliable sources? Or should we just take your word for it – and whatever your high estimation of Folks as player – either politically or romantically does not seem to comport with his actual reputation.
Think about his tortured admission: somebody is threatening him with “1000 cuts” by breaking a story that while he was a single man he had an affair with a hot married woman? Boy, that threat must have kept him awake at night – especially if, as you claim, he is some sort of “ladies man.”
Sorry, this makes no sense at all except as a desperate pathetic loser seeking attention.
Wow. Nikki Haley is *not* hot. In fact she looks like a Muslim,and I would not be surprised at all to find out her parents were from another country.
you have just lost credibility by posting your unadvised inaccurate opinion.
if other media was working on the story previously it is because the source of the lie was spreading it to them at that time.
Nikki’s opponents are ruthless, as Will Folks has testified. He would know firsthand the scum since he lives in that pond.
“In fact she looks like a Muslim,and I would not be surprised at all to find out her parents were from another country.”
One of the dumber comments a person can make. No one “looks” Muslim, any more than someone looks “Catholic”. FWIW, Haley’s parents are Indian Sikhs, but she converted to Methodism when she got married.
” . . . I’ve seen pictures of her, and now I’ve seen pictures of him. And based solely on that, I don’t believe anything he said.”
Try looking also at pictures of Haley’s husband, who resembles Folks quite a bit.
Me, I’m ROTFLMAO at Kathleen Parker, who’s been sewing the drapes for Haley’s Oval Office for months now . . .
[...] Even if you consider such a scenario as being within the realm of possibility — as does Michael Brendan Dougherty — there can be no doubt that Folks has made a complete laughingstock of himself, and [...]
Sorry. I’ve seen this before. She did this and he’s going to be able to prove it. All of Sarah’s People will ignore evidence, as they do with everything else, and stick with her, but Haley cheated on her husband. Getcha popcorn, you betcha!
Folks?
Is that ole Will Folks?
Homely boy and unemployed wife beater?
That’s the one – same guy who blogged about masturbating at the thought of recent college grad & blogger Ashley Herzog. Definitely a serious political source – if you happen to be a perverted moron.
Folks was unmarried at the time, Haley was married at the time.
So to summarize: Haley cheated on her husband. Folks is a conservative blogger and not a leftist political hitman, so much for rightwing conspiracy theory.
My guess is that Folks present wife found out, he’s in the doghouse and he has to come clean or he loses his wife and family. I feel no pity for Haley because she’s an adult and knew what she was doing, and if she insists on being a conservative darling, she has to act as moral as she talks.
The losers are both Folks and Haley, the voter is the winner, provided she doesn’t get elected.
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