Senate committee finds four South Carolina Ports Authority nominees qualified, sends names for confirmation

A Senate screening committee on appointments found four nominees to the South Carolina Ports Authority qualified and said it will forward their names to the Senate Transportation Committee for confirmation.

The committee moved into an executive session during the hearing and, on returning, took voice votes to declare nominees qualified. The panel said no votes were taken during the closed session and that the committee will hold a confirmation hearing before the full Senate Transportation Committee on Wednesday at 10:30 a.m., the chair said.

The nominees the committee found qualified were James Burns, Daniel Elvey, Barnwell Fishburne and Robert Raine. Burns, introduced as a nominee with prior service in state government, thanked the committee and described the ports as “our key economic driver.” James Burns, nominee for the Ports Authority, said, “A thriving port is a thriving state,” and told members he would act “in the best interest of the state” when voting on Authority business.

The committee record shows a member recused himself from votes on two other candidates, saying he had received campaign contributions and had a family relation to one of the nominees; that recusal was noted for the record. The chair also said two proxies were used: Representative Murphy’s proxy was cast by Representative Brewer, and a senator’s proxy was cast by the chair; both proxies were recorded as voting aye.

Committee members asked nominees about how they would balance gubernatorial direction with their duty to the Authority. Burns said he would take what he called “tough conversations” with the governor if necessary and repeatedly said he would act according to what he believed was the state’s best interest. Robert Raine, a nominee who serves on Spartanburg City Council and leads a hotel development firm, said he would “explain my position to the governor” and, if necessary, do what he judged best for the port and the state.

Daniel Elvey described long involvement in economic development and cited his interest in inland ports and freight rail links that move containers between inland sites and Charleston. Barnwell Fishburne, introduced with prior service on the Department of Transportation commission, said he would weigh operational and managerial matters carefully and pointed to long-term infrastructure projects that affect port capacity.

Motions to find nominees qualified were made and carried by voice vote; the committee reported the names and scheduled the next confirmation steps. The chair reminded nominees that additional questions from executive management and the Authority’s chair may be asked before the nominees appear before the full Senate committee.

The hearing record notes that some nominees will be asked back to answer further questions before the Senate floor vote. The committee adjourned after completing the agenda.