Charleston County council votes to require county boards and commissions to take constitutional oath after heated public comment

CHARLESTON, S.C. — Charleston County Council voted 5–4 Tuesday to require members of county boards and commissions to take the oath of office to the South Carolina and U.S. constitutions in conformance with the state Attorney General's opinion, after more than an hour of public comments and extended council debate.

The action came after roughly 15 residents and community members addressed the council during the public-comment portion focused on the Charleston County Public Library and its trustees. The council's final directive instructs county boards and commissions to administer the constitutional oath; council members said the requirement is intended to match the Attorney General's legal interpretation and to provide uniform guidance for county-appointed officials.

Why it matters: The vote responds to a public controversy over whether Charleston County Library Board of Trustees members must take a constitutional oath. Speakers from across the political spectrum urged the council to either protect local control and avoid politicizing the library or to require a formal oath of loyalty to constitutional duties. Council members also debated whether the South…