Residents urge council to consider an ethical investment policy and raise concerns about Elbit and county incentives

During public comment at Tuesday’s meeting, several residents urged Charleston County to adopt an ethical investment policy prohibiting public investments in corporations the commenters said are complicit in severe human-rights violations under international law. Speakers repeatedly referenced Elbit and local incentives previously granted to the company.

Harvey Bennett cited Alameda County, California’s recently adopted ethical investment policy and “strongly urge[d] the council to give due consideration to adopting an investment policy similar to that of Alameda County.” Robert Fields and other speakers identified Elbit Technologies’ local presence and urged the county to reconsider tax breaks and public funds associated with such companies. Fields told council he “vehemently oppose[d] this issue” and said he was “not complicit in genocide.”

Other commenters expressed similar moral objections and urged the council to examine company contracts and incentives. Ross Whitfield and Colin Holloway spoke about the moral implications of allowing companies they described as supplying weapons to conflict zones to operate in the county; Holloway said, “Every day that they are open here, there's blood on our hands.” Christopher Neuhard read testimony and community statements describing local and international concerns.

Council did not take formal action on investment policy at the meeting. Several council members later referenced the public comments in broader budget and incentive discussions but no motion or referral to draft a new policy was recorded in the minutes excerpt.