Judge Issues Permanent Injunction Against Griffin in BW Council Lawsuit
BLYTHEWOOD – A woman who was hired by Blythewood Mayor Sloan Griffin last Nov. 7 as the Town’s Deputy Administrator, has been indicted for allegations of public corruption.
After being hired by Griffin, Tiffany Cooks resigned before ever reporting for work after The Voice published information that she was under criminal investigation by SLED (the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division.)
Attorney General Alan Wilson announced Wednesday, March 12, 2025, that the state grand jury had issued indictments against Cooks and Williamsburg County Sheriff Stephen Renard Gardner. Cooks, a former elected Williamsburg County Supervisor was indicted on the following charges:
- Criminal Conspiracy, § 16-7-410: 0 – 5 years and/or fine of up to $5,000
- Misconduct in Office, Common Law: 0-10 years
- Offering Anything of Value to Influence Action of Public Official Ethics Act Violation, § 8-13-705: 0-10 years and/or $0-$10,000
- Embezzlement, § 16-13-210: 0-10 years and a fine in the discretion of the court
- Money Laundering, Value $20,000 but Less Than $100,000, § 16-9-230: 0-10 years
If convicted on all counts, Cooks could receive up to 45 years in prison.
Gardner was also indicted for Criminal Conspiracy, Misconduct in Office, Receiving Anything of Value to Influence Action of Public Official Ethics Act Violation, Acceptance of Rebates or Extra Compensation, and Money Laundering.
The indictments generally allege that Cooks and Gardner conspired a “scheme to improperly pay thousands of dollars of government funds to Gardner for overtime pay, and avoid taxes or withholdings on the amounts paid, by routing the government money to Gardner under the guise of checks written to a third party,” according to the indictment.
The indictments also allege that Gardner “secretly obtain[ed]” and Cooks “secretly provide[d] personal profit and benefit to Gardner by having government funds, above and beyond Gardner’s legitimate salary, improperly paid to him.”
The funds in question were part of $5.5M in ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) money that Williamsburg County received during COVID, according to the prosecution.
On Friday, March 14, a Richland County Circuit Judge released Cooks on a $100,000 personal recognizance bond, and did the same for Gardner.
Chief Attorney for the state grand jury Creighton Waters and Assistant Attorney General Savanna Goude are prosecuting the case.
The Blythewood Connection
Griffin arbitrarily hired Cooks last fall – without council’s knowledge – as the Town was searching for an assistant town administrator, even though Cooks had not applied for the position. Griffin later told council members that he knew Cooks when she previously worked for FEMA. Cooks had applied for the administrator’s position earlier last year but, by law, council hires the administrator, and the majority of council did not select Cooks.
After hiring Cooks, Griffin also changed her title from assistant town administrator to deputy town administrator – a position that was not budgeted – and paid her an annual salary of $90,000, again without the knowledge of council.
When asked to comment on Cook’s hiring process, Councilman Rich McKenrick and Mayor Pro Tem Donald Brock responded.
“It would be my hope that our Town government follow established procedures while hiring for any town position,” McKenrick said. “Our town leaders should be looking for the most qualified individuals through the interview process and consider all available information when considering a candidate, specifically, in this particular matter that involved an ongoing SLED investigation that was publicized in the media.”
Brock said he had questions not only about the candidate’s circumstances, but about the hiring process in general.
“It’s my position that the hiring of Ms. Cooks under these circumstances is quite concerning. I have numerous questions for the mayor regarding this hire and look forward to having them answered,” said Brock. “The SLED investigation not withstanding, the fact that the hiring process appears to have been circumvented is also concerning.
“I feel these questions must be addressed by the entire governing body. We are the stewards of the Town and must be diligent in all aspects of the Town’s operations,” Brock said.
After Cooks resigned from the Deputy Administrator position, Griffin issued a press release on Dec. 5, 2024, in which he blamed the council and The Voice for Cooks’ departure.
The press release – written in third person – stated: “Mayor Griffin expresses his concern and disappointment over the actions of some members of Town Council and the local media, whose unfounded claims have caused unnecessary harm.”
Griffin did not say what claims were unfounded or what harm was done by council and the media. The Voice was the only local media to report that Cooks was being investigated by SLED.
Council Defunds Positions
In a special called meeting, also on Dec. 5, 2024, town council members voted 4-0 (Griffin was not present), to pass the first of two readings to amend the Town’s current budget effecting a staff reduction to eliminate certain full-time positions that had been funded in the budget: assistant administrator, assistant to the administrator, human resources director, and lobbyist.
The two other positions that were arbitrarily filled by Griffin – deputy administrator (Cooks) and multi-media specialist (Robert Kelly) – were never funded in the budget.
On that same day, Griffin requested an attorney general’s opinion as to whether, among other things, the town council could lawfully amend a municipality’s budget so as to usurp a “strong Mayor’s” responsibility and duty to appoint municipal employees.
AG’s Opinion
In an answer to the mayor’s request, the attorney general responded on Jan. 24, 2025. Town attorney Pete Balthazar summarized that answer during the Jan. 27 council meeting.
“The Attorney General said ‘yes’ [council is authorized to approve the budget] with a caveat that council cannot do it in such a way that would completely strip the mayor’s powers under SC Statute 9-5-30, which lists the powers the mayor has under the mayor-council form of government.
Executive Order #3
On Jan. 31, 2025. Griffin issued Executive Order No. 3 in which he ordered the reinstatement of positions and employees (with back pay) who were recently defunded by council. This order would have reinstated both Cooks and Kelly.
Griffin’s order was to take effect immediately, returning impacted employees to their roles on Feb. 4, 2025.
Council Wins Permanent Injunction
In a contentious special called meeting on Monday, Feb. 3, 2025, Blythewood Town Council members voted 4-1 to authorize the town’s attorney to file for a temporary and permanent injunction against Griffin to stop him from implementing the executive order (#3).
Griffin voted against.
A court ruling handed down March 17, 2025, granted Town of Blythewood council members a permanent injunction prohibiting Griffin from enforcing his Executive Order #3 and from hiring town hall employees unless town council has authorized funding for those positions.
Common Pleas Judge Daniel Coble ruled that the permanent injunction will remain in effect until overturned on appeal or modified
