Lorraine Williams Garrett, 96, of Florence, S.C, has been in a nursing home for the past three years and is currently suffering from memory problems, but she is listed on State Treasurer Richard Moore’s most recent financial disclosure report as having donated $1,000 to his political campaign fund.

But it wasn’t Garrett herself who gave the money. Instead, it was her nephew, Reynolds Williams, also from Florence, who said he gave the money to Moore at the behest of a brother-in-law who lives in Wilson, N.C. Williams told CJ that he has power of attorney for Garrett for financial matters.

Carolina Journal located Garrett at United Methodist Manor, a private nursing facility in Florence, but Diane Summers, a staff nurse, said Garrett suffered from dementia and was not able to come to the phone. Summers said she was surprised to learn about the political contribution since Garrett is “not able to do anything.” Summers said Garrett had been at the facility for more than three years.

The donation, listed on Moore’s most recent financial disclosure report, was received on Dec. 27. Garrett’s occupation is listed as retired, and her address as 2100 Twin Church Road in Florence, which is the same address as United Methodist Manor.

Williams said that he was not familiar with Richard Moore. He said he was a Republican and never gave to Democrats, but he made the contribution at the request of his brother-in-law Allen Thomas, an attorney from Wilson. He acknowledged that his aunt has “very little short-term memory,” but said he doesn’t believe that she has been diagnosed with dementia.

On Dec. 27, the Moore political committee also reported $1,000 contributions from Allen Thomas and his wife Lynette Thomas.
A $500 contribution was reported from Allen Thomas’s brother Vincent Thomas, an optometrist from Wilson. Another $500 was reported from Allen Thomas’s niece Catherine Thomas, an attorney with his law firm.

Allen Thomas told CJ that he has met Lorraine Garrett but had not seen her for years. He said he was aware that she was in a nursing home but did not know what her mental condition was. He confirmed that he asked his brother-in law for the money. “I don’t have a problem with the contribution,” he said.

Late Thursday Julie White, a senior advisor for communications in the treasurer’s office, returned a call to CJ to discuss the contribution. When told that Garrett lived in a nursing home and may have dementia, White said that if Moore had known that he would never have accepted the money. She said if it were true the money would be returned.

“I am sure she would like to get it back,” Williams said when told that the Moore campaign may be returning his aunt’s contribution. Calls made to the Treasurer’s office to see if any decision had been made — by the Treasurer’s office or Moore’s campaign — on what to do with the contribution were not returned as of late Friday.

The State Board of Elections, which is currently holding hearings to address legal issues associated with donations to House Speaker Jim Black, will seek further information and will look into the Garrett donation, election board attorney Don Wright told CJ on Friday. The board has already referred four persons to the Wake County district attorney for possible prosecution.

Moore is in his second term as state treasurer. His campaign report showed that he had cash on hand of over $1.5 million at the end of 2005. He may use those funds to run again for treasurer or, as many have speculated, for governor.

Don Carrington is executive editor of Carolina Journal