John Knotts

John Knotts
South Carolina State Senate District 23
Retired
In office
2002-2012
Party	Republican
Elections and appointments
Last election	2012
First elected	2002
Next election	November 6, 2012
Term limits	N/A
Prior offices
South Carolina State House of Representatives
1994-2002
Education
Bachelor's	University of South Carolina, 1982
Military service
Service/branch	United States Navy
Years of service	1964-1968
Personal
Birthday	December 12, 1944
Place of birth	West Columbia, SC
Profession	Certified Firearms Instructor
Websites
Office website

The information about this individual is current as of when his or her last campaign ended. See anything that needs updating? Send a correction to our editors

John "Jake" Knotts Jr. (b. December 12, 1944) is a former Republican member of the South Carolina State Senate representing District 23 from 2002-2012.

Knotts served in the South Carolina State House from 1994 to 2002. He joined the South Carolina State Senate in 2002 and served there until his defeat in 2012.

Knotts worked as the Private Sector Director of Corporate Security for the Chambers Development Council Southern Region. He served in the United States Navy in Vietnam from 1964 to 1968. In 1989 he was a Firearms Instructor for SLED. He worked in Law Enforcement for the Columbia Police Department from 1968 to 1996. He has been a Certified Firearms Instructor since 1996.

Knotts attended the Palmer College Association of Criminal Justice in 1974. He then attended the Midlands Technical College Association of Corrections Administration in 1975. He attended FBI Academy in 1977. He went on to receive his BA from the University of South Carolina in 1982.

Committee assignments

2011-2012

In the 2011-2012 legislative session, Knotts served on the following committees:

• Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee, South Carolina State Senate
• Fish, Game and Forestry Committee, South Carolina State Senate
• General Committee, South Carolina State Senate
• Invitations Committee, South Carolina State Senate, Chair
• Judiciary Committee, South Carolina State Senate
• Rules Committee, South Carolina State Senate

2009-2010

In the 2009-2010 legislative session, Knotts served on the following committees:

• Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee, South Carolina Senate
• Fish, Game and Forestry Committee, South Carolina Senate
• General Committee, South Carolina Senate
• Invitations Committee, South Carolina Senate
• Judiciary Committee, South Carolina Senate
• Rules Committee, South Carolina Senate

Elections

2012

See also: South Carolina State Senate elections, 2012

Knotts ran for election in the 2012 election for South Carolina State Senate District 23. Knotts ran unopposed in the June 12 Republican primary and was defeated by Katrina Shealy (R-Petition) in the general election, which took place on November 6, 2012.

South Carolina State Senate, District 23, General Election, 2012
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican (Petition)	Katrina Shealy	51.1%	16,716
	Republican	John Knotts Incumbent	43.7%	14,298
	Constitution	David R. Whetsell	4.9%	1,596
	Other	Write-Ins	0.4%	125
Total Votes				32,735

2008

Knotts won re-election for District 23 of the South Carolina State Senate with 35,153 votes, ahead of write-ins (708).

He raised $446,219 for his campaign.

South Carolina State Senate, District 23
Candidates		Votes
Jake Knotts (R)		35,153
Write-ins		708

Campaign donors

2008

Knotts raised $446,219 in the 2008 election cycle.

His top contributors are listed below.

Donor	Amount
Jake Knotts	$24,113
Senate Republican Caucus of South Carolina	$10,000
South Carolina Healthcare Association	$3,000
SCANA Corporation	$2,500
Moore, Taylor & Thomas	$2,500
Bluestein, Nichols, Thompson & Delgado	$2,400
McWhirter, Bellinger & Associates	$2,250

Roll call voting

In South Carolina, only 25 percent of all bills were recorded during last year's session. A roll-call voting bill passed the House in the June 2010 session but that bill died in the Senate. Senator Glenn McConnell and Senator Knotts contested the bill in the Senate - preventing it from moving forward.

Controversies

"Raghead" comment

Knotts called Republican gubernatorial candidate Nikki Haley a “raghead” while apppearing on an Internet political talk show on June 3, 2010. The term is a slur typically used against Arabs or other ethnic groups who wear turbans or headdresses. Haley, a state representative from Lexington, is the child of Indian immigrants who was raised a Sikh but converted to Christianity as an adult.

“We already got one raghead in the White House,” Knotts said. “We don’t need another in the Governor’s Mansion.”

Knotts told The Free Times that he believed Haley had been set up by a network of Sikhs and was programmed to run for governor of South Carolina by outside influences in foreign countries. He claimed she is hiding her religion and he wanted the voters to know about it.

Sanford disappearance

Knotts also raised some eyebrows with comments made when Gov. Mark Sanford disappeared for several days in June 2009, on what was later revealed to be a rendezvous with a woman in South America. Knotts, a longtime Sanford foe, questioned who was leading the state should a disaster occur: "Who is at the helm? The way Iran is acting up, and what about weather catastrophes? Hopefully no decision has to be made."

A few days later, Knotts called for a "full-blown" investigation into Sanford's actions.

Legislative salary

In October 2010, The Nerve reported that although Knotts lives in West Columbia, less than 10 miles from the State House in downtown Columbia, he received subsistence payments of nearly $26,500 for the 2.5-year period between January 2008 and July 2010. The money is supposed to reimburse lawmakers for hotel stays and meals while on legislative business, whether the General Assembly is in or out of session. Knotts' total for the 30-month period - $26,462, to be precise - was the highest among Midlands senators and the sixth-highest among the 55 current or former senators who served during the two-and-a-half-year timeframe, according to The Nerve’s analysis.

Censure

In mid-June 2010, the Lexington County Republican Party voted overwhelmingly 25-7 to censure him for his comments regarding Haley and demanded his resignation.

In response, Knotts said he "could care less" and would not resign. In a separate interview, he said the censure was "all politics," and warned that libertarians had "infiltrated" the party. He said he had not called Haley to personally apologize and that the "press has given Nikki Haley a free ride." When a reporter asked where the press had failed to hold her accountable, Knotts said, "have you ever asked her if she believes in Jesus Christ as her lord and savior and that he died on the cross for her sins? Have you ever asked her that?"

Personal

Knotts and his wife Betty Lee have two children.

External links

Suggest a link

• Legislative profile from Project Vote Smart
• Biography from Project Vote Smart
• Campaign Contributions: 2008, 2006, 2004, 2002, 2000, 1998, 1996

References

Political offices
Preceded by Addison G. "Joe" Wilson	South Carolina State Senate - District 23 2002–2012	Succeeded by Katrina Shealy (R)