A South Carolina Democrat state lawmaker was arrested on Friday for presenting and pointing a handgun at a Democrat polling location on primary day.
On June 9, State Rep. Michael Rivers (D-St. Helena Island) retrieved a handgun from the glove compartment in his vehicle and pointed it at a relative of his opponent.
Michael Rivers engaged in a “brief verbal altercation” over the political campaign for his seat. He faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison for the felony pointing charge.
Rivers lost his primary to Shannon DeLocach.
An attorney for Rivers said his client is innocent.
“Representative Rivers is asserting his innocence to this accusation levied against him by a political opponent. Michael has served admirably in the State Legislature and he is a retired member United States military. He has been an upstanding citizen for nearly seven decades. We ask for the public to withhold judgment until the facts come to light and this matter is resolved in a Court of law,” the attorney, Seth Rose, said in a statement to WIS.
Rivers was released on a $15,000 bond.