By Mola Lenghi
Friday, September 25, 2009 at 5:01 p.m.
Read more: Local, Representative Tracy Edge, Slave Master, Mayor Retha Pierce, Atlantic Beach
State Representative Tracy Edge of North Myrtle Beach is responding, after the mayor of Atlantic Beach compared him to a slave master.
Embattled Mayor Retha Pierce and community members gathered at a restaurant in Atlantic Beach Thursday night. They say there are state and county officials working in the shadows with the town to set Pierce up and ensure that Atlantic Beach does not prosper.
Pierce said, "I've been falsely accused and you're not giving me my day in court, oh master, master, Representative Edge, don't whip me no more. I've already been to jail 4 times that's whipping enough. And I'm gonna stand, I'm gonna stand for my people! I'm gonna stand for Atlantic Beach!"
Pierce was referring to Edge's call for the governor to remove her from office after she had been arrested for the 4th time in two years. Friday, Representative Edge released this statement: "Mayor Pierce has been arrested 4 times in the past 18 months. This is a very sad case. Clearly she has serious problems that make her unfit to serve as mayor. On a personal level, I feel compassion for her and I hope she will get the help she needs to get her life in order. But the citizens of Atlantic Beach need and deserve a mayor capable of doing the job. They don't have that now."
Full story on Thursday night meeting.
Full story on Pierce's latest arrest.