$1.4 million for veterans has gone to one college’s equestrian program.

Over 4 years, those tax dollars flowed through 3 state social service agencies to the Lander University equestrian center.

Our investigation found that little was spent to help veterans and others served by those agencies.

In fact, not one cent of $500,000 that the small, public liberal arts school in Greenwood received last year was spent for a veterans’ therapy program that was never started.

Instead, $1.4 million was spent on routine operating expenses for the equestrian center used by the university’s students, to buy a bus and renovate an off-campus building that the school bought in 2017, according to a school records and a top university official.

Although the $1.4 million represents a small part of the multibillion-dollar state budget, it reveals a larger problem: tax dollars funneled by lawmakers with little accountability.

Former Rep. Mike Pitts of Laurens County who resigned from office in January pushed for state funding to launch the veterans’ therapy program.

His sister, Rhonda Pitts, a licensed professional counselor who retired in 2017 from the SC Vocational Rehabilitation Department, was to manage it.

Another collective $900,000 was directed over 3 prior years through the state disabilities and mental health departments for the equestrian centers.

Lander did not respond to written questions seeking details on expenses for the center, and the percentage of funds spent directly on serving clients of the state disabilities and mental health agencies.

Brundrett is the news editor of The Nerve. Contact him at 803-254-4411 or rick@the-nerve.org .