After N.C. meltdown for Democrats, former committeeman arrested in S.C.
Friday, April 20, 2012 at 11:20AM 
As North Carolina Democrats watch a meltdown sparked by scandals related to top party officials, in neighboring South Carolina, a scandal is also rocking Democrats.
Media have reported the arrest of Christopher Lykes. A state employee, Lykes also served on the executive committee of the party in an influential county.
The area daily newspaper said:
“Christopher Lykes Jr., 36, of Swansea, was arrested Thursday and charged with five counts of violating medical confidentiality laws and one count of disclosure of confidential information, according to SLED. Lykes also is a former member of the executive committee of the Lexington County Democratic Party.”
Lykes allegedly breached security for more than 228,000 Medicaid enrollees, sending “names, phone numbers, addresses, birth dates and Medicare ID numbers … to his unsecured, personal email account.”
Lykes apparently worked for the state Health and Human Services Agency.
Most are probably thinking he was going to use the data for personal gain. However, since he was a committeeman for the party, could he have been doing a little potential voter registration on his own, using state records for the purpose?
Who knows?
Estimated initial price for the security breach is detailed:
“To protect all of the clients whose information was compromised, the state has contracted with identity protection firm Experian to provide each of them a free credit report, daily credit monitoring and a $1 million identity theft insurance policy. That protection will cost the state $800,000 to $1 million…”
That figure is without possible fines levied by other state and federal agencies.
One Democrat cost the cash-strapped state of S.C. at least $1 million.
At least the N.C. scandal costs fell on the party rather than the government.
Let it not be forgotten the population Lykes allegedly targeted is among the most vulnerable in the Palmetto State.
(Filed by Kay B. Day/April 20, 2012)
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