There’s no question that state Sen. Nikki Setzler is the proud father of four children.
There’s also little dispute that the Lexington County Democrat is one of South Carolina’s most influential lawmakers, having served in the Senate for more than 36 years and currently holding the title of Senate minority leader.
In recent years, his private and public roles have intersected, as his daughter, Amber Barnes, is the director of government relations and a paid lobbyist for the South Carolina Bankers Association (SCBA), a nonprofit trade organization that tracks various state legislation. Setzler listed his daughter's position on his annual statements of economic interests filed with the State Ethics Commission from 2010 through 2012, though she isn’t listed on his most recent statement filed on April. 15.
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An investigation by The Nerve found that Setzler this year voted for six new laws supported by the SCBA.
The Nerve also found that Setzler's West Columbia law firm, Setzler & Scott, has represented three other lobbyists in legal matters since 2007, including two last year, collecting a total of nearly $26,000 in legal fees from them.