THE TRUTH ABOUT CHILD SUPPORT WHAT THIS CASE IS REALLY ABOUT THE CASE IS ALREADY UNRAVELING A SHAMEFUL ATTACK ON MY FAMILY TYLER HID THE FACTS THE SMEAR MACHINE BEHIND THIS MY RESPONSE TO MY SUPPORTERS THE ROAD AHEAD
All court documents are included below, pulled directly from the Charleston County Clerk of Court public records. Read them yourself and see the truth. Or go look them up and see for yourself. Get in touch with me if you have been slandered by this Substack or by Tyler Bessinger. Slander, defamation, and harassment must be confronted and stopped.
This album lays out the hypocrisy in plain sight. Johnnie Garmon claims to be a champion of unity and heritage, yet he paints himself as a victim of racism while running to represent the very communities he disparages. He says he lived in an all-Black neighborhood and went to a school where a famous African American once attended — as if that proves he shared their struggle. But let’s be real: Michael Jordan is 62, Johnnie is 50 — a 12-year gap. Jordan graduated long before Johnnie ever set foot in that school. I guarantee Johnnie never endured racism the way Jordan did. That’s not empathy — that’s shameless pandering for the Black vote. And what does Michael Jordan or North Carolina have to do with District 115 here in Charleston? Absolutely nothing.
For Tyler Bessinger to write Johnnie’s campaign story, he had to speak directly with him. And here’s the kicker: Johnnie already knew Tyler’s history. Weeks ago, I ran a story exposing Tyler for what he really is — a man with a past rooted in hatred where he acknowleges his group members were promoting racism, tied to the Secessionist Party, pushing “Dixie Rising Again,” and even forced into a settlement with the NAACP after a member "John Doe" taking a photo of two Black children holding a Confederate flag without their parents’ permission. That’s the equivalent of forcing two Jewish children to pose with a Nazi swastika. The NAACP settlement makes it crystal clear — if Tyler ever tries to revive that movement, he owes up to one million dollars. On top of that, in a conversation relayed by journalist who spoke with Tyler, Tyler Bessenger allegedly stated that he collected Nazi memorabilia. This was reported to Carlton Walker directly and is presented here as such. That’s not heritage, that’s exploitation and extremism.
And yet, knowing all of this, Johnnie still allowed Tyler to write for him. He gave him the platform to publish a story framing himself as a white victim of racism, while pretending to honor Gullah Geechee heritage. That isn’t just hypocrisy — it’s willful complicity. I, Carlton Walker, would never allow anyone with that kind of past anywhere near my campaign.
Johnnie has only lived here 18 months, yet he drapes himself in Gullah Geechee heritage as if it were his own. That’s shameful. As one African American woman from Johns Island said when asked how many Gullah Geechee families still live behind the gates of Seabrook: “Not a damn one!” She later texted me directly: “Yes, will be willing & glad to work with you on Johns Island for sure, we gotta keep him outta office👍🏿."
The people who truly live here see through the pandering. These photos below and facts tell the story: this isn’t leadership. It’s hypocrisy, exploitation, and a smear machine designed to mislead the voters of District 115.
Johnnie Garmon’s campaign claims he “understands the unique needs of District 115” and will honor Gullah Geechee heritage. But after living here only 18 months, this isn’t understanding — it’s pandering. The real Gullah Geechee community sees through it, because empty words in a campaign flyer don’t erase hypocrisy or outsider politics.
Johnnie Garmon paints himself as the “only white kid” bullied in his neighborhood, claiming victimhood for the color of his skin. Yet today he campaigns as if he’s the defender of Gullah Geechee heritage. You can’t rewrite your past to play both sides — that’s hypocrisy and pure pandering.
Johnnie Garmon points to attending the same high school as Michael Jordan, but the math doesn’t add up. Jordan is 62, Garmon is 50 — a 12-year gap. Jordan graduated long before Garmon ever walked those halls. Trying to borrow credibility from Jordan’s legacy isn’t leadership, it’s shameless pandering for votes.
Johnnie Garmon’s story begins in Greensboro, North Carolina — not Charleston, not James Island, not Johns Island, not Folly Beach, not Kiawah, not Seabrook. He’s a newcomer to District 115, trying to rebrand himself as part of our heritage after just 18 months here. That’s not roots, that’s opportunism.
Tyler Bessinger admits his mission is to stop "Carlton Walker" from ever holding office, then writes a glowing “spotlight” on Johnnie Garmon while pretending the Carolina Courier doesn’t endorse in primaries. That’s bias, plain and simple. And just like his buddy Corey at WTMA, who gave Johnnie two hours on air and refused me even a minute, it violates the federal equal-time rule that requires me
Tyler Bessinger isn’t reporting — he admits his mission is to keep me "Carlton Walker" out of office. That’s not journalism, that’s sabotage.
This case confirms that James Tyler Bessenger, my opponent's vocal defender and political hitman, was the leader of the South Carolina Secessionist Party — a group that was permanently dissolved by court order after photographing two Black children holding Confederate flags without parental permission, then posting the image online to promote pro-Confederate propaganda.
STATEMENT ON TYLER BESSENGER AND THE SECESSIONIST PARTY SCANDAL
In 2019, a Charleston judge permanently dissolved the South Carolina Secessionist Party after it was sued for taking and circulating photos of two Black children holding Confederate flags — without their mother’s consent — to falsely imply support for their cause. The leader of that group? James Tyler Bessenger, the same man now working hand-in-hand with my opponent’s campaign and spreading coordinated attacks against me.
According to court records, Bessenger was ordered to apologize and donate to the NAACP, admitting he had grossly misjudged the true motives behind the flag movement he once led. The party’s websites and social media were shut down for good, and any reactivation could cost them millions in penalties.
This isn’t about political games anymore — this is about judgment, character, and what kind of people you trust to shape your community’s future. If my opponent won’t condemn this behavior or disassociate from the people behind it, then it speaks volumes.
I’m not running to divide — I’m running to build. And no matter how ugly they get, I will continue standing up for truth, decency, and every family in this district.
By Patrick PhillipsUpdated: Feb. 28, 2019 at 5:28 PM EST
CHARLESTON, SC (WCSC) - The South Carolina Secessionist Party has been permanently dissolved after a woman sued the party over photos taken of her children holding Confederate flags.
Alicia Greene filed a civil lawsuit last April against the party over a photo taken of her children at the Battery in downtown Charleston in June 2017.
In the photo, her 7 and 8-year-old children, both black, were holding Confederate flags and that the photo was circulated without her permission in an effort to imply endorsement of the flag.
According to a Ninth Circuit Court of Common Pleas document, the party will now be disbanded and will forever remain dissolved and its "entire web presence," including all websites and social media pages "will be immediately and forever removed or deleted."
The settlement also stipulates that if the party or its web presence is reactivated, all of the defendants will each agree to pay the plaintiffs $1 million each.
One of the defendants, James Tyler Bessenger, who led the party before it was dissolved, agreed to apologize to the plaintiffs for everything they suffered as a result of the incident and agreed to donate $1,000 to the Charleston branch of the NAACP in the name of Greene and her family, the documents state.
The settlement allows Bessenger to retain the right to the name, "South Carolina Secessionist Party" but states he will not give anyone else permission to use it.
"Bessenger does acknowledge that while he became a leader in the Secessionist Party movement because he thought that the people who waved the flag with racist motives were in the vast minority, and that most people were genuinely interested in the historical aspects of the Confederacy, he is now convinced that this is not the case," the document states.
Greene sued for defamation and punitive damages in connection with the photo. She said she was having a picnic in White Point Gardens with her children on the same day the party was holding a pro-flag rally in the park.
The purpose of the rally was to, "Spreading the love to ALL our southern brothers and sisters," according to a party Facebook post cited in the lawsuit.
The lawsuit stated Greene's children went to admire a fire truck nearby at which point party members gave the children Confederate flags and took a photo of the children holding the flags without their permission.
Later that afternoon, the lawsuit states she was made aware that the party had posted the photo of her children holding the flags to the SC Secessionist Party Facebook page with the caption " #TeachTheYouthTheTruth" and "DixieRising".
Greene states she received enough backlash about the post that she was forced to take down her own Facebook page. The post was eventually deleted, but not before it had been public for more than one day, according to the suit.
The lawsuit stated the personality of the children was misrepresented in the post. Greene sued for defamation as well as punitive and actual damages.
With Judge Alex Kinlaw’s approval of the order, the lawsuit is dismissed and Greene is barred from bringing future claims against the defendants.
Copyright 2019 WCSC. All rights reserved.
PURE EVIL! Johnnie should be ashamed to be associated with this guy and his slander of the African American community and Carlton Walker! Between his leadership in the Secessionist Party, his appearance wearing symbols associated with Satanism, and reports of conversations about Nazi memorabilia, voters should carefully consider the judgment and values behind these actions.
These images were sent to me by a supporter who is a current member of the SC House and wants me to win.
