The attorney said Williams has proof of her paternity, although she is willing to submit to DNA testing to scientifically establish her relationship to Thurmond.
Williams has a note written by Thurmond that proves her claim, Wheaton said. He will not say exactly what the note says or even how Williams came to possess it, other than to say it was delivered by a "person inside of the family."
"This is part of our physical and tangible evidence that we intend to keep private," Wheaton said.
By using the term "evidence," Wheaton said he is not implying "there is legal action being taken," but he also said it is "evidence of supporting documents and information and materials, if they had to be brought forth to support her claim — if there was a claim."
South Carolina Congressman Joe Wilson, who is aligned with the neo-Confederate movement, has a strong reaction to the revelation, though he does not acknowledge the apparent truth of it. The State printed his letter to the editor.
The State was correct that I consider the revelations concerning Senator Thurmond unseemly and "an attack after he's dead."
I also agree with your reporter who suggested that it was similar to the charges made against Thomas Jefferson, but it was left out that I also immediately compared it to last week's revelations that Abraham Lincoln may have been secretly born in North Carolina. Some attacks on the dead are simply tawdry.
The onslaught of titillating rumors may sell newspapers, but I much prefer to remember the Senator Thurmond I knew to admire — the war hero of Normandy, the effective governor and the compassionate senator who is the ultimate role model of caring constituent service.
When our statesmen are dead and buried, unable to defend themselves, please let them remain interred in peace.
I utterly disagree with Wilson. Thurmond, a shameless self-promoter who was not reluctant to 'out nigger' his fellow Southern conservatives, a euphenism for exploiting racism to garner votes, manipulated his daughter, the press and his family well enough to keep his hypocritical behavior unconfirmed while he was alive. However, his death does not elevate his chicanery to some hallowed status as Wilson seems to believe. The truth is the truth. When that truth involves an important public figure, we all learn significant information about how our society works by examining it.
Article comments
1 - Al Barger
Diva, if anything you took it too easy on Thurmond. I will note, however, that being "pro-defense and anti-government social programs" does not in any way imply racism, which seems to be the point of that statement. Defending the country means defending black folks as much as white.
Joe Wilson is a grade-A jackass for considering the simple revelation of the paternity of Thurmond's daughter an "attack." I would seriously love to slap the taste out of his mouth for that.
2 - Mac Diva
Wilson has to switch it around so that Ol' Strom emerges blameless, Barger. So, the woman's paternity somehow becomes her fault. And, she is being an uppity you-know-what for speaking out about it -- when she is nearly 80. Weird, but that is how those guys think.
It was serendipity that Earl has written a piece about his granddaughters' other grand -- Strom Thurmond. That really brings the truth home. As long as their are descendants of the old goat, some of them will be wearing what he and his followers consider the 'wrong' color.
Thurmond's manipulativeness was amazing. He gave Ms. Essie just enough attention to keep her from waking up and smelling something nasty while he was alive. Any less, and she might have spoken out. Any more, and the 'mystery' might have been confirmed by those watching him. He was very smart in his own twisted way.
3 - eddie corbett jr
talk about hypocrisy, anybody remember sen.bryd, sen. friz hollings,sen. al gore sr. etc. etc. no one ever mentions that bill clintons political mentor ( i forget the senators name) was a devout racist. this type of claimed hypocrisy is killing the lefts credibility.
4 - Mac Diva
Seems to me that the hypocrisy of the Southern oligarchy has a lot more impact on the GOP since the Southern Strategy has made the white South Republican.
And, yes, I am aware of Sen. Byrd's brief membership in the Klan, which he has spent decades regretting and apologizing for. That is a heck of a lot different than going to one's grave without ever apologizing for being a racist or acknowledging one's child, as Strom Thurmond did.