Honea Path, SC| Over a month ago, upstatenewstoday.com was contacted regarding Mayor Christopher Burton and what citizens call corruption in the Mayor’s Office. Days after Hurricane Helene tore through the Town of Honea Path, witnesses state they saw the Mayor, his wife, and three police officers in uniform in the City of Belton at a house located at 313 Overbrook Dr/ Palmetto Parkway. They were at the house to pickup furniture. Neighbors stated that they saw three police officers get out of an unmarked police vehicle, but to the neighbors, it was not unusual for police to be at the house. Neighbors stated there have been many problems with the residents of the house. Eyewitnesses in the Palmetto Parkway area of Belton stated that a black truck was following behind a lady who seemed visibly upset. Other neighbors reported that the lady seemed to be in a verbal altercation with the driver of the truck. Later, both parties were identified as the Mayor of Honea Path, Christopher Burton, and his wife, Erin Burton.
Upstatenewstoday.com got involved with this situation after a closed-door executive session took place. During the meeting, a discussion took place about the Mayor paying the Town back for the officer’s time. The three police officers were on the Town’s time clock during this adventure. The former Town’s Attorney, Jimmy King, stated within the meeting that if anyone leaked information out of the meeting, then he would have them arrested. Soon after we got involved, we sent several FOIA ( Freedom of Infomation Act) requests to the Town of Honea Path. Five days after our first request went out, the Town’s long-time attorney abruptly resigned.
Hurricane Helene Damage 2024
During the course of this investigation, we have learned quite a lot about the Town of Honea Path. Several reports have suggested that the Mayor was at one point intimate with the former town clerk and treasurer, Leslie Walker. Walker was also intimate with former Police Captain Kevin Elder. During a text message exchange between Kevin Elder and Mayor Burton, Burton told Kevin Elder that Leslie Walker was his piece of a*s. The Town of Honea Path last year was riddled with many scandals and money problems. At one point, the Town of Honea Path was in discussion about using a TAN (Tax Anticipation Notice.) This is where the Town can borrow money on what taxes they anticipate coming in the coming months.
We have also reported the new Town Clerk and Treasurer, Amanda “Mandy” Porter, who is the Mayor’s Ex-Wife. We recently reported on the financial crisis Porter is in.
The citizens of the Town have questioned Porter’s appointment to her position and also asked how it was it legal for Mayor Burton to use his on-the-clock town employees for his benefit.
Mayor Christopher Burton is employed full-time at Greenville Technical College. On their website, he is listed as Christopher Burton, Assistant Professor
Mechatronics Technology A.S., Tri-County Technical College.
Many residents we have spoken to have said it is time for Mayor Burton to resign.
Upstatenewstoday.com reached out to Mayor Christopher Burton for comment on this matter, but it seems we have been blocked from calling and or texting him. We sent an email asking for a comment as well. As of this posting he has not reached back out to us.
