Wilson Commends Appointment of Ms. Swati Shah Patel to South Carolina Governor's Cabinet

Today, Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.) congratulated Ms. Swati Shah Patel on her appointment as Deputy Chief Counsel to newly sworn Governor Mark Sanford (R-S.C.)."I am very excited that Governor Sanford has chosen to hire Ms. Patel as part of his new administration," said Rep. Wilson, Co-Chair of the U.S. House Caucus on India and Indian Americans."Ms. Patel is an extraordinary individual, and I am confident she will do a wonderful job while serving with Governor. As the Co-Chair of the India Caucus, I am always excited to see such talented Indian Americans elevated to high ranking Administration positions both on the state and federal level."Swati Shah Patel was one of the first Indian Americans admitted to practice law in South Carolina. Upon graduation from the University of South Carolina School of Law in 1997, Ms. Patel was hired as an attorney on the South Carolina House of Representatives' Judiciary Committee, where she worked for Chairman Jim Harrison (R-Richland County). Rep. Wilson and Chairman Harrison are longtime friends and Army JAG officers, and they worked together on Judiciary issues when Rep. Wilson served in the S.C. State Senate from 1984-2001.Governor Sanford previously served three terms in Congress, representing the First Congressional District of South Carolina from 1994-2000. He was elected Governor of South Carolina and sworn in on January 15, 2003.###