No Evidence State Judge’s Home Was Intentionally Set on Fire (1)

South Carolina law enforcement officials say as of Monday there’s no evidence that someone intentionally set the home of a state court judge on fire.

Circuit Court Judge Diane Goodstein, who was criticized by Trump administration officials for blocking the sharing of voter registration data with the Justice Department, is the owner of a Colleton County home that caught on fire Saturday, according to officials’ statements, property records, and local reports.

Mark Keel, chief of the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), said in a Monday statement that agents “have preliminarily found there is no evidence to support a pre-fire explosion.” He said the investigation is ongoing.

“I urge our citizens, elected officials, and members of the press to exercise good judgment and not share information that has not been verified,” Keel said.

The South Carolina Supreme Court said Sunday that its chief justice is aware of “an incident” involving Goodstein.

A SLED spokesperson also said Monday in response to a question about property tied to Goodstein that the agency is investigating a Saturday house fire in Colleton County.

Property records show that Goodstein and her husband, former South Carolina state lawmaker Arnold Goodstein, own a home in Edisto Island, where the fire took place. Local outlets including the Post and Courier also reported that the fire was at their home.

Goodstein gained national attention, and some criticism from the Trump administration, after she issued a temporary restraining order on Sept. 2 blocking the South Carolina Election Commission from sharing voter registration data with the US Department of Justice.

Harmeet Dhillon, the assistant attorney general overseeing the US DOJ’s civil rights division, said in a Sept. 5 post on X that her division “will not stand for a state court judge’s hasty nullification of our federal voting laws.”

The South Carolina Supreme Court on Sept. 11 lifted the block handed down by Goodstein, calling her order “clearly erroneous.”

The state supreme court said Sunday that local law enforcement were alerted and “asked to provide extra patrols and security.” The statement also said the state’s judicial branch “will remain in close communication” with South Carolina’s State Law Enforcement Division (SLED).

In a Monday statement, the court said the state’s judicial branch “will not be issuing any further comment until law enforcement concludes its investigation.”

“We respectfully suggest that common decency be followed by all in respecting the privacy of the Goodstein family during this difficult time,” the court said.