James submitted her resignation, effective immediately, Monday. She has served on Clemson City Council since 1996.
Her resignation comes nearly a month after Gov. Mark Sanford suspended James from serving on council, pending the outcome of her trials in Pickens and Greenville counties on multiple charges.
Following a joint investigation by the State Law Enforcement Division and the Thirteenth Circuit Solicitors Office, James was arrested in September.
Investigators allege that James submitted a false cancer claim on behalf of her daughter, Kristen James, in order to get her daughter excused from a court appearance. She allegedly forged a statement from the Cancer Center of the Carolinas, police said.
James also allegedly collected money fraudulently, again on behalf of her daughter.
In Pickens County, James faces two counts of obtaining goods by false pretenses and one charge of exploitation of a vulnerable adult.
James allegedly used her power of attorney to reverse the mortgage on her mother’s home in order to raise funds for her daughter’s legal fees, police said.
In Greenville County, she faces two counts of forgery and one count of obstruction of justice.
Pickens County Director of Registrations and Elections Rodney Allen said a special election will be held Tuesday, Feb. 9 to fill the vacant council seat.
Filing for that election begins 12 p.m. Friday, Dec. 4 and will close 12 p.m. Monday, Dec. 14.
Candidates interested in running for the seat will file at Clemson City Hall. Filing fee is $10, Allen said.
A run-off, if necessary, will be held Tuesday, Feb. 9.
“Because this is a special election, with only one seat to fill, if only one candidate files, and nobody declares to be a write-in candidate within 14 days of the close of filing, we won’t have an election,” Allen said.
Write-in candidates can declare at Clemson City Hall.
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