Stephen Colbert offers to fund, name South Carolina Republican primary; party says no thanks

Stephen Colbert apparently won't have a hand in the Republican presidential primary in his home state of South Carolina. But it's not for lack of trying.

Colbert wrote an op-ed piece for The State newspaper in Columbia, S.C., detailing his efforts to fund the state's GOP primary, which takes place Jan. 21. Earlier this year, the state Republican party and counties had a dispute over who should pay for the election, with the counties saying the party reneged on a promise to pick up the tab.

Enter Colbert and his super PAC fund-raising organization, which he references frequently on "The Colbert Report" but which is very real and operates the same way other super PACs do.

"I called up the South Carolina GOP and said, 'How much cash would you have to raise to keep your promise to counties? Off the record; I'll never tell a soul,'" he writes. "They said, '$400,000.' I said, 'I can cover that. No strings attached.'"

There were, of course, strings attached. Colbert says he wanted naming rights -- the election would be called The Colbert Super PAC South Carolina Republican Primary -- and to put a non-binding referendum on the ballot related to corporate personhood. He also says the state GOP agreed to everything -- which the party now denies.

"Stephen Colbert, the private citizen, called out of the clear blue and made an unsolicited offer to help his home state," Matt Moore, executive director of the state's Republican Party, tells the Los Angeles Times. "We were intrigued and met with him, but also wary. We determined it was not in the state party's best interests to accept Mr. Colbert's offers. Everything was not 'agreed to.' We did not sign his proposed contract."

The state Supreme Court later ruled that counties would have to pay for the election, but Colbert is still offering to pay for it, with money going to the counties instead of the party.

"The counties need the money, and Colbert Super PAC wants to give it to you; call it a Christmas Miracle," Colbert writes. "I've already filled out the check, and to prove it's no joke, I've written "No Joke" in the memo line. I'm going to be home in South Carolina over the holidays, so just give me a call."

Your move, South Carolina.