South Carolina Democratic Party Chairman Trav Robertson called Tuesday for state Attorney General Alan Wilson to investigate whether Lt. Gov. Kevin Bryant cast improper votes on budget measures as a state senator while his pharmacy was receiving Medicaid payments.

Bryant said in a recent interview that he repeatedly checked with Senate attorneys who assured him he could vote on budget measures even though Bryant Pharmacy & Supply was receiving payments from South Carolina's Medicaid program.

The Republican from Anderson, who is running for governor, served in the Senate from 2005 until he became lieutenant governor in January. He has a 30 percent ownership stake in the pharmacy on North Main Street in Anderson that his father founded more than 50 years ago.

In a news release sent to the Independent Mail on Tuesday, Robertson said, "It is illegal for an elected official to personally profit or vote on legislation that would impact his or her business interests.

"It is the duty of Attorney General Alan Wilson to investigate and prosecute all wrongdoing by our elected officials," Robertson stated. "Bryant's misconduct is brazen both in its scope and simplicity."

Robert Kittle, a spokesman for the Attorney General's Office, said Tuesday that his office has not received a formal request to investigate Bryant.

"This is not an investigative agency," Kittle said. "But if we received a formal request we would seek investigative support from the appropriate agencies, if necessary."

Robertson's allegations come after the Independent Mail reported that Bryant's pharmacy has collected $19.5 million in state payments since 2008. Those payments include $15.7 million from the state's Medicaid program and $3.8 million from the state health plan.

Bryant Pharmacy is one of many in South Carolina that provide medical equipment, prescriptions and supplies to low-income adults and children covered by Medicaid and current and retired public employees on the state health plan.

"There is nothing exclusive here," Bryant said recently. "A Medicaid customer can go wherever they want."

Bryant also said he has voted against expanding the state's Medicaid program and also voted to cut Medicaid reimbursement rates in South Carolina.

"Every vote cast was in the best interest of the taxpayer and individual liberty," Bryant said in a text message Tuesday.

In Tuesday's news release, Robertson questioned why Bryant Pharmacy accepted millions of dollars in Medicaid payments if Bryant "doesn't believe in Medicaid."

After learning last week that Robertson was planning to seek an investigation by the attorney general, Bryant said, "I think this is a problem in search of an issue."

Bryant kicked off his campaign for governor in Anderson on July 28. He is one of four candidates seeking the 2018 GOP gubernatorial nomination. The others include Gov. Henry McMaster, former Lt. Gov. Yancey McGill and Catherine Templeton, who is the former director of the state Department of Health and Environmental Control. Republican state Sen. Tom Davis also is thinking about entering the race.

No Democrats have announced plans to run for governor. Three Democrats — state Sen. John Scott, state Rep. Justin Bamberg and state Rep. James Smith — are eyeing the race, according to Robertson.

Follow Kirk Brown on Twitter @KirkBrown_AIM