Sanford Disses FITS
GOVERNOR DIDN’T LIKE SIC WILLIE’S WALL STREET JOURNAL QUOTE
FITSNews – April 8, 2008 – Despite claims by a certain less popular website that we act as the Governor’s Spokesman around here, it’s probably safe to describe our relationship with S.C. Gov. Mark Sanford as “on-again, off-again.”
Apparently this week it’s “off-again,” as Sanford has ignored repeated requests to join House Majority Leader Jimmy Merrill and Senate President Glenn McConnell in our “S.C. Leaders Speak” series. According to a source in his office, the governor’s lack of participation is due to a quote our founding editor Sic Willie gave the Wall Street Journal last week in reference to Sanford’s Vice Presidential ambitions:
Mr. Folks predicted (Sanford) won’t get the VP spot: “He missed his opportunity.”
Of course this assessment by “Mr. Folks” was – and is – entirely accurate, as we noted back in February. In fact, Sanford all but admitted in the Journal article that our theory about his ultimately fruitless flirtation with the candidacy of former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani was true.
Still, it appears the truth hasn’t stopped the governor from holding a grudge … or from making fabric choices that clash badly with computer monitors. Anyway, we’d encourage the governor for once to take the sand out of his vagina and answer our questions … oh, and to never wear checkered prints in public again.
Comments
By FITNA on April 8th, 2008 at 1:17 pm
Willie, I hate that you are selling out to the SC muggeratzi…they will make a meal out of you.
Off to to El Dorado now — where the grossly-under-represented are being mobbed by Texas CPS/NANNY STATE.
Then it is on to Tibet to monk one up in the name of freedom. Let me know when you need me to throw one — I’ll save my last fit for you…
By Not only that on April 8th, 2008 at 5:53 pm
I love it when you hate Sanford. I’m with you on the god-awful fabrics. And can you please tell him, from me, to part his hair just a little closer to the center?
By FITNA on April 11th, 2008 at 6:51 pm
Not only that,
I can’t WAIT for you to be the CEO of SC. If it weren’t for Governor Sanford, EVERY single thing would be effed up. Don’t you get it?
By anonymous on April 18th, 2008 at 10:05 pm
Govendevelopnor Sanford’s Brother-in-law
Charges that Beaufort Mayor Bill Rauch abused his office during the McLeod Farm annexation process were dismissed this week by the State Ethics Commission.
Local real estate agent and former mayoral candidate Billy Keyserling told the commission in August that Rauch had offered in May to vote in favor of the proposed annexation of 1,005-acre McLeod Farm in exchange for favors from Keyserling. Keyserling said Rauch wanted him to serve as treasurer of Rauch’s re-election campaign staff and write a letter to TheBeaufort Gazette, praising Rauch’s work.
The Ethics Commission did not attempt to determine whether Keyserling’s allegation was true, executive director Herb Hayden said. Instead, the commission ruled that Keyserling’s allegation was irrelevant because the owner of McLeod Farm withdrew the petition for annexation.
“After careful review, the commission concludes that (Rauch) did not violate (section) 8-13-705(B)(1) because that section requires that the public official actually be influenced in the discharge of his official duties,” the commission wrote in its decision. “Here, the petition in question for which the official responsibilities of respondent were to have been exchanged was withdrawn and respondent was not actually influenced.”
Hayden said his staff presented an argument against dismissing the case, but the nine-member commission rejected that argument.
In response to Keyserling’s allegation, Rauch said Thursday, “I don’t want Billy Keyserling to be my campaign treasurer. It’s as simple as that.”
Rauch further said he was unaware that Keyserling had an equity interest in McLeod Farm until after Keyserling contacted the Ethics Commission.
On May 10, when Keyserling claims that his attorney, David Tedder, was contacted by an attorney representing Rauch, Keyserling owned 25 percent of 38 acres called Old Seabrook Landing that was part of the proposed McLeod Farm annexation. The McLeods were also selling their property through Keyserling’s real estate firm, Coldwell Banker Platinum Partners.
Annexation of McLeod Farm would have raised the permitted number of houses from approximately 330 to 1,985.
Keyserling stood behind his allegation Thursday and stressed that an Ethics Commission investigator found probable cause, which prompted the Ethics Commission to file a complaint against Rauch. He also said he found the commission’s decision troubling.
“If I interpret the law as the Ethics Commission did, it says any politician or public official can go out and offer a vote or services in exchange for something of value, and if they don’t suck somebody into it, it appears they’ve done nothing wrong,” Keyserling said. “When you interpret the law like the commission did, the politician is only guilty if the politician lures someone into their fold and gets them to commit a crime before (the politician does).”
Ethics Commission members could not be reached for comment Thursday.
In 2004, Rauch narrowly defeated Keyserling in a costly and bitter mayoral election. Keyserling and Rauch also squared off for mayor in 1999.
“You’ve got somebody who ran against (me) twice and was involved in a proposed real estate development … so when they didn’t get the zoning they wanted, it’s almost like it’s inevitable that a charge like this comes up,” Rauch said. “This sort of thing is an unfortunate reality of public life today.”
http://www.beaufortgazette.com/local/story/411256.html