First of all, we’d like to congratulate La Socialista – a.k.a. The (Columbia, S.C.) State newspaper – which continues to blow up like the crack man’s pager after publishing excerpts of S.C. Governor Mark Sanford’s private emails with his Argentine lover, Maria Belen Chapur.
Seriously, the paper is getting beaucoup grief in some circles for its decision to publish these racy email exchanges, but frankly our only question is why its editors waited so long to run them in the first place?
Anyway, given the voraciousness of the public feeding frenzy over this story, the paper has a 3,500-word article today outlining how the whole saga unfolded. The article – while riveting reading – does err however in its description of our role in this story coming to light.
Specifically, the story describes how editors at The State called Sanford’s former chief of staff, S.C. Senator Tom Davis, and informed him of the existence of the compromising emails. Apparently, the paper feared that the governor’s current staff “did not get” that the story was about to blow up.
Within minutes (of informing Davis), a Columbia Web site operated by former Sanford staffer Folks, which regularly promotes Sanford’s agenda and Davis’ political prospects, was reporting The State had e-mails about a Sanford affair.
First of all, we never reported that The State had emails – because that is not information we had at the time.
In fact, the only information we had prior to Sanford’s press conference Wednesday was that The State had documentation of an affair involving the governor – and that this information was about to come to light.
Reports that we knew of the existence of these emails – or were actually forwarded these emails prior to The State publishing them – are completely inaccurate.
Early Wednesday afternoon, we were informed that Sen. Davis was actually meeting with editors at the paper, at which point we telephoned him seeking comment about what our source had told us.
Anyway, an hour after “breaking” the story of Sanford’s alleged affair, our website was compromised, which of course has spawned its own set of conspiracy theories, among them that we crashed our own web site deliberately in order to protect the governor and his political allies.
Specifically, one S.C. political website has accused us of crashing the site to try and protect S.C. Rep. Nikki Haley, which obviously ignores the fact that we ripped Haley two days ago for what we consider to be her amateurish response to the Sanford crisis.
Today, another local political website is claiming that instead of protecting the governor and his allies, our founding editor is trying to undermine them. Specifically, this website says that our founding editor’s call for Sanford to resign is evidence that we are part of S.C. Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer’s Machiavellian plot to force him from office.
A Machiavellian plot that we first exposed two days ago, incidentally.
From the Palmetto Scoop:
… on Friday, Folks wrote that Bauer was “smarter than we thought,” while the day before calling on Sanford to resign. Just two days prior to that, however, before the affair became public knowledge, Folks attacked both Bauer and Knotts for their concern in the Sanford matter.
Funny, because in the article Sic Willie wrote calling on Sanford to resign, our founding editor had this to say about Bauer:
Bauer is a disaster waiting to happen. In fact, my baby daughter is a few days away from being born, and she’s already more mature than Andre Bauer ever was or ever will be at any point in his life.
On top of that, Bauer has never done anything but pay lip service to the taxpayers of this state.
Forget exposing waste, corruption and inefficiency, Bauer is more likely to dive into all of the above with both feet.
We stand by that assessment.
In fact, we can’t fathom why Bauer’s political opponents would want to keep him from taking office, because the odds of South Carolina’s “Lite Gov” making it eighteen months without some past, present or future scandal blowing up in his face are about as good as the odds of a lame Charleston carriage horse winning the Kentucky Derby.
Predictably, Sic Willie was utterly unconcerned with all the insider speculation.
“I print what I print,” he said. “People can think whatever they want.”
By Beowolfeeee June 28, 2009 at 5:59 pm
More than ever before, this sage shows ole Will Folks calls ‘em like he see ‘em.
Keep up the good work. And lock your doors tonight. You are pissing off a lot of people these days.
By Mab June 28, 2009 at 7:06 pm
Mrs. Sic sure picked a sweltering time to be birthin’ babies.
I still hope there are two in there.
Thing One & Thing Two — just like in Cat in the Hat!!!
By James the Foot Soldier June 28, 2009 at 7:11 pm
The one thing I appreciate about the emails being printed is it demonstrates the depth and breadth of the illicit relationship – and that information is invalubale for Mrs. Sanford as she deliberates the decisions she will make.
p.s…..Will, perhaps you can pass a note to Governor Sanford – someone needs to tell him to STOP likening himself to King David.
By BIN News Editorial Staff June 28, 2009 at 7:29 pm
Folks, Sanfraud and Davis all have each other on speed dial
By Matt June 28, 2009 at 7:30 pm
What Palmetto Scoop fails to realize is that while everything he writes is either pro-McMaster or anti-everybody-else, your site is not in the pocket of a particular campaign.
Another conspiracy theory I’d like to see this site or others dig into: is Jon Lerner presently providing simultaneous political counsel to both Mark Sanford and Nikki Haley? I am wondering how those machinations are playing out in all this.
By Jeffy June 28, 2009 at 8:58 pm
Shut up BIN. Loser
By A. South Carolina Dead Politician June 28, 2009 at 9:02 pm
”O horror, horror, horror! … Gentlemen, rise: his highness is not well.”
No man wakes up in the morning and says “I think I’ll confess to my wife about my affair and screwing another woman, even though she would never find out!”
No reporter wakes up in the morning and says “I think I’ll sit on any juicy story I get a lead on today about a powerful hypocritical public figure for about the next five-months and print nothing.”
No Politician wakes up in the morning and says “I think I’ll not use any dirt I find today out about my political rival or someone or something else that can benefit me in the next election!”
It doesn’t work that way boys and girls.
Here are some rules:
#1) Men can only think with one organ at a time. When they are with their wife of 20-plus years that equals a man who is thinking with a brain; now with a mistress a man wants’ to think with the other brain.
#2) Reporters think of Pulitzers and deep throat sources which equal snitches, informants and back stabbers which are spelled to read P.O.L.I.T.I.C.I.A.N.S. Stories don’t just ‘Blow Up’ on their own.
#3) And politicians? Well, they never wake up, seldom think but they do return to dirt like a dog does to its own vomit; over and over again. It’s the story of a two-legged dog; screw anything, puts it nose up any behind it sniffs a contribution in and howls at the moon when others are looking as if it really can make a difference.
So, what can you get out of this?
- Mark didn’t voluntary tell Jenny-Jack-Crap on his own.
- No ‘green eyeshade’ reporter held on to this story without being told by his snitch to embargo it; he told them there is more to come if you follow my instructions. Snitches are like lovers to reporters. Reporters are like pimps to the public and paid advertisers.
- And there is a politician(s) that will benefit at least one or two chess moves away from the story of poor Mark and Jenny Sanford and their four boys; who unfortunately have become very useful to the bread and butter of a lot of people at this point.
The Sanford and Sons and Wife are screwed; no matter what happens from this point forward. Everyone is going to be using them for their own purposes now…and that really sucks in a lot of ways.
What we have here is the Original Witches’ Brew…
“Fair is foul, and foul is fair”.
P.S. I’ll be back to tell you how this all unfolded. Stay tuned.
P.S.S. S.C. Rep. Nikki Haley just needs to ride this out and talk about something else – like fixing South Carolina as Governor. Nikki, write a NOTE-TO-SELF: No more comments on this; don’t get caught in this web.
P.S.S.S AG Henry McMaster: You probably don’t get it. Don’t worry, Craigs list is more your style slash level.
P.S.S.S.S Andre “Flash’ Bauer. It’s Freeze tag time. Stay put.
By Todd June 28, 2009 at 9:36 pm
Sic! GREAT job on Fox. I hsve told you before -Jenny Sanford for Governor! ps: Can you get Geraldo to donate some hair plugs to you? Dude, you need them.
By EM June 28, 2009 at 10:15 pm
I saw you on Geraldo too, good job. I also think Jenny would is great! Let him do daddy daycare…
Go Jenny! Go Jenny!
By Mab June 28, 2009 at 10:45 pm
Well hooey — I missed Sic One on Heraldo? Will it come on again later tonight?
By sira June 29, 2009 at 12:21 am
The woman has released a statement admitting that her email was hacked and she knew about it. The bigger question is: did she tell Sanford about it? If not his AND her actions are totally reckless and irresponsible. This could have been a great set up for a blackmail.
Nor did I see any remorse in her statement. She sounded angry, irritated and only concerned about herself.
By Hal June 29, 2009 at 6:08 am
From Today’s New York Times: Proof Bauer and LaCivita are liars.
“Meanwhile, Mr. Bauer’s camp appears to have been orchestrating pressure for a resignation.
“André Bauer is my client; I’ve been working this since Monday,” wrote Chris LaCivita, a political consultant on Mr. Bauer’s team, in an e-mail message to another Republican political operative that was provided to The New York Times by an opponent of Mr. Bauer. “I need to get this guy (Sanford) out,” he wrote, referring to the governor.”
____________________________________
So there you have it…in their own words. Liars. They say one thing in private, another in public.
By liz June 29, 2009 at 6:50 am
To Dead Politican: you saNo reporter wakes up in the morning and says “I think I’ll sit on any juicy story I get a lead on today about a powerful hypocritical public figure for about the next five-months and print nothing.”
YES THEY DO
By A. South Carolina Dead Politician June 29, 2009 at 7:22 am
Dear Liz: NO THEY DON’T; unless they have a REASON to sit on it FOR FIVE MORE MONTHS.
By Natasha June 29, 2009 at 8:04 am
Great job on FOX NEWS last night ol’ Sic.
By CNSYD June 29, 2009 at 8:23 am
Reporters, commentators, etc. all spend most of their time screaming about how they published “it” first, the other guy is wrong and we are right, we knew it all along, etc. I guess they didn’t listen well in grade school. Just like Joe Friday, all I want are the facts. Who said what first matters not to me. Just give me the info and I will make up my own mind. Also, why is the NYT commenting on what Sanford should do? It is the business of the state of SC, not NY. A state that lets non residents (yes they are) people like Bobby Kennedy and Hillary not only run but be elected needs to tend to its own knitting.
By Toyota Kawaski June 29, 2009 at 8:48 am
SC Dead politician it must have been the roses or the ribbons in her long dark hair
By Perro Amarillo June 29, 2009 at 9:29 am
Uummmm… lingering question here. Who prodded Senator Bubba to believe that El Gobernador Engañado’s absence had any significance this time around? Hard to believe the Senator did the homework on his own… Loose lips sell papers?
By BIN is a 'lightweight" June 29, 2009 at 10:42 am
BIN – Keep in mind that all Columbia politicos have Folks on speed dial!