Ever since he was elected Speaker of the S.C. House of Representatives four years ago, Bobby Harrell has been S.C. Gov. Mark Sanford’s most vocal (and vindictive) critic.
Seriously, “oil and water” doesn’t begin to describe the relationship between these two politicians … oil and a match, maybe.
Anyway, the petty back-and-forth sniping – most of it coming from Harrell – has almost always been tied to a simple, yet fundamental disagreement. Harrell believes that government – and particularly South Carolina’s colleges and universities – should be in charge of the state’s economic development efforts, an approach which has resulted in massive increases in state spending. Sanford, on the other hand, has favored a “soil conditions” approach to attracting businesses that centers around reducing the size and scope of government and creating a more competitive tax code.
As substantive as this debate sounds (and perhaps could have been), it has instead devolved into a deeply-personal, acrimonious and ongoing tit-for-tat between the two leaders. For example, the governor’s office didn’t hesitate to pounce when one of Harrell’s signature big government initiatives fell flat on its face earlier this year. Meanwhile, Harrell missed nary an opportunity to portray Sanford as a cruel and unfeeling ideologue during the protracted debate over South Carolina’s acceptance of a portion of federal “stimulus” monies.
Fast forward to June 24, 2009, the day of Sanford’s shocking announcement that he had been unfaithful to his wife. Of course, it wasn’t just the affair that grabbed headlines – the news of Sanford’s “love story” with Argentine soul mate Maria Belen Chapur was followed by a steady stream of admissions and revelations that have obliterated the myth of Sanford as a frugal fiscal conservative.
Not only that, investigations into Sanford’s travel arrangements and use of other taxpayer-funded resources have produced numerous potential illegalities, and at this point we’ve only examined the tip of the rumor iceberg.
Given Sanford’s implosion – and the existence of compelling evidence that the governor may have broken the law – you would think that Harrell would be screaming for an investigation into the bad behavior of his arch-nemesis. After all, in the event impeachment becomes an option, Harrell’s House of Representatives would have to present the charges against Sanford, while the State Senate would merely act as an “impartial” jury.
And nobody wants to take down the governor any more than Bobby Harrell, right?
Surprisingly, though, Harrell is not “screaming” for an investigation. In fact, over the past month-and-a-half, he has been quiter than a church mouse, leaving several State Senators we spoke with to speculate as to his motivation for “holding back.”
“Why won’t he act?” one State Senator asked FITS rhetorically. “Do the governor’s people have something on him?”
That speculation has only intensified in recent weeks as Sanford finds himself back on the ropes … and yet Harrell remains silent.
The Speaker may not be able to hold his tongue forever, though.
According to sources in the Senate Majority Leader’s office, Senate Republicans have grown tired of “carrying the water” for Harrell’s House members, who they say should be taking a much more aggressive role in the investigation of the governor.
“‘Talk to Bobby’ is what you’ll be hearing a lot more of,” one source told FITS.
Pic: Columbia Skirt
By local yokel August 13, 2009 at 1:55 pm
Harrell’s silence has mystified me from the get-go. I thought initially he was just being nice or maybe has a few skeletons of his own, glass houses and all that. My other guess is that Harrell is just waiting for the dust to settle so he can move in and finish Sanford off (actually Sanford was doing a pretty good job of that himself at that second press conference). Sanford should just resign already so we can all move forward. Personally, the job abandonment issue has been my key concern; that Argentinian plane ticket was for 10 freakin’ days. Who gets to try to walk off their job for 10 days and not get fired?
By Jonny D August 13, 2009 at 2:03 pm
Bobby Harrell isn’t saying much because he is a man of honor and he knows business is business and personal is personal. Whatever philosophical dispute he may have with the Governor regarding matters of finance, Mr. Harrell knows that it has nothing to do with the fact that the Governor fell in love with a lady from Argentina. Look at all of the other backstabbers coming out of the woodwork, however, dare I say including people affiliated with this site. It’s not the majority of people in SC calling for the Governor’s head, just some members of the political elite and their water carriers. Whatever the Governor’s transgressions may have been, the true villians are the traitorous character assassins now trying to take him out. To his great credit, Mr. Harrell is not one of them.
By PandaChris August 13, 2009 at 2:04 pm
Now, lets see, because Harrell is jumping on the “get Sanford” movement, it means that Sanford must have something on Harrell.
Using that logic, the same innuendo could be made regarding Tom Davis and Nikki Haley, who have indicated their continued support for the love guv.
Come clean, guys….what does the Governor have on you two?
(Sarcasm off)
It is just another attempt for Sanford allies who play the Mark Anthony role to the dead Caesar….”They havent come to praise Sanford, rather to bury him”, while the entire time they are working to minimalize what Sanford has done and try to continue to fight Sanford’s fights for him.
If you TRULY want a fiscal conservative reform movement to thrive in SC, the FIRST and most necessary step is for Sanford’s ALLIES to force his resignation THEN commit to do the work to get a true reformer, with no ties to Sanford, in the race for governor in 2010.
Just my opinion.
By Scott August 13, 2009 at 2:10 pm
Mr. Speaker, the time has come to lead. We have seen and continue to see the misuse of public personnel and public resources. We have a governor who is incapable of leading. We have a state in dire need of leadership.
It is time – it is past time – for you and the members of the State House of Representatives to stand up and lead. South Carolina deserves better than this.
By donny August 13, 2009 at 4:02 pm
Isn’t there a Sun Tsu “Art of War” strategery that says something like don’t interfere with your enemy’s self destruction?
By GGIH August 13, 2009 at 5:34 pm
“Never interfere with your enemy when he is in the process of destroying himself.”
By GGIH August 13, 2009 at 5:38 pm
That’s Lee Atwater, quoting somebody. It’s a great rule, though. You can’t hurt him any worse than he’s hurting himself (never more true than with Sanford) and you avoid any kind of public sympathy backlash. Harrell’s missed the boat this time, though. There’s no sympathy for Sanford in this state.
By Quiet Voice of Reason August 13, 2009 at 8:18 pm
One thing this state loves more than anything is the status quo. If Sanford goes, then the whole Charleston Caucus is up for change. McConnell has to give up 80% of his power and Harrell doesn’t want to guess who might be in charge. Harrell and McConnell know the skeletons in each other’s closet — know who owes whom — know where the real power lies.
Between that and the truth that Sanford is doing himself in very nicely, means that things will stay the same.
Not a huge surprise in this state. The citizens on the left and on the right are being screwed out of an opportunity for REAL change.
By Ridiculous August 14, 2009 at 8:46 am
Has anyone thought that maybe, Harrell is merely taking the high road? Sanford certainly has needed no help in drowning himself on this one. Harrell’s statement yesterday said that he supported an investigation by the ethics commission and will decide action after their findings. What more is there to do do at this point?!
By lou August 14, 2009 at 9:53 am
He too might have an episode of *** marital infidelity****
Infidelity being the KEY word.
Infidels.
sound familiar yet??????
By southernmapart August 14, 2009 at 11:05 am
Superficial diagnostics will not work to find the problem. In this instance, we must tear down the engine to see what is broken and no one is willing to take the engine out of service. We might imagine that it can best for now to limp along on less than all cylinders firing.
Some may see this comment as off-topic, but my bets are on the Jenny Sanford strategy. There may be road-kill cooking in this pot that we know nothing about.