Where’s Maria?

By Tired of This on August 14th, 2009 at 6:31 am

Our Gubernatorial Boy Wonder better take a chill pill when he puts on his military uniform today. The DOD is not as forgiving as his C Street homies for the commissioning of stupidity while on duty.

By anonymous on August 14th, 2009 at 7:30 am

Sanford, who appointed or reappointed all nine of the Ethics Commission’s members

“What a farce! Having the ethics committee handle this matter is essentially the same as having Sanford investigate himself,” state Democratic Party Chairwoman Carol Fowler told the AP. Fowler wants McMaster’s office to handle the investigation.

McConnell wrote: “Based on the responses Governor Sanford has made to reporters on these issues, I have concerns both with the actions of the governor and the departments of Commerce and Natural Resources.”

By Deb on August 14th, 2009 at 8:35 am

The provision about maintaining a log pertains to DNR, not the governor. DNR, as any investigation will show, is a pit. They have their own set of rules, regardless of whether they are legal or not.

DNR agents have statewide authority, and are often tasked with protecting the governor (and others).

The Governor may have problems, but I think not in this. But as I stated before…DNR has problems everywhere, just no one seems to mind

By J. Wellington on August 14th, 2009 at 9:11 am

Can the Guv really be that completely stupid? Either your sources are on crack or Sanford is the dumbest person on the planet. Even money in my book.

If it is indeed true then el Gobernador needs some shrink time ASAP.

By Tom on August 14th, 2009 at 9:29 am

Like when is the Luv Guv actually ging to start staying in SC and do some work?

By lou on August 14th, 2009 at 9:44 am

does everyone remember Maria’s picture was taken at 911 in NYC????

HINT NUMBER ONE!

By Deb on August 14th, 2009 at 10:09 am

PS,

Evidently, Leatherman, Cooper, Eckstrom and Chellis OK’d this travel.
__________________________________
South Carolina Code of Regulations
Current through State Register Volume 32, Issue 9, effective September 26, 2008.
19-101.17. Foreign Travel.
Any foreign travel of a State employee will require prior approval of the Budget and Control Board regardless of the source of funds financing such travel. For the purpose of this regulation, foreign travel is defined as any destination outside the continental limits of the United States except Alaska, Hawaii, Canada, Puerto Rico, or the Virgin Islands.
__________________________________________
So the Budget and Control Board supposedly knew of the travel, and approved the travel. No wonder they are quiet on this issue. If they did not know about the trip, why not? (Even if they did not recieve official notification, do they not read the newspaper?)

Since the B and C Board created the rules concerning class of travel, certainly they can OK any class for a specific trip.

By Johnny on August 14th, 2009 at 10:28 am

Wonder how long the press will take Sanford’s non-answer about communicating with Chapur? My bet he has spoken or e-mailed her several times since Mrs. Sanford told him to break it off and repeatedly since he made the announcement about his “soul mate.”

By Brandon on August 14th, 2009 at 11:44 am

The only way this woudld be funny is if Paul Shanklin did a parody of “Soul Man”. I can hear it now…
She’s his sooooooul mate-da na na na di na don di na
She’s his sooooooul mate – Play it Steve.

By Jonny D on August 14th, 2009 at 12:05 pm

Huhhh?, I don’t think that this is really an issue. Have you never heard of “Guard Bumming” on the “Red Neck Riviera”? HA!

By shiya on August 14th, 2009 at 12:13 pm

Johnny, wake up…she is already here. Also, he is staying in Florida all of Friday and and returning home Monday evening…the reserve duty is only till Sunday afternoon. why does he need to spend additional time there?
I guess the bigger mystery is how she managed to sneak in? and how come he still has friends willing to put up with this.

By anonymous on August 14th, 2009 at 1:32 pm

Fowler calls McMaster’s plan for Sanford probe a ‘farce’

Columbia, S.C. – Following is a statement by Carol Fowler, Chair of the SC Democratic Party, in response to Attorney General McMaster’s call for an investigation of Governor Sanford by the S.C. Ethics Commission, a group appointed by Mark Sanford:

“A few days ago, I called on Attorney General Henry McMaster to investigate Mark Sanford’s travel and other expenses, in particular his use of state airplanes. Instead of providing the people of South Carolina with something that even resembles an independent look into the governor’s activities, Mr. McMaster has asked a committee of Republicans, appointed by the governor himself, to investigate.

“What a farce! Having the Ethics Committee handle this matter is essentially the same as having Sanford investigate himself.

“It has been clear for weeks that the attorney general has no desire to look into anything the governor has done. He apparently will go to any length to be sure Mark Sanford is able to complete his term. I guess you really have to understand the inside politics of the Republican Party to know why in the world Henry McMaster won’t just step up and do his job.”

By Jeffy on August 14th, 2009 at 1:58 pm

Nice Liz. You are all over it as usual. Thanks for the update.

By shiya on August 14th, 2009 at 2:34 pm

Hey, reporters simply need to ask Sanford, gov, were you alone in Florida? let’s see him get out of that one. Gina smith did ask him if he was having continued contact with Maria and he e vaded the answer. He is going to hang on…why not get some enjoyment by making him squirm.
Seriously, it must be torture for him…if he resigns no one will care what he is doing and with whom. Did he make a bargain with one of his “friends”?

By The All Seeing Eye on August 14th, 2009 at 3:41 pm

Will,

Are you certain you want to go down this road? Your “working” relationship with the First Lady was fairly well known among members of the staff.

-ASE

By Connie Groseclose on August 14th, 2009 at 4:08 pm

If your reports are as accurate as your description of Maria Chapur(beautiful), then the people of SC don’t have to worry about her moving into the mansion. Chapur is as beautiful as “Lurch” is handsome.

By shiya on August 14th, 2009 at 5:44 pm

from a poster at the Statewebsite:

“Swirling talk that Mark Sanford and Maria Chapur travelled together to Panama City, FL late Thursday night.

Sanford took private transportation courtesy of a close friend and left the mansion under cover of darkness last night with Chapur who is said to have been in Columbia staying at a Sanford’s loyal friend’s house since Monday this week.

Sanford and Chapur are said to have spent the weekend at the Sanford family plantation house in Coosaw and that Chapur has been formally introduced to Mark’s mom.

Chapur is spending time with Sanford prior to his reporting for reseve duty tomorrow and Sunday. They will also be together for most part of Monday before returing to Columbia in the evening.

Chapur came in to the US via Miami.”

By old bike dude on August 14th, 2009 at 6:34 pm

And one more damn thing. If that close friend who has been providing the Latin lover hideout turns out to be Tom Davis…well the folks around Beaufort won’t be forgettin’ that, ya dig what I’m sayin’.

By shiya on August 14th, 2009 at 7:01 pm

More girl talk rumor from the poster at the State:

That Chapur is coming back to Columbia with him and will again travel with Mark Sanford to the Southern Governors Association Annual Meeting to be held at the Kingsmill Resort and Spa in Williamsburg, VA this August 21 (Friday) to August 24 (Monday).

Is this what fitsnews.com and Charlestonpam’s reference that Chapur and Sanford are slowly but surely coming out as a couple in public and private functions.

Say this aint so…Gee two lunatics…two crazy people under the guise of ‘love and lust’. Dont you think they deserve each other?

By ethel krabitz on August 14th, 2009 at 7:23 pm

Mark Sanford is at the ground-zero epicenter of all past, present, and future douchebaggery that is, has, or will be known to mankind. His paramour, Maria, has been sucked into the vortex with him. may they both land over the rainbow, far, far away from South Carolina………..permanently.

By ethel krabitz on August 14th, 2009 at 7:44 pm

shiya, oh yes, they deserve each other. a man who cheats on his wife and family, a woman who knowingly carries on with a married man with 4 children………they are both shit stains on the mattress of life.
and on the SC taxpayer’s dime………how truly low rent.

By anonymous on August 14th, 2009 at 8:36 pm

A Sanford Political Death Wish?

Wife moves out, mistress moving in?

Last week, his wife Jenny, who had announced — at the height of the Appalachian Trail/Argentine mistress, ahem, affair — that she was going to try to keep the family together, packed up the boys and moved out of the governor’s mansion.

She headed down to the family estate in Charleston where the boys will go to school

Jenny was barely out the door before a South Carolina blog started speculating that perhaps this would be the moment when Sanford would bring his professed “soulmate”, Maria Belen Chapur, across the border to stay with him. Now, what gave the story some credibility was that the blog FITSNews.com is run by an old Sanford staffer. In other words, someone who might “be familiar with the governor’s thinking,” as the story goes.

The truth is, if the governor is going to bring his girlfriend up to South Carolina, he may as well resign right now. Just before his wife moved out, an AP story revealed that Sanford had used state aircraft for personal and political activity (though not, apparently, any personal activity down in Argentina). Republicans are still working behind the scenes to try to get him to resign. Barring that, both parties are pondering impeachment proceedings.

Better believe that the good people of South Carolina and their elected representatives are not going to take lying down their philanderer governor cavorting in the official state mansion’s bedroom with his mistress.

This is a Bible Belt state, after all. Besides, after all the jobs South Carolina has lost to Mexico and the rest of South America, no way that the state will want a South American honey, um, “insourced” as first lady — even assuming that Sanford got a quick divorce and married lovely Maria.

Not. Going. To. Happen.

If Sanford’s still in contact with Ms. Chapur, as reports suggest he is, he may as well make the decision himself — or it will be made for him: Either the governorship for the remaining 18 months of his term — or his girlfriend. Can’t have both.

http://www.nbcmiami.com/news/politics/A-Sanford-Death-Wish-.html

By anonymous on August 14th, 2009 at 8:52 pm

The strains of Latin music could soon be wafting from South Carolina’s executive mansion.

Embattled Gov. Mark Sanford is considering having his Argentine lover, who he has called his “soul mate,” join him at the Governor’s Mansion now that his wife and four sons have moved out…

* The arrival of Maria Belen Chapur at the mansion in Columbia will “take time,”

The governor and his wife have said they are trying to reconcile. When asked at a press conference this week if he is getting a divorce, Stanford replied with a curt “No.”

By anonymous on August 16th, 2009 at 8:09 am

It would be interesting to hear now what Gov. Mark Sanford’s friend to the end, state Sen. Tom Davis, has to say regarding Sanford’s possibly illegal and exorbitant use of state aircraft and first-class tickets for his personal convenience and wanton, hypocritical demands.

As Davis stated in July, “Accordingly, unless any new facts are disclosed, I think it is time for me and other public officials to get back to work on the serious challenges facing our state. That said, and as Gov. Sanford knows, he has no margin for further error in this particular matter. South Carolina simply cannot afford any additional embarrassment.”

Does unsanctioned, excessive spending of our tax dollars count as sufficient enough error? Or maybe the relentless reinforcement of South Carolina’s integrity-lacking image meets your high standard of embarrassment?

As constituents, we need to keep in mind Davis’ surreal perspective: “(Sanford’s) complete fall from grace may well allow something to get done.” Such perverse thinking is as far from reality as Sanford was from the Appalachian Trail. On the contrary, every step and endless vacation day Sanford takes is scrutinized.

Shame on all South Carolinians for tolerating and enabling Sanford and his friends of a feather. They are merely a reflection of our own sin of apathy and lack of integrity.

Dianne Skripek

Hilton Head Island

http://www.islandpacket.com/opinion/letters/story/935132.html

By anonymous on August 16th, 2009 at 9:30 am

Itemized Contributions for Marshall Sanford
Position Sought: SC Governor

10/02/2006
Michael G. McShane
1501 Ravens Point Road, Occupation:……………CONTRIBUTIONS:
Johns Island,SC,29455 (Conservation Management) $3,500.00 $3,500.00

10/02/2006
GiGi McShane
1501 Ravens Point Road, Occupation:…………..CONTRIBUTIONS:
Johns Island,SC,29455 (Homemaker) ………….$3,500.00 $3,500.00

https://ssl.sc.gov/Ethics/ItemizedContribution.aspx?row_ID=163&candName=%20Marshall%20Sanford&position=SC+Governor&address=P.O.+Box+1413++Columbia%2c+SC%2c+29202&phone=803-779-2972

****************************************************************************

Mike McShane, chairman of the board of the Department of Natural Resources

The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources is a South Carolina State Agency. It is directed by seven-member Board; a board member is appointed…

ALL BOARD MEMBERS ARE APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR including the Chairman.
Michael McShane, Chairman

By anonymous on August 16th, 2009 at 11:47 am

Where did the money go?

Gov. Mark Sanford has reimbursed himself more than $1,800 for expenses from his campaign account in the past 18 months. But Sanford won’t say what those expenses were.

Campaign records show Sanford reimbursed himself more than $1,100 about the same time as two 2008 trips to New York on which he said he met his Argentine lover, Maria Belen Chapur.

• Sanford claimed a $297.89 expense Oct. 7, 2008. Sanford met Chapur for two nights in New York City in September 2008.

• Another expense, $864.90, was claimed Nov. 3, 2008. Sanford met with Chapur in the Hamptons that same month.

Sanford also has reimbursed himself for more than $600 of additional expenses since January 2008.

None of Sanford’s expenses is itemized in his campaign disclosures, filed with the State Ethics Commission. Instead, they are marked only as “reimbursement.”

Under state law, it is illegal for a candidate to spend campaign money for personal use. State law also requires campaigns to maintain receipts for reimbursements for five years. But Sanford declined to turn those receipts, detailing what his expenses were for, over to The State.

Open records experts say the receipts are covered by the state’s freedom of information law and must be made available to the public, including the media.

Sanford’s gubernatorial office did not respond to a State newspaper Freed of Information Act request filed July 8. His campaign, which still has more than $1.5 million on hand, declined to turn over receipts, writing Sanford already had complied with all state and federal campaign laws.

“Were these really reimbursements for actual expenditures or were these fabricated?” asked John Crangle with the government watchdog group Common Cause. Crangle noted elected officials in South Carolina and elsewhere previously have run into trouble for misusing campaign money.

A quickly completed State Law Enforcement Division inquiry found Sanford used no state money to visit Chapur. Sanford told SLED he paid cash for hotel and airfare on the New York and Hamptons trips.

State Ethics Commission chairman Herbert Hayden said campaigns are required to maintain receipts that itemize reimbursements for five years.

Hayden said campaign funds may only be spent on items “directly related to their campaign or directly related to the function of your office.”

But Columbia attorney Jay Bender, who specializes in media law and First Amendment issues, said the public is entitled to see the documents. (Among Bender’s clients are The State and the S.C. Press Association, of which The State is a member.)

“I can’t imagine any reason they would not be covered” by open records laws, Bender said of the receipts. “There’s nothing in the freedom of information law that exempts campaign filings … from disclosure.”

Common Cause’s Crangle said the questions about the campaign expenses are another reason a full investigation — by an authority with subpoena power — should be conducted.

“There’s an awful lot that needs to surface,” Crangle said, “and it looks like it won’t.”

http://www.thestate.com/local/story/903791.html

By anonymous on August 16th, 2009 at 7:20 pm

SPECIAL ELECTION CALLED FOR CLERK OF COURT, BEAUFORT COUNTY REGARDING MARK SANFORD’s APPOINTMENT OF Jerri Ann Roseneau

SECTION 7-13-190. Special elections to fill vacancies in office.

(A) Except as otherwise provided in this code as to specific offices, whenever a vacancy occurs in office by reason of death, resignation, or removal and the vacancy in office is one which is filled by a special election to complete the term of office, this section applies.

(B) In partisan elections, whether seeking nomination by political party primary or political party convention, filing by these candidates shall open for the office at twelve o’clock noon on the third Friday after the vacancy occurs for a period to close ten days later at twelve o’clock noon. If seeking nomination by petition, the petitions must be submitted not later than twelve o’clock noon, sixty days prior to the election. Verification of these petitions must be made not later than twelve o’clock noon forty-five days prior to the election. If seeking nomination by political party primary or political party convention, filing with the appropriate official is the same as provided in Section 7-11-15 and if seeking nomination by petition, filing with the appropriate official is the same as provided in Section 7-11-70.
A primary must be held on the eleventh Tuesday after the vacancy occurs. A runoff primary must be held on the thirteenth Tuesday after the vacancy occurs. The special election must be on the eighteenth Tuesday after the vacancy occurs. If the eighteenth Tuesday after the vacancy occurs is no more than sixty days prior to the general election, the special election shall be held on the same day as the general election. If the filing period closes on a state holiday, then filing must be held open through the succeeding weekday. If the date for an election falls on a state holiday, it must be set for the next succeeding Tuesday. For purposes of this section, state holiday does not mean the general election day.

(C) If the office is not one for which there are partisan elections, then the filing must be opened at noon on the third Friday after the vacancy occurs for a period to close ten days later at noon. The filing must be made to the same entity to which the nonpartisan officeholders would normally file for office in a general election year. The election must be set for the thirteenth Tuesday after the vacancy occurs. Both the filing date and the election date are subject to the provisions in subsection

(E)(1) A special election to fill a vacancy in an office is not required to be conducted if fourteen calendar days have elapsed since the filing period for that office has closed and:
(a) only one person has filed for the office; and
(b) no person has filed a declaration to be a write-in candidate with the authority charged by law with conducting the election.
(2) In such an event, the candidate who filed for the office is deemed elected and shall take office on the Monday following certification.
(3) The provisions of this subsection also apply to municipal general elections.

When no person has filed a declaration to be a write-in candidate pursuant to this section, the candidate who filed for the office must be declared the winner by the authority charged by law with conducting the election, and the votes for the election must not be counted or otherwise tabulated. Nothing in this section requires a ballot containing the name of a person who has been declared the winner pursuant to this section to be reprinted to delete the winning candidate’s name or candidates’ names from the ballot.

http://www.scstatehouse.gov/code/t07c013.htm

By Ruth Houston on August 20th, 2009 at 2:42 pm

Controversial comments from an infidelity expert on selected points from Jenny Sanford’s interview with Vogue magazine. http://bit.ly/zjprz

Why Jenny’s curiosity about her husband’s mistress is normal, her amazing insight into the dynamics of her husbands affair, a husband’s susceptibility to extramarital affairs, emotional infidelity and how it begins, should a wife seek revenge, how far should a wife go to reconcile with a cheating husband, and more. http://bit.ly/zjprz You can also access this article through my Infidelity News and Views Blog.