House Preparing Impeachment Charges Against Sanford
In what could become the first step of a formal legislative effort to remove scandal-plagued S.C. Gov. Mark Sanford from office, impeachment charges are reportedly being drafted within the S.C. House of Representatives, multiple sources have confirmed to FITS.
We’re also hearing that the preparation of these charges is originating from the committees of two respected Republican lawmakers – and that the process was already “well underway” prior to today’s revelation of additional travel-related indiscretions on the part of the embattled governor.
Evidently tired of waiting on S.C. House Speaker Bobby Harrell to authorize a more aggressive response to the snowballing Sanford scandal, several rank-and-file House members have reportedly decided to go around Harrell – which would obviously be disastrous news for the governor.
After all, the general consensus at the moment is that there are enough votes in the State Senate to convict Sanford and remove him from office – assuming the House impeaches him first.
Since admitting to an extramarital affair with his Argentine lover Maria Belen Chapur, Sanford has come under fire for a variety of travel-related offenses – beginning with the revelation that he visited his lover on a taxpayer-funded “economic development” trip to Argentina in 2008. The governor reimbursed taxpayers for his expenses related to that “leg” of the trip, but that doesn’t necessarily make his travel – and the taxpayer time that went into setting it up – legal.
In fact, Sanford’s reimbursement would seem to be an acknowledgment that the trip was not legitimate.
Since then, Sanford has been accused of a whole host of airplane-related ethical faux of authorizing improper upgrades to first class seats (in violation of state travel guidelines), misusing the state plane for personal and political purposes, and most recently, failing to disclose nearly three dozen private flights paid for by friends and political allies.
Former Sanford staffers are also detailing a host of other abuses.
House members tell FITS that impeachment will be main issue of discussion when they gather for their annual caucus meeting next weekend.
“I suspect that will eat up all the time,” one lawmaker told FITS.
Comments
By 1+1=3 on August 21st, 2009 at 7:55 pm
promise?
By anonymous on August 21st, 2009 at 8:45 pm
The Governor broke state law by not disclosing flights he made that were paid for by folks like supporter and Dodgeland owner J.T. Gandolfo (he’s the silver-haired guy that sometimes sells cars by acting like Godzilla on the television). That trip, in 2005 to the Bahamas, was on Gandolfo’s plane. Apparently, Sanford partook of the auto dealer’s air privileges quite a bit.
Mark Sanford did in fact raise over $30,000 to help defeat the brother of U.S. District Court Judge Joseph Anderson.
The Sanford event – as we noted in our original report – raised at least $30,000 for Massey’s campaign, including $1,000 each from former Sanford Deputy Chief of Staff Chad Walldorf and his wife,$1,000 from Sanford’s Santee Cooper appointee, O.L. Thompson,$1,000 from the S.C. Club for Growth PAC (thet Club’s board is chaired by Walldorf),$1,000 from former Free Enterprise Fund director Mallory Factor (a longtime Sanford backer),$500 from former Sanford DMV advisor J.T. Gandolfo and his wife, and numerous other contributions of various denominations from longtime Sanford allies and donors.
Did ya’ll get that?…”$500 from former Sanford DMV advisor J.T. Gandolfo and his wife”
http://www.fitsnews.com/2009/06/02/in-case-an...
**********
J.T. Gandolfo, owner of Dodgeland in Columbia and member of the Governor’s DMV Task Force
http://www.bcb.sc.gov/bcbintra/Governor ’s%20News%20Release%20-%20Budg et%20and%20Control%20Board.doc
Sanford contributed roughly $12,000 left from his successful re-election campaign to launch Reform SC last spring, when it released radio ads critical of state spending, said Chad Walldorf, a former Sanford aide and longtime supporter.
“We’re in our infancy, but we hope to be up and running and have a significant impact on the next election,” said the Sticky Fingers restaurant chain co-founder, who runs Reform SC along with Columbia car dealer J.T. Gandolfo.
Walldorf is on the board of ReformSC, a group led by Sanford supporter J.T. Gandolfo, who also serves on the committee board.
Reform SC is a 501(c)(4) non-profit, which will serve as a vehicle for advocating Governor Sanford’s agenda of lower taxes, less spending, and government restructuring. The group is being chaired by J.T. Gandolfo of Columbia. A portion of the unexpended money from Governor Sanford’s successful re-election campaign has been transferred to Reform SC, as allowed under South Carolina’s campaign finance laws.
REFORM SC INC
Contact info
c/o JT GANDOLFO
PO BOX 123
COLUMBIA SC 29202-0123
Last update: 2007-12-01
This nonprofit has assets of $525,082, income of $574,532, revenue of $574,532.
By anonymous on August 21st, 2009 at 8:47 pm
August 30, 2004
In one high-profile case in June, the State Law Enforcement Division brought tag abuse charges against J.T. Gandolfo, the owner of Dodgeland of Columbia and a former adviser to Gov. Mark Sanford on overhauling DMV operations.
COLUMBIA – South Carolina’s system of issuing license tags to car dealers is full of holes that let some people avoid paying property taxes on vehicles.
The white tags, starting with XX or XP, are supposed to be used only by dealers and wholesalers and their employees. Dealers can let customers considering a purchase use them up to seven days.
But the state Department of Motor Vehicles often relies on the applicant’s word that he owns and operates a dealership when sending out the special tags.
Dealers using these tags don’t have to pay county property taxes on the cars.
http://chronicle.augusta.com/stories/083004/m…
By anonymous on August 21st, 2009 at 9:01 pm
J.T. Gandolfo, head of Sanford’s DMV task force.
The reforms are the result of work by a DMV task force Sanford appointed early this year. The changes complement other reforms included in a bill before the Senate that would remove DMV from the Department of Public Safety and put it directly under the governor’s office.
•$500,000 by using Department of Corrections inmates to handle maintenance and janitorial services at DMV offices.
-by bringing operation and maintenance of its computer system – dubbed Project Phoenix – in-house, eliminating an outside contract expense. Added a new in-house $25 million computer system
said J.T. Gandolfo, head of Sanford’s DMV task force.
http://www.scnewdemocrats.org/content/news/ar...
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SC Department of Corrections inmates have access to your Driver’s License Records? What about Sanfraud and Gandolfo? Why do they want their grubby little hands on DMV records, Driver’s License Information, Birth Certificate Information, etc…These guys are freakin’ ruthless.
By Huhhh??? on August 21st, 2009 at 9:32 pm
AP Wire | 08/29/2004 | State rarely enforces dealer… – [Cached Version]
Published on: 8/29/2004 Last Visited: 8/29/2004
In a high-profile case in June, the State Law Enforcement Division charged J.T. Gandolfo, owner of Dodgeland of Columbia and a former adviser to Gov.
…
Gandolfo had loaned Sanford’s spokesman, Will Folks, a red Corvette for more than a week.
…
Gandolfo turned in the tag and paid a $625 fine.
By Bob Jones on August 21st, 2009 at 9:40 pm
Now who will protect you from the evildoers who seek to do you harm? The important and touring mecca (no pun intended) of South Carolina will not be safe without a man of god like Sanford who is a christian and a modern-day King David. Sanford is God’s anointed leader for the people in that state. To impeach him is to go against God’s will. God put him into power for a purpose. Sanford has his place as Governor of the State of South Carolina. It’s his job to lord over the subjects of South Carolina. It’s the subjects job to serve and make his life easier. We all need to know our place. His is a bit higher than common people and they are going against God’s will by impeaching or even thinking about impeaching him. The people of South Carolina are known to be good christians. If you take this so-called “progressive” step of impeachment, the world will see that South Carolina isn’t christian at all. If you do this, God will be angry. Where in the Bible does it say that the Magna Carta has any worth? Of course the king is above the law. When he’s been put there by God, he can’t be wrong. If you impeach him, he will also be without a job and unemployed. Have you no mercy? How can you expect mercy in the judgment when you show none yourselves?
By old bike dude on August 21st, 2009 at 9:56 pm
Is this another SLED beatdown story?
By Quiet Voice of Reason on August 21st, 2009 at 10:41 pm
Heck, this could keep them busy enough to avoid tax reform for yet ANOTHER year. The General Assembly moves with such lightning speed on so many issues. At some point, we will in SC be so far behind that we’ll be ahead?
It took Illinois less than a week, maybe 2, to impeach Hair Boy. How many bets on how long we’ll take, even with more evidence?
By Mike Reino on August 21st, 2009 at 11:06 pm
Four months is a long time. Who knows where this will be by then.
By Anonymous on August 21st, 2009 at 11:10 pm
yay! he will wish he had resigned. overestimates his own importance. total narcissistic personality.
By Willow on August 22nd, 2009 at 12:27 am
So then this action will set a precedent for all other elected officials? If so I hope that the accusers have NO skeletons in their cupboards. Or will this just simply lead to a future law change to protect others from similar scrutiny?
By anonymous on August 22nd, 2009 at 4:50 am
Tom Davis said:
As a state senator with responsibilities to my constituents, I met yesterday with SLED Chief Reggie Lloyd and Attorney General Henry McMaster to determine whether Gov. Sanford had violated any statutory or constitutional obligations. Both have assured me that Gov. Sanford did not break any laws and that he did not spend public dollars in this process.
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.
http://schotlinepress.wordpress.com/2009/07/03/tom-davis-statement-re-sanford-and-sled-findings/
By COURTNEY on August 22nd, 2009 at 6:45 am
Well, this is some progress! Hopefully, next weekend the male bonding at the annual caucus weekend coming up next weekend will be 100% focused on booting his sorry ass out of office ! We all need to call our Representatives this coming week and express our feelings so they will know that going into this meeting if they don’t vote on behalf of us, the constituents, based on the way WE feel, that we will be booting their asses out of office come the next election !!!
By shiya on August 22nd, 2009 at 2:17 pm
sanford’s ill-fated book
http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/documents/2009/08/vikings-spring-2010-catalog-mark-sanfords-now-cancelled-book-project.php?page=1&ref=fpblg
By anonymous on August 22nd, 2009 at 2:43 pm
The governor Mark Sanford talked at the Summerville Rotary Club for about 15 minutes
Talking about a blowhard, check out Sanfraud’s latest statements:
When asked whether he had remained in touch with the woman, Maria Belen Chapur, Sanford replied:
“No, again, how many times do I have to say this? I have moved on. We’ve all tried to move on.”
REALLY?
Sanfraud started with his apology for his “self-inflicted gunshot wound” that had let down the state and his decision to make “lemonade out of lemons.”
REALLY?
After the meeting, Sanfraud fielded questions from reporters, mostly related to his affair and the ethics probe:
Sanfraud said he hadn’t used any campaign money to pay for any of his affair.
REALLY?
…though he reimbursed the state more than $3,000 for a state trip to Brazil and Argentina last year during which he met Chapur.
Sanfraud said: “We’ve been consistently about transparency and are going to do so,”…
REALLY?
Sanfraud said he hasn’t decided whether to allow a possible ethics probe of his travel to be open to the public. Sanfraud further said he wasn’t signaling that he planned to keep the case confidential but he hadn’t yet focused on the matter.
REALLY?
Sanfraud said he remains committed to transparency in government and said he has “an incredibly great story to tell” about how he has protected taxpayers in his travels.
REALLY?
Asked about the possibility of impeachment, Sanfraud said, “That’s not where I am focused.”
REALLY?
Sanfraud was asked afterward by reporters about his wife’s comments on his affair recently printed in Vogue magazine, Sanford said he wouldn’t discuss the personal side of his life anymore. “I’ve said everything I’m going to say about that”…
REALLY?
Sanfraud said: “What I’ve got to focus on is the state,” …“And making the most by it.
REALLY?
Whatever people are going to do, people are going to do.”
REALLY?
THIS IS THE BEST ONE:
Have you remained in touch with Maria?
“No, again, how many times do I have to say this? I have moved on. We’ve all tried to move on.”
REALLY? Now that one takes the cake. Sanfraud hasn’t stayed in touch with his soulmate?
REALLY?
http://www.greenvilleonline.com/artic…
By anonymous on August 22nd, 2009 at 8:17 pm
The Luv Gov of South Carolina just will not go gently into that private night.
Sanfraud insists on staying public. This week he addressed a luncheon group and once again apologized for his bad judgment and behavior in carrying on an affair with an Argentinian woman.
Sanfraud now admits his political career is over, but he insists on finishing out the remaining 16 months of his term.
More bad judgment on his part? You be the judge.
Here is what a liar looks like, oops, I mean this is what a lame duck looks and sounds like:
VIDEO:
Sanfraud in Summerville
WATCH:
http://vp.mgnetwork.net/viewer.swf?u=8820be8cde56102cbc4d001ec92a4a0d&z=CBD
By BIN News on August 22nd, 2009 at 10:24 pm
Come on all you political pimps. sanfraud would be gone by now if not for the fear among some smart people that it would give andre the wimpy giantess (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giantess) an advantage.
That would be a hoot. andre the giantess replacing sanfraud.
Making S.C. proud!
By James the Foot Soldierq on August 23rd, 2009 at 9:42 pm
BIN – you ignorant slut – for once I agree with your post!
Cheers.