House GOP Caucus Unified On Sanford Resignation Letter
A week-long poll of more than seventy S.C. House Republicans has resulted in near-unanimous support for a letter calling on disgraced S.C. Gov. Mark Sanford to resign, multiple lawmakers have told FITS.
The poll of GOP Caucus members – which was conducted last week at the request of S.C. House Speaker Bobby Harrell – reportedly found only one Republican lawmaker who opposed the idea, although none of the legislators we spoke with would reveal the identity of their lone pro-Sanford colleague. A handful of Republican lawmakers were reportedly “undecided” about sending the letter, including Speaker Harrell and GOP Majority Leader, Kenny Bingham.
A week ago, Harrell and Bingham refused to allow House Republicans to circulate a letter calling on the governor to resign – part of a contentious GOP Caucus meeting in Myrtle Beach at which no lawmaker spoke in Sanford’s defense.
According to our sources the Caucus meeting – which is usually closed to the media – was made public by Harrell in an effort to mute not only legislative criticism of the governor, but also criticism of the Speaker’s refusal to move forward with impeachment proceedings against him. Incidentally, Harrell’s decision to allow cameras into the meeting reportedly prompted an angry, profanity-laced exchange between the Speaker and one of his most reliable foot soldiers, former Majority Leader Jimmy Merrill.
Unknown at this point is whether the letter – which could be sent to the governor’s office as early as next week – would come from House Republicans exclusively, or from a bipartisan group of lawmakers.
Obviously, if more than two-thirds of House members were to send a letter to Sanford calling on him to resign, the governor would face an uphill impeachment vote in the increasingly likely event that one is held. Also, most political observers agree that the State Senate would have no trouble reaching a two-thirds majority to remove Sanford from office if the House voted to impeach him.
Earlier this summer, Sanford admitted to having an extramarital affair with his Latin lover, Maria Belen Chapur, an acknowledgment which has prompted intense scrutiny of all aspects of his administration. Examination of the governor’s travel, in particular, has yielded a number of abuses – beginning with a 2008 trip to Argentina that appears to have been arranged entirely for the purpose of permitting Sanford to see his lover.
Sanford refunded taxpayers for his expenses related to that trip (a year after the fact), but he has not reimbursed us for the taxpayer time and resources that went into setting it up.
Additionally, Sanford has received first-class plane ticket upgrades in violation of state policy, misused the state plane for personal and political reasons and failed to report numerous airplane flights that were provided to him by friends and political allies.
Comments
By SC Integrity on September 5th, 2009 at 11:29 am
Well, I’ll go out on a limb and guess Rep. Nikki Haley is the one staunch house holdout for luv Gov. At least her most recent statement indicates she refuses to deduce the obvious and acknolwedge the illegal, deranged and dangerous acts of her greatest ally.
Hmm… who in the senate will also be true blue bestest friend in the world? Luv gov must have some mindboggling mesmerizing charm to keep these two supposedly up and coming conservatives sequestered in his corner.
By BIN News Funding Editor on September 5th, 2009 at 1:27 pm
Let’s get to the bottom of this.
SC has elected some real clowns.
Almost all have one thing in common.
Political consultants.
We all know political consultants will do anything for money.
Maybe they’re the real “oldest profession.”
Okay. There may be a few (very few) exceptions.
A few political consultants may have one or two honest bones.
But there are over 200 bones in the human body.
sic(k) willie is a mutant exception.
He has over 201 bones in his body.
Counting his bonehead.
BIN News Editorial Staff
Flair and Balanced
Dry Bones
Oh those bones, oh those bones,
oh those skeleton bones.
Oh mercy how they scare!
With the toe bone connected
to the foot bone,
and the foot bone connected
to the ankle bone,
and the ankle bone connected
to the leg bone.
Oh mercy how they scare!
With the leg bone connected
to the knee bone,
and the knee bone connected
to the thigh bone,
and the thigh bone connected
to the hip bone.
Oh mercy how they scare!
With the hip bone connected
to the back bone,
and the back bone connected
to the neck bone,
and the neck bone connected
to the head bone,
Oh mercy how they scare!
With the finger bone connected
to the hand bone,
and the hand bone connected
to the arm bone,
and the arm bone connected
to the shoulder bone,
Oh mercy how they scare!
With the shoulder bone connected
to the back bone,
and the back bone connected
to the neck bone,
and the neck bone connected
to the head bone.
Oh mercy how they scare!
E-ze-kiel cried, “Dem dry bones!”
Oh hear the word of the Lord.
Dem bones, dem bones gon-na walk a-roun’
Oh hear the word of the Lord
By whatever will on September 5th, 2009 at 3:46 pm
This is such bullshit will you don’t know what you are talking about.
By alaindelon on September 5th, 2009 at 4:29 pm
Remove Sinfraud! Get it done!
By Henry on September 5th, 2009 at 6:18 pm
No state has ever impeached its governor, but ours is flirting to be the first.
Sanford has used bad judgment, broken rules and made mistakes, but our constitution calls for impeachment for criminal behavior, which does not seem to be the case yet.
The constitution calls for removal not for misdemeanors but for the equivalent of felonies: think “embezzlement,” “accepting bribes,” “extortion,” “theft of property valued over $2,000.”
One could impeach Sanford for stupidity, fiscal hypocrisy and philandering, but these are not felonies.
Granted, he has become an embarrassment to most citizens, a lame duck, dead duck, national joke, estranged from his wife, and one can ask for his resignation, but until felonious behavior is uncovered, legislators are wrong-headed in calling for impeachment.
By Gillon on September 5th, 2009 at 9:36 pm
Henry—Please go back and do some homework and research. First of all, the term “impeach” does not mean to remove from office, as many wrongly believe. It means simply in the case of gov’t. officials, “to formally accuse of wrongdoing.” You can be impeached, but not removed from office.(as was the case with Bill Clinton)
Secondly. a number of states have impeached their governors, and some have removed them from office. Governor Rod Blagojevich of Illinois was impeached and removed this past January in the most recent case.
Thirdly, the SC Constitution allows impeachment and removal for “serious crimes” and/or “serious misconduct.” There does not necessarily have to be “felonious behavior.” One SC governor, Robert K. Scott was impeached by the SC Legislature in 1871 over the issuing of state bonds, but the House of Representatives voted not to carry through the process.
Hope this helps you understand the present situation with Sanford better.
By Liberty For Me on September 5th, 2009 at 10:37 pm
Henry is right….and I would add that I would rather Sanford stay and all the RINOS take a hike….I think that day will come..
By bjj on September 6th, 2009 at 12:11 am
to By Liberty
AMEN!
By Calhoun Fawls on September 6th, 2009 at 4:02 am
Didn’t that Governor Sonaofbitch from Illinois get impeached earlier this year?
By anonymous on September 6th, 2009 at 4:06 am
It would be interesting to hear now what Gov. Mark Sanford’s friend to the end, state Senator Tom Davis of Beaufort, has to say regarding Sanford’s possibly illegal and exorbitant use and misuse of almost everything in sight.
As Tom 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.”
Uh? Uh? That was on July 3rd.
“Gov. Sanford knows, he has no margin for further error in this particular matter. South Carolina simply cannot afford any additional embarrassment.”
Uh? Uh? That was on July 3rd.
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.”
Uh? Uh? That was on July 3rd.
COPY OF LETTER:
http://schotlinepress.wordpress.com/2009/07/03/tom-davis-statement-re-sanford-and-sled-findings/
BTW, where does Senator Tom Davis of Beaufort stand now?
Where does Tom “As a state senator with responsibilities to my constituents” Davis stand now?
Where is Tom Davis now?
When the Sanfraud scandal first broke, Davis was on every TV news channel defending Sanfraud. Where is Davis now? Here’s one theory for you, Kristen Maguire and Tom Davis are hiding out together?
Friends until the end? hahahahha hehehehehhehe
By Cicero on September 6th, 2009 at 11:11 am
Of course those idiots are going to call on him to resign. It will be popular, and will commit them to nothing. Sanford resigning is completely different from impeachment. That’s a serious step with consequences that extend far beyond this governor’s remaining months in office. This is a meaningless ploy, and I’m surprised that FITS is implying it’s significant.
By Huhhh??? on September 6th, 2009 at 11:14 am
No, Henry is real, real wrong, as Gillon said, on several points.
What is this, Liberty and bjj? Another attempt by the Republic Party to Big Lie it’s way out of something?
Ain’t gonna fly this time. Mark Sanford is good ole fashioned corrupt; doing things that are of benefit to him financially. He may not stuff the money in his pockets – at least, that hasn’t come out, yet – but if he can get the state taxpayers, his campaign fund, or his PACs to pay for something he should be paying for himself, it’s the same thing.
By southernmapart on September 6th, 2009 at 3:52 pm
Yeeah “By Liberty for Me” too
I’m withya!
By aprice2 on September 7th, 2009 at 1:05 pm
Sure, it’s politically expedient for the Republicans to call for Sanford’s resignation, but it’s a start and I think it is on the “significant” side.
Meanwhile, the longer they draw this out, the more money Sanford absconds with.
By Mark g on September 7th, 2009 at 2:18 pm
A letter asking for his resignation is a total waste of time. Sanford loves ignoring the legislature– and it’s popular with the electorate. If they want to impeach him, they should do it and get it over with. But I seriously doubt the legislature has the guts to actually do anything. Sanford knows that.
I’d say that SC is in a descending spiral, but I’m not sure how much lower it can go. A hypocritical, fraudulent governor; a weak and pathetic legislature; floundering economic development; poor educational system; a tarnished (to put it mildly) national reputation, etc.
SC voters need to elect more moderates– both D and R– to help lead SC out of this mess. People who care more about getting things done, not just ideology. So many on here root for hard-core GOP politics in the same way they do the Gamecocks, and that’s dumb. Focus on results– who will grow jobs, the economy, improve education?
It doesn’t have to be this way– you get what you vote for.