Subpoenas Coming For Sanford Staffers
While S.C. Gov. Mark Sanford was busy last Thursday pointing fingers at an ethics commission investigation that he effectively controls, the S.C. House of Representatives is moving to obtain subpoena power for its own investigation of the Palmetto State’s scandal-tattered chief executive.
At the top of the subpoena list? Current Sanford Chief of Staff Scott English and longtime personal secretary April Derr – two staffers with the closest proximity to the governor. Other names on a potential subpoena list include current Sanford scheduler Mary Neil Hanks and longtime political advisor Marisa Crawford.
“No stone will be left unturned,” one of the would-be House impeachment managers told FITS founding editor Sic Willie over the weekend. “Every current and former employee of (Sanford’s) office will be questioned.”
Another round of subpoenas is likely to target Sanford’s security detail, which has allegedly been used as an errand service for the governor and First Lady. Additional rounds of subpoenas will reportedly focus on Sanford’s top fundraisers as well as other women his is alleged to have “crossed lines” with in the past.
In preparing for impeachment proceedings, lawmakers tell FITS they have been studying the successful impeachment (and removal from office) of Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich “as a guide for our own process.” One of the first steps in the Blagojevich mess, you may recall, was a preliminary finding of fact not unlike the one Sanford sought to discredit last week.
As FITS reported last week, impeachment proceedings are imminent – coming as soon as next month, according to some sources. Of course, this development has prompted Sanford to dig in even deeper against what he calls a “political witch hunt.”
So … will Sanford’s attitude change once the subpoenas start flying? Or will he watch as dozens of his current and former staff members, security personnel, political allies and “other women” are compelled to testify at high-profile hearings?
Based on everything we’ve seen from Sanford so far (including his own threats of legal action), we’re predicting a long, drawn-out impeachment drama.
Comments
By Toyota Kawaski on September 14th, 2009 at 10:48 am
over or under this whole process will last longer than “The Juice’s” murder trial?
By candi on September 14th, 2009 at 10:56 am
Good luck finding the “other women” he crossed lines with…they are in other countries!
By SC Integrity on September 14th, 2009 at 11:00 am
He’ll go for broke, bet the house and sell out everyone. Going to be a super thrilling blockbuster with the hypocrite hunt and booty call nitty-gritties.
By Gina on September 14th, 2009 at 11:03 am
Hey Fits,
you gonna be called?
By Jonny D on September 14th, 2009 at 11:04 am
What?!? Hey House of Reps, you have one thing in common with those who you intend to subpoena, you did not even get up this morning!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34ag4nkSh7Q
But back to the rest of the story, this long distance dedication goes out to Maria from Luv Guv (and don’t miss Fits yelling at :51).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ez4gztNNog&feature=related
By Jonny D on September 14th, 2009 at 11:09 am
oops, misfire on the long distance dedication, cheers!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2eZ4gztNNog&feature=related
By fitsnews on September 14th, 2009 at 11:14 am
Yes, we are hearing Sic Willie is on the list. Now THAT will be must see TV.
-FITS
By shiya on September 14th, 2009 at 11:46 am
Well, at least we will have an interesting soap opera to watch.
I hope the house of reps calls Sanford’s bluff and does issue these subpoenas. The more Sanford digs in the more trouble he creates for himself. Think about this…all this would have been gone if he had only resigned as soon as he was caught. But someone convinced him he was David (probably English) and he has dug himself a deeper hole.
Bet Joel Sawyer will be called to testify. They should issue subpoenas to Maria as well…that way she can never set foot into the US if she evades it.
By 1 + 1 = 3 on September 14th, 2009 at 11:47 am
Committee: Did you tell anyone where you were going to be for those 10 days you planned to be in Argentina
Sanford: It depends on what your definition of tell is
By shiya on September 14th, 2009 at 12:31 pm
He is going to bankrupt everyone before he himself goes down. I doubt if they will stop now even if he resigns…looks like everyone is just fed-up with him, including those who will be testifying.
Here is where the difference between him and Clinton will become obvious. I doubt if anyone will be willing to fall over their sword as they did for Clinton. Helps to have people like you and not be such an asshole. He is now blasting the same ethics commisson that he handpicked, and that might have given him a pass were it not for his tantrum.
I should think Maria will the first to be subponaed..she is afterall the ultimate other woman, and she more than anyone else can testify to his absence over that “weekend”.
Also FITS, any ideas about the story that Sanford is trying to stall the ethics investigation by not responding to their queries.
By This ought to be fun on September 14th, 2009 at 1:37 pm
I’m just curious to see what skeletons Sanford starts pulling out of OTHER people’s closets as a last ditch effort to save his own rear.
By CNSYD on September 14th, 2009 at 3:15 pm
shiya, we can only hope that Davis, Haley and Ryberg fall on their swords for them. That will be a clean sweep.
By Jerry Springer on September 14th, 2009 at 3:30 pm
You backward country bumpkins sure do like airing your dirty laundry out in public. I recommend you get the players to do a little bit of hollering , hair pulling, and down right cussing to keep the ratings up.
By Mike Traynor on September 14th, 2009 at 3:59 pm
Leave it to Sanford to study Blago instead of Clinton. Blago was convicted, Clinton skated. Sanford–dummy that he is–is studying Blago, instead of Clinton.
By fitsnews on September 14th, 2009 at 4:01 pm
Mike-
The lawmakers are studying the Blago hearings, sorry if that wasn’t clear in the story …
-FITS
By shiya on September 14th, 2009 at 6:22 pm
FITS,
any idea if Maria will be called to testify?
By alaindelon on September 14th, 2009 at 9:29 pm
Maria Chapur would the first witness I woud call to testify.It is likely
that they had more encounters than Sanfraud has admitted to.If so, were
they financed with taxpapayers money?As obsessed as he is with his
mistress,it doesn’t make sense that he would to wait months for nookie sessions.He was begging his wife to go see her.Enough said!
By MKinVA on September 14th, 2009 at 11:12 pm
You don’t need Maria to testify. What you need is to subpoena Sanford’s personal financial records that he promised to release weeks ago. You need to subpoena all emails, records, correspondence relating to Sanford giving jobs to his pilot friend. You need Jenny’s testimony as to use of state employees to run personal errands. You need to subpoena the testimony of pilots about personal use of state planes. You need to subpoena the testimony of Commerce employees involved in setting up the 2008 Argentina trip and the reasons for it. You need to get Sanford under oath and ask who is the back channel. You need to subpoena SLED employees and find out who disabled the tracking device on the SLED vehicle.
By owlvee on September 15th, 2009 at 12:16 am
Sanford is a THIEF and should be charged accordingly. He took money from me and the other residents of SC for illegal purposes. I think that is stealing and I am tempted to press charges myself since it was partially my monies that paid for his excursion.
By utah on September 15th, 2009 at 10:11 am
Good luck getting anyone from out of state to testify, including Ms. Chapur. The House has no authority to compel these persons to testify, and have no recourse against them when they do not appear.
By shiya on September 15th, 2009 at 2:04 pm
You may not be able to get them to testify, but at least, you can get to keep Maria away from the mansion if you issue a subpoena.
By shiya on September 16th, 2009 at 1:05 pm
why Sanford’s security clearance was suspended…
http://www.postandcourier.com/news/2009/sep/16/questions-judgment-candor-led-sanford-security-cle/