“They Gonna Rock Down To Impeachment Avenue”
In what many are viewing as the first tentative steps toward the impeachment of S.C. Gov. Mark Sanford, legal counsel for the S.C. House of Representatives will appear before the state Supreme Court later this month.
Their goal?
To secure legislative access to the preliminary findings of a report that’s being prepared by the State Ethics Commission, a document that could serve as the basis for articles of impeachment against Sanford.
Arguments will take place on October 19, which is right around the time that new BEA estimates could end up bringing lawmakers back into session.
Hmmm … anybody see a coincidence there?
Sanford – who appoints all of the Ethics Commissioners (and has, in fact, received financial contributions from several of them) – curiously filed suit last week to keep the initial findings of the Commission from being released to lawmakers, and by extension, the public.
The Commission argued that Sanford had filed suit prematurely and in the wrong venue.
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. Examinations of the governor’s travel, in particular, have yielded a number of alleged 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 taxpayers for the 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. Most recently, it has been alleged that Sanford’s failure to report some of the flights provided to him could expose him to a tax liability.
Sanford has denied any wrongdoing and fended off dozens of calls for his resignation from Republicans, RINOs and Democrats alike.
“Impeachment fever,” however, has waxed and waned. In fact, Sanford’s threat of legal action – and his promise to expose similar violations committed by other public officials – has scared off a number of lawmakers from committing to a “yes” vote on impeachment.
Of course, the hypocrisy Sanford is showing with respect to the Ethics Commission investigation – first agreeing to a public process but then suing to block the public from seeing the initial report – may be emboldening his opponents.
What is clear at this point, though, is that the specific allegations against Sanford are likely to be released sooner rather than later, and with the governor’s public support at an all-time low – lawmakers could very likely be able to draft compelling articles of impeachment without risking their own political necks.
We shall see …
Comments
By Trey on October 6th, 2009 at 8:42 pm
What a wonderful team member you must have been for Mark Sanford Will. In fact, did you ever play on a team?
By Weighing In on October 6th, 2009 at 8:53 pm
i hope he and his mainly entire lousy staff (read: his policy folks, not necessarily his secretaries and staff counsel) get put out on unemployment avenue so we can quickly move forward to getting back to the business of this state. I didn’t want to believe that he was fraud, but that is straight up what he is.
By Frequent Flyer on October 6th, 2009 at 9:17 pm
They Gonna Rock Down To Impeachment Avenue…and then we get Bauer!
By alaindelon on October 6th, 2009 at 9:36 pm
Sanfraud engineered his own implosion.He is so deaf from its noise that
he is unfit for the job.A divorce filed by him in 2008 would have saved his career.Instead,he chose the fraudulent path.SACK SANFRAUD! NO MORE
EXCUSES!
By Laura Campbell on October 6th, 2009 at 9:49 pm
Sanford should rock down to the last step of the Capitol and keep on walking.
By Calhoun Fawls on October 7th, 2009 at 12:30 am
Sanford will veto the impeachment. In his mind, that will be the wise thing to do.
By ohara on October 7th, 2009 at 1:07 am
“Sanford refunded taxpayers for his expenses related to that trip (a year after the fact), but he has not reimbursed taxpayers for the time and resources that went into setting it up.”
I just got back from vacation that was spent discussing, unfortunately, the status of our current governor. Next time I’m telling those who ask I’m Canadian. From 2 separate attorneys who are familiar with the case (like how could you not be?) the opinion was given that Sanford’s use of taxpayer money and his repayment of a portion of it was more than enough to impeach-that his misconduct amounted to a violation of SC criminal law.
His odds of surviving? I’m giving him 10% & that’s being generous-probably closer to a 1% chance he can pull out if it. He’s gone if what we all suspect is in that Ethics Report actually makes it out to the press. Legal technicalities & stonewalling are not going to save him on this one. Didn’t work for the stimulus bill & damned sure won’t work for impeachment.
By Not Sayin', Just Sayin' on October 7th, 2009 at 9:20 am
The BEA can’t just bring the General Assembly back. They have to project revenues falling by a certain percentage to trigger an automatic return of the GA. Do you seriously think they would provide false estimates just to bring the GA for an impeachment that would cost extra money if it takes place before session resumes as expected in January? I’m not sayin’ it’s impossible, but I’m just sayin’ the notion seems a little tenuous.
By MKinVA on October 7th, 2009 at 9:30 am
“but he has not reimbursed taxpayers for the time and resources that went into setting it up”. I, for one, am glad you keep the 2008 trip in your articles, Will. Everyone else in the general media is ignoring it. I think the best argument for impeachment is his apparent use of state employees to set up the 2008 trip to heaven. But, how do you reimburse the state for that? It’s not just the time put in by these employees, the cost of sending a Dept. of Commerce employee as his beard, and the cost of sending the Governor to Buenos Aires. What is the cost of corrupting state employees and a state agency for personal purposes? Technically, it’s called embezzlement and it’s a crime.
By OnNoNotAgain on October 7th, 2009 at 10:32 am
Not every media ignored it –
http://www.onlinechester.com/cgi-bin/c2.cgi?155+article+News+20090702220417155155001
By Make it up as you go. on October 7th, 2009 at 11:11 am
Bauer is gonna be great for SC. We need someone who knows how to run things into the ground.
By scooter on October 7th, 2009 at 12:57 pm
Come on, give Andre a chance. He has worked long hours all over this state to help all of us, especially Seniors. The man has a sincere interest in making things better for SC. Shame on the ones who keep bringing up old news, and do not really know the man.
By Dr. Love on October 7th, 2009 at 2:05 pm
I think if they impeach on these flimsy accusations, their political necks will be stretched high. It will be political death.
Sanford is a dead duck. The expense would be too high. If he had 2 or 3 years left, I would say hang him high. But not now.
Timing couldn’t be worse for the GA. We are about to enter the “Holiday” months. SC citizens don’t want to have this crap in the news in November and December. It will take weeks to if not months to get this stuff done. It is a lose/lose for the members.
If they try to do it in January, then their whole session will be taken up with this. Which on second thought may be a good idea. Maybe they won’t do some of the stupid stuff they typically do. But, even then they won’t be able to complete the task before late March (if lucky). So, what does that do? If gets Sanford out of office for two months prior to session ending. What does that do. It’s obvious he doesn’t do much afterwards.
It’s a joke. Leave it alone, or die a slow death. Sanford has a bunch of campaign money left and will use it for vengence. He won’t give it to charity or to the SCGOP. Trust me. I’m a doctor!
By scarlettohello on October 7th, 2009 at 5:52 pm
Some are dying a slow miserable.
By Martha Washington on October 9th, 2009 at 8:31 pm
Seems to me it’s the legislature and specifically, Harrell, keeping Sanford’s story in the forefront. The more they talk about Sanford, the less people look at the HYDROGEN stations costing 1.4 ml snuck in by Harrell; the weak immigration billp; the overspending in the budget…on and on.
Everyone is positioning themselves for elections. They are hedging bets that opposing Sanford will win them votes. OK, Sanford’s not perfect – but he ain’t no Obama, no Barney Frank, no Pelosi, no Cheney, no Bush, no commie pinko, no Jim Edwards….need I go on.
Let it go all of you puritanistic perfectionists. Let those without sin throw the first stone…then get back to work and shut up. We need to get sound money bills, the sovereignty resolution on record (to join the other 30 something states) we need to free ourselves from the federal govt mandates; protect free speech and guns; protect our freedoms and stop wasting time.
Sanford did more good than bad-something most politicians can’t say.