AP: Sanford’s Car Busted For Speeding, Not Ticketed
On the air or on the ground, S.C. Gov. Mark Sanford can’t seem to get from point “A” to point “B” without breaking the law – or exposing himself to fresh accusations of hypocrisy.
According to the Associated Press, a car transporting Sanford was pulled over for speeding on a South Carolina Interstate highway on Tuesday, with the driver of the vehicle reportedly clocked traveling at 85 miles per hour – or twenty miles per hour above the posted speed limit. Sanford’s car was on Interstate 385 in heading Southeast at the time of the incident.
Sanford’s driver (and security agent) was let go without receiving a ticket, however - the same form of preferential treatment that Sanford blasted three years ago when it was extended to another statewide constitutional officer.
You can read the AP story by clicking here.
Why is this news?
First of all, Sanford is already under investigation by the State Ethics Commission for a host of violations that became public after his admission of an extramarital affair with his Latin lover, Maria Belen Chapur. Examinations of the governor’s travel practices, in particular, have yielded a host 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 is accused of receiving first-class plane ticket upgrades in violation of state policy, misusing the state plane for personal and political reasons and failing 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 these flights could expose him to a tax liability.
Of course the real damning part of the governor’s speeding stop is the hypocrisy – namely the harsh criticism his office has doled out in the past when other elected officials were caught in the same situation.
In 2006, the governor’s office blasted S.C. Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer after he was stopped twice for speeding and let go without a ticket.
Through a spokesman, Sanford at the time said that he and his Cabinet officials “believe very strongly that preferential treatment should never be a factor when enforcing the law.”
Hmmm …
In South Carolina, speeding twenty miles per hour above posted limits is considered reckless driving, and could lead to an arrest and the loss of six points on your driver’s license.
The S.C. Department of Public Safety now says Sanford’s driver will be cited for speeding.
Having driven the governor on numerous occasions in a campaign setting, our founding editor Sic Willie said he felt bad for the unnamed SLED agent at the center of the controversy.
“Mark likes to get where he’s going,” Sic said. “And he’s never been shy about asking you to step on it.”
Comments
By Deputy Fife on October 8th, 2009 at 1:15 am
This is clearly the General Assembly’s fault for setting the speed limit too low for Mark’s needs. He should call up the Policy Council and order another “study” from them to back him up.
By Spok on October 8th, 2009 at 1:38 am
Lets see the Video, make us a copy for the impeachment trial, words on the video should say headed to the Appalachian Trail, I mean Argentin Tail..
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appalachian_Trail
By Jeffy on October 8th, 2009 at 2:05 am
98.3% of Fits readers think this Is a death penalty case (at least if it’s Lt Gov).
Bottom line, who cares. Of course they drive fast. Next thing you will report is that BIN is a pathetic, live at home 27 year old. Yawn.
By Mike on October 8th, 2009 at 3:16 am
I could be wrong, but I’m fairly certain you still have to bust 25 over the posted limit to hit reckless and/or 6 points, unless they changed the law in the last week or so…
More importantly, you can’t possibly be comparing a cop security detail guy driving the Governor at barely above what is the flow of traffic speed on most Interstates to Bauer’s crazy driving of his own planes, trains, and automobiles, can you? Running red lights, jumping out on cops, 100+ mph nonsense, and calling out “SC2 comin’ through” over the radio! Come on, brother. Your boy’s license was not at risk here- the ticket goes to the man or woman behind the wheel.
Jakie Knotts called…wants his Sanford fixation back.
By James T Kirk on October 8th, 2009 at 7:42 am
http://www.wistv.com/global/video/flash/popupplayer.asp?ClipID1=4195119&h1=RAW%3A%20Sanford%27s%20driver%20pulled%20for%20speeding&vt1=v&at1=Political&d1=106933&LaunchPageAdTag=Homepage&activePane=info&rnd=63777123
By Willam Klinton on October 8th, 2009 at 7:51 am
God told me I must make the Rotary Club Meeting agent now step on it or its your job big boy!!!
By Frequent Flyer on October 8th, 2009 at 8:11 am
Does the SCHP and SLED communicate? The Governor is on the road and the Patrol is clueless. He IS the Governor and SLED is charged with protecting the good ole Gov. Just what are all the antenae on the back of Sanfords car for? Decorative, I suppose.
By beentook2 on October 8th, 2009 at 8:20 am
Talk about a rat’s ass story. Is there anyone who drives under 85 on Interstate? I drive 75 and everyone passes me including Highway Patrol, Sheriff’s Department and local police. One day a open bed truck loaded down with tomatoes whizzed by me. Next thing you know some media outlet is going to report that Sanford had some BBQ,farted in public and was cited for violating local noise ordinance.
By Groundball on October 8th, 2009 at 8:36 am
What’s that sound when the water goes down the toilet? Well, the water is circling the bowl, so get ready to hear the flush! Hopefully the smell wont’ linger too long.
By Struz on October 8th, 2009 at 8:56 am
This is what happens when you take Mark’s plane away.
By Julius on October 8th, 2009 at 9:35 am
It’s NOT news…just another chance to rehash it all.
By patricia on October 8th, 2009 at 10:10 am
I have to agree people speed all the time and if you do the speed limit you are practically run over by other drivers. If the speed limit is 60 – I have to drive 75 and I am one of the slow ones !
By madcock on October 8th, 2009 at 10:29 am
Bauer just a run of the mill gay guy who happens to be Lt. Gov. Sanford is King David.
Surely you can tell the difference.
By me on October 8th, 2009 at 11:35 am
Cops cut each other breaks all the time whether its right or wrong. this guy knew it was a sled agent when he pulled the car but proceeded to lecture like he’s the guys Daddy. He deserves a ticket for being a peckerhead himself.
By ohara on October 8th, 2009 at 1:04 pm
“Mark likes to get where he’s going,” Sic said. “And he’s never been shy about asking you to step on it.”
Driving for the LuvGuv ain’t exactly like Driving Miss Daisy. His driver was in a no win situation since Sanford can’t stop moving his mouth long enough to stick to a schedule, but expects the SLED guys to make up all of his “lost time.”
He probably felt like opening the back door & dumping his highness, the grand Pooh-Bah of SC, on the curb. I would have paid to see that one.
It’s not about rules of the road or driving speeds, it’s AGAIN, about the hypocrisy of Sanford calling out Bauer for not taking a ticket, but doing the same thing himself.
By UpState Native on October 8th, 2009 at 2:00 pm
The Trooper was Throwing his power around like many do. I own this road, I am the Road Master, I am the only one that gets to drive that fast. How dare someone ride on My Road. I know LE guys that have been stopped and ticketed while on duty so don’t tell me he did not know what he was doing. (not all calls are lights and siren but we still have to get there before the bad guy gets away). Yes there is a power grab by a couple of Troopers in Laurens County and one has even pulled over an Ambulance going to the hospital with a patient in back or so he has laughed and told.
Then we have the I am the Luv Gov who wants to cut every state budget to where the State employee pays Me the Luv Gov for the privilege to come to work and expects the SLED Agent to bow at his feet. No SLED or LE wants to be on his detail because he has no respect for LE because they are just employee’s. You can always hire someone else.
The sad thing is the SLED Agent may have to take a defensive driving course, will have a write up in his file for getting a ticket and could loose his job because the Trooper is Road King and Luv Guv is King David. Plus, his personal insurance will go up because the Luv Gov will not pay the fine nor the insurance increase then he will have to hear from the wife how they don’t have the money to pay for it since no raise in how many years but having a pay cut due to furlough’s.
Feel bad for the SLED Agent.
By Strom's Daughter on October 8th, 2009 at 2:04 pm
Maria Belen Chapur told me in a telephone conversation this morning:
“Marco ees always berry, berry fast. He go muy pronto in the bed like for, como se llama en eenglish . . . premature evacuation. He evacuate muy, muy rapido. I don’t care too much about thees because he weel soon make for the media a grand pronouncement upon me of the honor of First Lady of South Carolina y Myrtle Beach Senorita Sun Fun y Yunior Mees of South Carolina. Also, the new name for the beezniss school at the Universidad de South Carolina weel be the Darla y Maria Center for the Studies of Commerce Romantica. Adios y gracias.”
By newzjunkie on October 8th, 2009 at 6:09 pm
I wonder who THAT spokesman was at the time Sanfraud blasted Bauer?
By George Jefferson on October 8th, 2009 at 8:29 pm
Oh my heaven forbid the apology tour be late occifer you think we could make two Rotary Clubs in one day, I sure do have alot of apoligizeto to do. Look out for ole smokey bear there agent I dont need anymore heat on me. We dont needs no high speed pursiuts from them SOBEECHES.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9H71AzUzR20
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gyf3rNzU99I
http://www.metacafe.com/watch/2434354/the_best_of_eric_cartman/
By Laura Campbell on October 8th, 2009 at 11:08 pm
Credibitlity going, going,…circling the drain.
Perhaps someone has lost some unnamed sources or funding. Or maybe the Star Stuff Mande story “Swayze & Polanski:The Parallels” has scared some folks away.
By Hello on October 8th, 2009 at 11:26 pm
Bu Upstate Native – You have exactly right. Truer words could never be spoken.
By benighse on October 9th, 2009 at 12:18 am
Are you sure it didn’t happen on Highway 69 with Maria in the back seat bobbing down the freeway? Now that would be a story.
By Mike on October 9th, 2009 at 10:38 am
Ohara- again, not the “same thing.” Just no comparison, and I am out of ways to explain it…
Sanford is a tool, but not because his SLED agent driver got lectured by some badge-heavy trooper redneck.
By Darth on October 9th, 2009 at 2:32 pm
Let me see, how many state reps and senators cars have sped past me on days that teh legislature was not in session? Ticket them all and let’s have those posted, not sheilded where I must FOIA to find out how many times Maggie Glover, Jakie Knotts, David Thomas, Chip Limehouse, David Mack and others have and should have been ticketed but wre not.
As to outrage, If “da Guv” was drivin’ (like Lt Gov Mario Andretti), and got a pass on the ticket, one has a point. I suspect future precedent may become a trooper pulling the royal coach is commandeered as escort and kept from meeting his quota of revenue enhancement for a few hours. Nu?
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