Sanford Pleads No Contest, Pays Fine
By FITSNews || S.C. Gov. Mark Sanford has effectively pleaded “no contest” to thirty-seven ethics violations stemming from an investigation into his administration last year.
The governor has also agreed to pay a $74,000 fine over the charges, which include numerous travel indiscretions and improper use of campaign funds.
In signing a “consent agreement,” Sanford doesn’t admit guilt – but he doesn’t contest the charges, either.
Sanford mysteriously disappeared from the Palmetto State for five days in late June – Father’s Day weekend, to be precise. After lying about his whereabouts to his staff, security chief and other state leaders, Sanford eventually confessed to having an extramarital affair with his Latin lover, Maria Belen Chapur, a woman he later described as his “soul mate.” The governor also admitted to “crossing lines” with other women.
That embarrassing revelation led to heightened scrutiny of the governor’s administration and the uncovering of multiple violations of state ethics law. In one case, Sanford tacitly acknowledged wrongdoing by returning around $3,000 to the state treasury from a 2008 “economic development” trip that appears to have been set up specifically to facilitate a meeting with Chapur.
In his statement Thursday, though, Sanford again stated that no tax dollars went to facilitate his affairs.
“I think it’s important at this point to distinguish between a personal failure and the use of tax dollars,” he said. “When it comes to watching out for the taxpayer I, and by extension my administration, did nothing wrong and have always tried to go the extra mile in being good stewards of taxpayer funds.”
Sanford also complained that the ethics commission was judging him “by a different standard than any governor over the last 30 years.”
Sanford was spared impeachment for his crimes due to a variety of political considerations – including a desire by two of the state’s most powerful political factions to keep S.C. Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer from becoming governor and hence gaining a leg up in the 2010 gubernatorial race.
In keeping with this theory, the one person who should have conducted an independent investigation of Sanford – S.C. Attorney General Henry McMaster – passed the buck not once, but twice.
Lawmakers also fretted over their own futures when it became clear that Sanford was “going to the matresses” in an effort to hang onto his job. Specifically, numerous sources have told FITS that a deal was cut between Sanford and S.C. House Speaker Bobby Harrell, who is reported to have at least two identifiable “skeletons” in his closet.
As a result of all this wheeling and dealing, the only two entities that ever investigated Sanford’s conduct were both under his authority.
We’re referring to the State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) – whose director the governor appoints – and the ethics commission, whose members were all appointed by Sanford (including several who contributed to his gubernatorial campaigns).
Ah, South Carolina …
WEB EXTRA
Sanford Statement on Consent Order
Comments
By Skidmarks on March 18th, 2010 at 5:12 pm
“…agreeing to pay $74,000 in fines and an additional $66,223 to reimburse the cost of the investigation and his use of aircraft, travel and campaign funds.”
The tightwad would never pay out this much without a whimper unless there is major crap that hasn’t come to light.
By They call me Mr. Sinister on March 18th, 2010 at 5:38 pm
“Sanford also complained that the ethics commission was judging him “by a different standard than any governor over the last 30 years.”
Really, a different standard? Tell us Governor, tell the whole state of SC exactly how many Governors in the last 30 years went hiking in the mountains only to be caught coming throught Atlanta from their out of the country tryst?? Tell us Governor, how many Governors in the last 30 years have made this state the fodder for Leno and Letterman for months on end?? Tell us Governor, exactly how many Governors have gotten a divorce while still in office?? We’ll even let you go back to first Governors of this state for that one!!
Governor, you may think that you were held to a different standard, but the people of this state, our South Carolina, held you to the same standard they would hold anyone that works for them. And Governor you do still work for us. In your mind you may think that as Governor you are some how superior to the rest of us. But trust us,you put your pants on one leg at a time just like the rest of us, and your Argentine girlfriend will confirm that.
No Governor, you have through your own actions embarssed this state and the reputation of the people of this state for years to come. At the end of the day Governor Sanford you make former Governor Hodges look more competent and qualified to have been Governor of this state, than you ever could have been.
By Ynotfirst on March 18th, 2010 at 5:52 pm
There is MAJOR crap ( sh*t actually) that has not come to light. Our Governor refuses to acknowledge how damaged he actually is… and believe me, he is.
He was not “having an affair”… he did commit INFIDELITY. BIG difference and the average American continues to have a cocktail after work, turn on the tv and forget that our nation is basically in distress.
Sanfraud has contributed in a major way toward the financial distress that the United States of America is experiencing.
He may be out of office when the sh*t hits the fan… but his turn is a coming.
Someone find this Maria… his ” sole mate”… the woman he walked all over.
PROVE she is REAL.
No one has bothered. No one can.
Sanfraud is one of the biggest liars on the face of earth.
By No Name on March 18th, 2010 at 7:31 pm
At this point Ynotfirst…. what could possibly hold you back from telling us what you are implying….about what we do not know.
Certainly FITS has shown no propensity to coddle either Sanford….so on behalf of the posters ….put up or shut up.
I would love to see Maria and have commented on how unusual it is that no one can produce a picture………I think I heard something about Argentine liable laws being an impediment….but I am not sure about that….so are you saying that Mark is a dick sucking fudge packing homosexual.
It was my hope that after this announcement that he would come out an unleash hell on all the secret keepers and butt fuckers in this government.
If he is gay as you imply….I am hopeful that he got some good pictures of birthmarks and smiles and exposes the bunch of them.
Hey Mark ….you kept apologizing and asking for forgiveness….the only people you need get that from are Jenny and the kids.
For me it was always just a huge performance dissappointment.
So if you are now free ….swing away ….show me you had something other than your penis in mind….grow a pair…. and expose this seedy group of players…..then maybe I can grant you penance.
Show me.
By OhNoNotAgain on March 18th, 2010 at 10:08 pm
Was it no money spent on his affairs, ever?
Or no money spent on his affairs, after he reimbursed the $3,000 or so back in July?
What a lie.
By Another Opinion on March 19th, 2010 at 12:08 am
C street buds will keep him out of too much trouble. Hope losing all that mattered in his life, truly mattered, was worth it.
And to Sanford & all, you do work for the American Citizens, all included, so remember that when you get that heady rush of hubris & decide to do such foolish deeds.
By Mike at the Beach on March 19th, 2010 at 3:14 am
To anyone well-versed in the campaign finance / ethics world: Can he legally pay this fine from campaign funds?
By bill on March 19th, 2010 at 6:59 am
If the same scrutiny was paid to Andre Bauer, he would be in jail.
By Dr Manhattan on March 19th, 2010 at 8:31 am
Nikki Haley his handpicked person oh yeah we need more of the same..
By Mike Traynor on March 19th, 2010 at 9:33 am
Hey Ynotfirst and Bill: Why don’t the two of you put your theories together and say that Sanford was smoking Andre’s pipe?
I know — from college — that Sanford is a terribly damaged person. He is a liar and a phony. Always has been; always will be. It is amazing how he fooled so many people. I will say, that, unless he kept it under wraps, I didn’t think he was gay (not that there’s anything wrong with it). He did join a fraternity with at least 5 male Furman cheerleaders, but, hey, we all need a little college spirit.
My biggest complaint about Sanford is that he is just dumber than a box of hammers. He can spout a few conservative lines and he can mention a few good book titles, but he is basically a dunce.
I mean . . . how many great conservatives suck Thomas Friedman’s schlong like Sanford. He loves Friedman. He also claims to read great books, when in fact he just reads the Wikipedia page about them.
By Scooter on March 19th, 2010 at 11:23 am
Who cares if anybody is gay? Not an issue. Leaving the country without notice or anyone in charge, and the use of state planes etc: is what is at issue, and always has been. I do know some folks who went to college with Sanford, and know what his reputation was then ( not sexual in nature ). He does behave in a rather dull manner. ALways seemed to be in a world of his own, and not well skilled in communication. And he is a jerk and has broken the law.
By Skidmarks on March 19th, 2010 at 12:17 pm
Mike, you hit the nail on the head. Quite possibly there is nothing else to come out. Sanford thinks this will end it all. Just as he thought apologizing to Rotarians would end it all. Just as he thought confessing on tv would end it all.
By Huhhh??? on March 19th, 2010 at 12:59 pm
…and to think the people who have worked for him and voted for him and never saw through him until this, as long as he was spouting the “right” talking points, must be even dimmer.
By Mike Traynor on March 19th, 2010 at 4:33 pm
To Scooter:
The reason we care if he is gay is this . . . he has campaigned on family values; he has paraded his family out front; he has worn his religion on his sleeve as a badge of honor–and in all of these he has scornfully indicated that the gay lifestyle is wrong. Therefore he is a hypocrite.
You want my take–as a die-hard Reagan Republican who wants government off our backs? I believe that gay marriage is ALREADY legal. It is called the 14th Amendment which guarantees all people the equal protection of the law. This is ALL people, gay, straight, bi, red and yellow, black and white–they are precious in the 14th A’s sight.
Sanford = hypocrite.
By Ynotfirst on March 19th, 2010 at 6:52 pm
I didn’t mean to imply Markie Mark was gay. As far as I know the man is asexual ( from many who do know him).
There is NO Maria, no female though, and that I am 99.999999 sure of.
His trip was not about “tail”… but M O N E Y.
Ask Mark who he really works for. ( His resume includes Goldman Sachs).
By Mrs. Ethel Krabitz on March 19th, 2010 at 7:12 pm
“By Mike Traynor on March 19th, 2010 at 4:33 pm
To Scooter:
The reason we care if he is gay is this . . . he has campaigned on family values; he has paraded his family out front; he has worn his religion on his sleeve as a badge of honor–and in all of these he has scornfully indicated that the gay lifestyle is wrong. Therefore he is a hypocrite.”
It doesn’t matter if he’s gay or not. No decent person would publicly portray any of the above then conduct a different lifestyle in private. Gay or straight. He is a hypocrite regardless of his orientation. He is NOT a decent person. proven. He is a liar. proven. He is a crook. proven. I don’t give a damn if he was boffing Maria Belen Chapur or her brother. He is a morally bankrupt, Scripture- spouting, forgiveness-asking, Jimmy Swaggart-resembling sack of excrement.
By No Name on March 19th, 2010 at 7:43 pm
Ok – so let me get this straight – there is no Maria…but his wife …who actually was a legitimate Investment Banker…at a storied bank…Lazard Frere…..has deemed this secret trip to Argentina….for Goldman….to be sufficient to dump him and put her kids through this shit….kids that will later be told that it was all a lie but was done for the greater good of Goldman Sachs.
And they did this because the Sullivan family needed money…..and the emails that first went to the newspaper …but they choose not to publish …..were designed to do what at that time.
Hey man …..shut the fuck up.
By Ynotfirst on March 20th, 2010 at 7:24 am
No Name… the trip was for a different institution. The one and only “bank” aka investment company deemed “” too big to fail”.
His offense is against EVERY SINGLE CITIZEN OF THIS STATE.
It involves being a “steward of tax payer dollars”, but not state funds and in fact, may be more towards against all American citizens.
Google Sanfraud’s time in Congress. Look at his focus, his ” life’s ambition”, his ” dream”….
then understand there are documents available that indicate he went ahead without any approval and made that dream come true.
Unfortunately for him, someone is holding the evidence.
That’s because our justice system almost doesn’t exist anymore.
McMaster ignored the evidence. Bauer did too. So did our sitting Congressmen and Senators. The FBI was shut down. And there are multiple fraudulent documents associated with Mark’s fulfillment of his life long dream.
Google Sanfraud and Congress and understand he went ahead despite the measures being voted down every time…….
Documents are avaiable. Lawyers are working on it too. And personally I don’t give a rat’s *ss anymore.
By Libb on March 20th, 2010 at 1:41 pm
Count me in as one who has always thought there was something not quite right with the storyline being presented by BOTH Sanfrauds.
My question to Southernmapart & Ynotfirst is what’s the meaning behind “putting the genie back in the bottle”?
By Ynotfirst on March 21st, 2010 at 8:47 am
M O N E Y
By Libb on March 21st, 2010 at 6:56 pm
Also find it very interesting that Mark Sanford was a participant at the 2008 Bilderberg Group meeting.
By SnakeMD on March 22nd, 2010 at 5:50 pm
Maria Chapur spelled backwards is: Ariam Rupahc. My god, can you believe it! Here it is right in front of our nose the whole time. All of the emails were a big lie. The code word “tan lines” was so obvious. And can you believe who Sanford was sitting next to on the plane on the way down. Check out the sitting chart on the Drudge report. Operation Tango Down now takes on a whole new meaning. How could we be so dumb to be taken in by all this? I just hope Ariam doesn’t unleash his hit man on Sanford. SC does not need any more media attention. I’m just concerned why the State newspaper has not reported the story of Sanford’s secret office in Bermuda. Rupahc’s sister is smoking hot and her apartment is across the street from Sanford’s Bermuda enclave. This entire Sanford thing makes the Bourne Identity look like a Nicholas Sparks’ movie.