Mark Sanford Censured By South Carolina GOP, Which Stops Short Of Calling For His Resignation

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Fellow Republicans have censured South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford after he left the state last month on a secret trip to Argentina to meet his mistress.

The state GOP met for more than three hours by phone Monday before 22 members of the executive committee voted to formally reprimand Sanford. Ten others voted to ask him to resign, while nine voted to support him.

In a statement, Sanford says he appreciates the party's position and will continue to work to earn back its trust.

Sanford might have survived a state probe last week into his travel, but plenty of his fellow Republicans say they are still hearing from unhappy constituents.

The governor also has repeatedly said he will serve his remaining 18 months in office.

Comments

[OpinionsMatter]

The Republicans are fond of citing "the will of the people" when they want to pass legislation or make decisions favorable to their own interests. Despite a recent poll showing that 80% of SC residents want Sanford to resign, leaders of the SC GOP only censure him. Could the "will of the people" be any clearer? Remember that the next time the GOP wants to sell you something with the old "will of the people" argument.

[lochnessmonster]

Makes me wonder if the nine who support him have their own travel and hiking problems they want to keep quiet.

[jsgaetano]

"Family Values", conservative style.

South Carolina is destroying the sanctity of marriage.

[chriss0114]

so breaking the law and defrauding the taxpayers is not enough?

[jsgaetano]

Not for a conservative. The GOP thinks he's looking downright presidential.

[blukazoo]

Enough for what? It's probably enough to get him on the ticket in 2012. That's the way they roll...

[DestinationsUnknown]

more wasted time

the do nothing repugnos

bg deal

[Golfer59]

How you like those "Family Values"??

[lazercat2008]

It's for his own good, he could trip over his tongue.

[zoboaspi]

Wow, that's how they do business in SC, what a joke. It's not the fact that he got a little strange on the side, it's the fact that he misled constituents in doing so. Major damage control with the GOP, eh?

[DestinationsUnknown]

yes look at their unemployment

look at their education

[kareemachan]

And the fact that Sanford went as far as to try to stop the Legislature from overriding his decision to not take stimulus money with a lawsuit. Money which would have helped schools and jobs.

[tgd]

This is more about who the GOP don't want in the governor's office, Lt. Governor Andre Bauer, than about Sanford keeping his position. They have certain people they want on the ticket in 2010 and if Bauer is the current governor, he will have the advantage over whom they consider more qualified candidates.

[roblabrousse]

Something tells me his loins will be following the beat of a different beat. This guy is going to slip.

[Bluesue]

20 lashes with a wet noodle.

I think they were all secretly envious.

[hortonhearsdawho]

translated: we don't like u, okay, lets play now...

[nicole44]

He needs to resign. If you can't even be faithful and honest with your wife whom you took vows with, then how can you expect to faithfully and honestly serve the people of your state? I understand that he is human and although you can strive to keep the standards of strong family values and fall everyonce in awhile, after all we are human, the snowball affect of his lies and taking this very private matter to the public and airing out all the sorted details may hint to an inability to be an affective leader.

[Thundrdrum]

I just wonder if shamelessness is in-bred in Republicans. They'll mandate what everybody else does, but hold themselves to a much, much lower standard. I just don't get it. What's more, I don't understand why their supporters just don't get it.

[nicole44]

I think that statement is unfair and very generalizing. I appreciate that people can try to do one thing and, because we are all human, fall off the wagon sometimes. I don't think that these people say that they respect family values and then meet in a back room saying how they fooled everyone because they h@te what family value stands for. I'm a repub and i try hard in my everyday life to say what I mean and live like I say, I am not shameless because sometimes i falter, I learn from those times. I hold myself to the same high standard that I do my public officials and think for the most part that everyone tries to do that too. We all are humans and have an inaite selfish, self preservation mentality that comes out sometimes and it should be harshly judged for both sides of the isle, that is our duty. I don think the repubs that get introuble with this dont believe what they say about supporting family values, I think that they are on a more public view when they fall off the path.

[quad1200]

Only a politician could leave their job for five days unannounced and unaccounted for, and have a clandestine rendezvous and keep their job,wow.

[blaharumph]

exactly. "no call/no show" = no job

[Sandmanj]

This guy vows to stay on for another 18 months and Sarah Palin throws in the towel? Over what?

[lvdragonlady]

Leaves everyone shaking their heads that is for sure.