Sanford's Affair Might Have Jeopardized His Top-Secret Clearance

US News and World Report:

South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford's love-struck romp in Buenos Aires with his Argentine "soul mate" wasn't just a threat to his marriage, job, and presidential aspirations. It also jeopardizes his Department of Homeland Security clearance and raises new questions about his candor on the steamy affair.

Read the whole story: US News and World Report

Comments

[TomZart]

PREACHERS, TEACHERS AND POLITICIANS


Preachers, teachers and politicians
Too many times turn out the same.
Forecasting predictions of what lay ahead
Confused by self-love, ego and shame.

Forewarning of judgment and our own unawareness
Blaming others for corruption and the mayhem of war
They seek our endowment of revenue and support
As volunteers e-mail or beat on our door.

Thank God for each and every individual
That prays for wisdom, repentance and grace.
Not perfect though remorseful, repentant when wrong
As their devotion radiates from their face.

Listen and watch carefully the shepherds of man
Judging them by what they practice not preach.
Do they make you wonder about their purpose?
As they communicate, inspire and teach.


By Tom Zart
Most Published Poet
On The Web

[TomZart]

RUNNING FROM GOD


All of us at sometime have run from God
When He has asked us to do something we chose not to do
Though we are free to select who we follow
A life without faith is impossible to renew

Anytime at anywhere dilemmas may occur
Which we must overcome, endure and solve.
The falsehoods of hell consumes man’s soul
Challenging our devotion and resolve.

Jonah ran from God and took flight on a ship
To be thrown over and swallowed by a whale.
After three days he was cast up unharmed and alive
To preach at Nineveh which was doomed to fail.

Samson ran from God to the arms of Delilah
Who gave him pleasures beyond compare.
Soon she betrayed him and removed his hair
Exposing him to capture, imprisonment and despair.

Christians trust you can run but not hide
From the eyes of Jehovah who is always aware
Loving us regardless of weakness toward sin
And when we cry out, “He’s there.”


By Tom Zart
Most Published Poet
On The Web

[BrotherRichard]

I disagree with the poem quite a bit. A life without faith can be quite extraordinary and very fulfilling. This is why it is no coincidence that my personal blog is called Life Without Faith.com.

[termgirl]

I will be visiting soon.

[DestinationsUnknown]

Does Coburn have top secret clearance? If so - he needs to be stripped also.

Coburn should not be in health care reform committee

he needs to exit

now- then he can inform us on ex-convent on C Street in Washington D.C.?

I am curious- Can you please enlighten us on the oldest Conservative Christian organization in D.C. We really need to be aware of the expenditures of that housing unit on C Street.

Can you please advise how an OB/GYN Doctor/Dea­con/Oklaho­ma Senator Coburn- is immune from answering questions from any law in this country regarding his advice to bribe Senator Ensign's mistress and her family -

Please explain that?

The righteous Coburn of OK - advising Ensign of NV how to handle his mistress and her family!

"Mr. Hampton (husband of mistress) added that Coburn confronted Ensign and urged him to provide millions of dollars in assistance to the Hamptons to pay off their mortgage..­."

Where would those millions come from sir?

Oh- that's right- the righteous OB/GYN does not have to disclose doctor patient relationship? Or as a Deacon- Clergy disclosure?

Does Coburn or Ensign pay rent at C Street?

How is that taxed?

Just a few questions- are bribes legal through one of bush's signing statements?

[tandrmcdonald]

Oh, please, this mutt is as scintillating as a dead carp and his affair is as interesting as Jon & Kate plus eight and their marital slop. Leave in the news part of the story, leave out the "confessional spewage."
Gramma Rose

[IGGHY]

His behavior and tepraments are better suited for Hollywood not for a dull governorship. Shall we help him find a career better suits him?

[AlinaM]

IGGHY, I do not think that he is attractive enough for a Hollywood role and this is much ado about a last tango by a middle aged man.

[Adartist777]

He could play a two backed beast. It would make a great horror picture. "Attack of the Two Backed Beast."

[Whitley2009]

I am proud to say I was the first HP blogger to point-out Sanford's problem with his security clearance. It is not just with Homeland Security, but this man is also an officer in the Air Force Reserve. His behavior is erratic. He demonstrates instability in both his private and professional lives. His having had 39 secret trips away from his office and family with absolutely no accountability as to his purpose or location is downright scary.

Perhaps his good buddy Lindsey Graham, also an officer in the Air Force Reserve, could give him some pointers on why his secret trips and erratic behavior and narcissistic behavior are regarded as security risks. Of course, Lindsey has admitted he has "secret sins", so he might not want to get near this subject. Did Mark meet Lindsey on any of these trips?

He should not be entrusted with the job of Governor of South Carolina, much less entrusted with matters of national security. He needs to resign from office and quietly withdraw to his plantation in the swamp.

The Governor of South Carolina is charged with negotiations with foreign governments, foreign corporations, and many highly confidential financial matters affecting the state. I feel that he would pose a very high risk to the integrity of the State if allowed to stay in office. He would likewise pose a threat to national security in his interfacing with Homeland Security.

[IslandGyal]

Oooops, that DADT

"How come Lindsey Grahman hasn't been kicked out the military under DODT?"

[ObamAtomic]

He keep quiet,not one outed him.

[InYourFaceRadio]

Yeah to all that and he's so damn ugly too!

[Adartist777]

I don't know...put a skirt and make up on him, you never know! ROFL!!!!!!

[JohnSawyer]

Whitley2009 says: "His having had 39 secret trips away from his office and family with absolutely no accountability as to his purpose or location is downright scary."

Makes me wonder if his story about a mistress is just a cover story for other activity he's been conducting outside the US, that he wouldn't want revealed.

[MissingAmerica]

If he could be so open about this affair when asked, volunteering all the intimate details, it should be clear the man can't hold a secret. Yup, I think pulling his clearance may be a smart thing to do.

[FreeBallin4Life]

I had my clearance taken away in my last 3 months of service for credit issues. So, uummmmm yeah! I'm trying to figure out how the Gov still holds his not to mention he should be in jail for stealing money. How long does it take one to make 8,500 a month in which he spent like it was nothing for that plane ticket?

[ranchomerced]

My biggest question is how does BHO qualify as president? Had I not disclosed my real birth certificatel, traveled to Indonesia,, Pakistan etc. And sealed all my school records I would have never qualified to have the Top Secret clearence I had in the military.

[IslandGyal]

ROTFLMAO, didn't get that job on Comedy Central, so you are trying out your material on here, huh?

[bygollymissmolly]

If you don't seek psychiatric help soon I fear for your survival. Please tell us what other Presidents have been asked to produce their original birth certificates (which no individual possesses)? Original birth certificates are maintained by the state of birth. And the State of Hawaii has attested to the validity of President Obama's original birth certificate.

BTW, please explain to us why this is even an issue. Since President Obama's mother was a citizen when he was born, he was automatically a citizen.

[doctorwang]

LOL !! Keep on pursuing that nonsense. It served you well in 2008 and will continue to serve you just as well in future elections.

Make sure to donate any monies you may have set aside for G0P candidates to the next charlatan that comes along claiming he can produce proof that Obama is not a US citizen.

[FrankieAnon]

The mating call of a desperate loon.

[cindyw]

Foreign travel is no impediment to being granted a security clearance, and the fact that you don't believe Obama's birth certificate is authentic has no relevance. The investigating agency granting clearance apparently determined that it was.

[Wiseronenow]

And, "it merely raises questions on his candor of his steamy affair"??? Oh, now someone is claiming their sensibilities are being offended about reading about all this? No, the issue is far greater now. Possibly a breach in national security and the guy is still in office. South Carolinians deserve what they get. No pity.

[CR46]

This is no longer just a state issue, he jeopardized our countries NATIONAL SECURITY and needs to be stripped of his security clearance.

[Wiseronenow]

I totally agree. I'm wondering if the C-Street crowd that Sanford met with regarding his affair, also bothered to question him about jeopardizing national security? I doubt it.

[Wiseronenow]

And, to put it even more b/l/u/n/t/l/y, all because he couldn't keep his c/r/o/t/c/h/ r/o/c/k/e/t in c/o/n/t/r/o/l. It's true, it has no c/o/n/s/c/­i/e/n/c/e. But, if a woman did this....

[Loki11467]

How can the most uninteresting man in the world have a steamy affair? Nothing you report can ever put steamy into reality. His personality outside the bedroom can not be more than See Dick Run style even if he is in Argentina.

[dogisgreat]

If the people elect him, he should be given clearance. How can we have a democracy wherein a non-democratic secret security entity can effectively nullify the authority of a publicly elected official by denying information essential to his performing his job?

The U.S. secret security apparatus is out of control.

[CR46]

He had a sexual affair with a foreign national. This is just the type of situation that can put our country at risk. He was elected, but by his own actions including abandoning his job, he has broken the trust(along with a few laws) the public placed in him, his security clearance NEEDS to be pulled and he NEEDS to be removed from office.

[Wiseronenow]

But, Obama is called a t/e/r/r/o/r/i/s/t, claiming he is not a citizen, questioning whether he bowed or not, etc. etc. I'm tired of the hypocrisy from the Right.

[dogisgreat]

I don't think the governor of South Carolina doing an Argentinian is putting our country at risk. That's really a stretch.

You may think he needs to be removed from office, but it happens that he was democratically elected. The people are sovereign, not the national security apparatus. If South Carolina wants a wandering philandering governor, it's their right to have him.

[bygollymissmolly]

And why does the governor of a small state like South Carolina need national security clearance to do his job?

[CR46]

In case of a national crisis, they are also in control, to a certain extent, of the national guard in their states and need a security clearance to have access to what could be sensitive military info.

[2Bfair]

The article says there are standards of conduct for maintaing top security clearence, "a key one being that relationships with foreigners must be revealed." Former presidents keep top security clearence, right? Did Homeland Security have a talk with Belinda Stronach?

[JMBrodie]

One would hope so.

[bygollymissmolly]

Republics always fall back to "but Clinton did it", like that makes everything wrong the Republics do somehow OK. I'm sorry, but two wrongs don't make a right.

[2Bfair]

they may, but this is not one of those cases.

[johnwinner]

Let's put it bluntly: If he shared any national security info with this cutie, he committed treason.

[JMBrodie]

Even the possibility is problematic. He walked away from his job and his duties. I don't know about you, but I would get fired for doing that. How about you?

[dogisgreat]

Until there is cause to believe he did, I don't see any reason to speculate about it. The woman is Argentinian. It's not like she's a North Korean spy or something.

[JohnSawyer]

Agents of foreign governments use nationals of countries other than their own, to get info on other governments. It's a standard part of spying. So, there is every reason to speculate on this possibility.

[JMBrodie]

And yet, he still has a job.

It has been said before: It is not about the affair. It is about job abandonment.

[HLL]

Right on.