State GOP Senator: I Would Move To Impeach Sanford

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Embattled South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford is meeting with his cabinet a day after a state senator said the Republican governor violated state travel laws.

Sanford has been under increased scrutiny since admitting in June he had an affair with a woman in Argentina. He's vowed to stay in office. He is scheduled to hold a regular cabinet meeting Tuesday.

Fellow Republican state Sen. David Thomas said Monday the governor violated laws requiring the cheapest travel possible when he flew business- and first-class to China and London. Thomas heads a legislative committee investigating Sanford's travel. Thomas said the tickets cost taxpayers $13,700 more than available economy-class flights.

"The two flights by Gov. Sanford were in violation of the South Carolina Code of Regulations," Thomas said in his letter. "The difference in price between the most economical and the more expensive price of the seats the governor chose is approximately $13,700 ... If I were in the House, the answer would be yes, I would be involved in the beginning of the impeachment process," he said. "I think there is enough data right now to take seriously a move toward impeachment. Is that sufficient for impeachment? That I don't know."

A Sanford spokesman said Thomas is wrong and that his conclusions blatantly overreach.

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Comments

[leewa]

In his rebuttal to the travel investigation, he brought up that only 7 of his 229 hours of flight were in question. This he stated only represents 2% of his flight time. First of all, that is just over 3% which is 50% more than he stated. That seems minor but lets be accurate. also if he wants to play number games, his 2 international flights that were brought up in the investigation represent a fraud of 81% (the difference in cost between business class and coach). Coach on those 2 flights only cost 19% of business class. There were other international flights that he also defrauded the people of SC but the report did not give specifics other than a total difference of just over $37,000. He also started pointing fingers at everyone but himself for his failure to follow SC state law. The hipocricy on this is amazing. He denies the much-strapped education system any stimulus money but demands that he fly in luxury whenever he goes overseas. While I think that this travel-fraud is an actionable offense, (both Criminaly and impeachement) I feel that his leaving the state without designating a stand-in would also warrant his impeachment.

[Whitley2009]

Did he ever tell anyone where he was on those 60-65 little secret trips when no one could find him?

[kdlaiusa]

Impeach him, prove that the GOP still has an ounce of integrity left.

[ColoradoCool]

Those C Street guys are on record as believing they exist on an elevated plain above the moral and ethical constraints the rest of us try and adhere to. Looks like they also believe they/re above the law.

I'm waiting to hear an audible THUD when this guy is finally brought down to earth and hits the ground.

[sviolette]

Too bad we didn't have anyone smart enough in congress do that to Bush and Cheney. He should just quit and save SC the expense of impeachment.

[WakeMeUpNow]

Can't they still be tried for crimes, war crimes to be specific? I would love to see Cheney in jail for blatantly lying to the world and be held directly accountable for the deaths of thousands of Americans and innocient men women and children in Iraq and Afghanistan as well as for violating the Geneva convention and torturing humans and committing crimes against humanity.

[Rangergirl]

I hope they follow thru on this.....He deserves impeachment....For deserting his post....Not telling anyone where he was... Not for the affair. I hope his wife wises up also....I sure wouldn't stay with a man that says his soulmate is in Argentina.....

[Whitley2009]

He's never really been on duty. All of his activities since taking office have been of a personal nature as well as his mid-life crisis-- if not disaster. It would be nice to have a governor in the office.

[CarolinaYankee]

If my husband told everyone that he has a soulmate in Argentina, BUT he will try to fall back in love with me.... BYE BYE, do not let the door hit you

[grumbles]

Maybe someplace in Argentina is looking for an experienced governor??

[murphy20]

Rumor has it that he will be moving Maria Belen Chapur (Ms. Argentina) into the SC gov's mansion within a few weeks of Christmas, after the outrage has died down & he feels the public will be more accepting. This from his former press secretary.

http://www.fitsnews.com/2009/08/11/chapur-to-south-carolina/

[Ponderus]

Is there any way they could add castration to the punishment?

[Lookouts]

I am from SC and this guy is straight up garbage! He abuse his power and embarrass our state! Impeaching him is a priority!

[haval2]

Reality check. No one besides your C Street buddies buys into the "God wants me in a place of power" position. You need to leave. You are a poster boy for bad politicians.

[Measy23]

"I did not...I repeat. I did not have sexual relations with that...oh wait I did" Correction
"I did not...I repeat. I did not take a private plane to get a hair cu...wait I did that too!"

[arkansawtravler]

The first one didn't cost the tax payers any money, oh wait, it cost about $50 mil for John Robert Starr and others to investgate private sexual contact between two consenting adults. We know how those repugs yell about "thou shalt not" but themselves love to do. Ya know, do as I say, not as I do: Ensign, Vitter, Fley, Craig, O'Riley, Sanford, et al.

The second cost the taxpayers of South Carolina for up-scale travel that was in violation of state travel laws.

[bluerednot]

OH Please! Yes, I think Sanford should be dismissed - but- This would be beyond stupid! - to try to do it on the grounds of having flown "Business Class" instead of "economy" on overseas trips ?? The corporate travel policy of most (but not all) sizable corporations direct that employees fly "economy" on domestic flights and may fly "Business Class" on overseas flights -

I'm assuming that Sanford did not sneak in an extra ticket for the girlfriend - or actually fly "First Class" - so I don't see how the "Business Class" issue would get any traction.
What would be better would be to do some documenting of some of the more significant & violative things that he has done - and pursue him on those items -

[selma]

How about going AWOL AND blowing off business meetings AND misusing flight tickets AND using public aircraft for haircuts?
and LYING through his teeth about reconciling with his wife when there are reports that he never gave up contact with Maria. (http://www.fitsnews.com/2009/08/11/chapur-to-south-carolina/).

"I've got a busy life, and I've tried as best I can .... to be a reasonable father, while at the same time, being a good governor," Sanford said in response to questions from reporters after a Cabinet meeting. "I can't tell you the number of sporting events I've missed, of theirs."
How about the FATHER's DAY that you missed? you really expect us to believe you were a sincere dad all this while?

[Whitley2009]

How about never really reporting for duty? This guy has been coasting and ghosting.

[murphy20]

From what the AP has reported on and the State newspaper, it looks as though the LUV GUV has spent approximately $120,000 of SC taxpayer money flying his kids around SC, using the state planes as if they were his personal taxis, & going 1st class on international travel while requiring his subordinates to fly coach, share hotel rooms, & use both sides of their post it notes.

Now he's saying that he can't fly coach because he is middle-aged & may have a bad back, and gee-everyone else is doing it.

SC is one of the poorest states in the country. It boasts one of the worst educational standards & has something known as "the corridor of shame." Look it up. Kids in the rural area go to schools that have 1950's era books & desks are made with concrete blocks and a slab of plywood.

THAT is why he should be impeached. That $$ could have gone to 100 different areas of need in the community & should not have paid for a narcissistic multi-millionaire's plane travel-anywhere.

[nomobull]

AMEN

[bluerednot]

Exactly my point - build the case on the truly substantial and genuine violations of the rules & laws because "impeachment" is a legal step - it has to be proven that he broke a law or regulation - it should be clear and reasonably significant -and it should be built on facts - and not technicalities.
I believe that Sanford is a dog - and less than honest and lots of other stuff - but if an impeachment proceeding is to move forward - please build it on really solid ground so that it goes through.
On the other hand - if there is a "recall" option in SC where you can toss a gov who entirely loses the support of the population - then go for it - run him out ASAP!

[CarolinaYankee]

HE LEFT OUR STATE UNATTENDED FOR 5 DAYS. Any state employee who does not report to work without a call for 3 days is dismissed immediately. What if we had a hurricane or something worse no one was sworn in to have Governor powers, no one cares about his squeeze, that is Jenny's problem, we have enough problems with him already.

[stylenease]

Another corrupt and dishonest republican poster child. Do republicans have a single honest person left in their miserable party?

[HighPlainsDrifterToo]

And do the democrats have a single honest person left in their miserable party? Both parties are rotten to the core. Its time for a 3rd party.

[pamelagoodenough]

It's time to ban lobbying.

[nomobull]

YOU CARRY EXTRA RESPONSIBILITY WHEN YOU SET YOURSELF UP AS THE PART OF MORALS AND STANDARDS. THE DEMOCRATS ARE NOT GUILTY OF THAT BUT THE GOP FOR SURE ARE.

[LMPE]

Impeachment is too nice for these crooks. There needs to be a tribunal to prosecute every one of them for everything that they've done.

[ThinkCreeps]

Wouldn't it be more traditional in SC to lynch him?

[stylenease]

Wrong color.

[Cooltoad]

then you wouldn't even need litiation against him, if he wasn't whyte. just string him up... yeeeehaaaaaa!

[texasteph12570]

as a conservative, impeach him.
'he who permits himself to tell a lie once, finds it much easier to do it a second time, till at length it becomes habitual; he tells lies without attending to it, and truths without the worlds believing him. the falsehood of the tongue leads to that of the heart, and in time depraves all its good dispositions" thomas jefferson 1785
"sometimes it is said that man cannot be trusted wit the government of himself. can she then be trusted with the government of others? thomas jefferson 1806