"Too_Many_Tools" wrote in message
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The Republicans have spoken...Mark Sanford is qualified to be their
candidate for President since he has passed their Purity Test.

TMT

McClatchy Washington Bureau
Posted on Wed, Dec. 09, 2009

Sanford scandal ends with whimper: No impeachment
John O'Connor | The State
last updated: December 09, 2009 07:34:40 PM

COLUMBIA, S.C. — A South Carolina House panel voted Wednesday not to
impeach Gov. Mark Sanford for abandoning his duties and abuse of
power, all but closing the door on lawmakers removing Sanford from
office.

The seven-member panel, instead, voted unanimously to censure Sanford,
which means the General Assembly would admonish Sanford for his
behavior. But, Sanford would get to serve the rest of his term, which
has roughly one year remaining.

Lawmakers said that while Sanford may have used a 2008 Argentina trade
trip as a cover to initiate an extramarital affair and that his use of
state aircraft deserved an S.C. Ethics Commission review, the charges
did not meet the high standard they felt was necessary to remove
Sanford from office.

The only vote in support was Rep. Greg Delleney, R-Chester, one of
four sponsors.

Delleney said he will try to convince Judiciary committee members to
vote in favor next week, but was not optimistic.

"It will be difficult, but I'm not giving up," Delleney said. "This is
a political process. The political will is just not there. I'm
prepared to accept the consequences."

Deliberations were emotional. One opponent of impeachment, Jenny
Horne, R-Dorchester, cried as she explained the she did not nbelieve
Sanford's actions rose to the level of impeachment.

Earlier in the meeting, Reps. Garry Smith, R-Greenville, David Weeks,
D-Sumter and Walt McLeod, D-Newberry spoke out against the impeachment
resolution.

Weeks, McLeod and Horne are all attorneys. Each argued the bar for
impeachment is too high for what Sanford was accused of.

Late Wednesday afternoon, Sanford issued the following statement:

"In light of the ad hoc committee wrapping up its work today, I would
like to make several points. One, I'd like to thank the Committee for
its work, and for their deliberate and measured approach throughout
the process.

"Two, we agree with the Committee's dismissal of 32 of the 37 ethics
allegations. From the beginning I acknowledged my moral failing, and I
apologized repeatedly. But in the same breath I said, as real as that
was, what has been suggested with regard to supposedly not watching
out for the taxpayer was just not correct; and that if there had been
any oversight, it was minor and technical in nature. We are confident
that the remaining five allegations will be dismissed just as the 32
were, because we have consistently tried to be true to the taxpayer.
This has not changed, and it will not change.

"Three, I want to thank the people of this state for their kindness
and grace. I was encouraged repeatedly in traveling across the state
over the last several months by countless people telling me to 'hang
in there,' and 'finish strong.' The people of South Carolina have
given me great strength in this adversity I've created for myself, and
I want to again thank them for it.

"It's my intention to finish strong focusing on the economic
challenges facing our state -- just as we've seen with Boeing's record-
setting announcement a month ago, with Crane Company announcing 1,000
new jobs in Barnwell County a couple of weeks ago, or with Red
Ventures, where I was earlier today, announcing 1,000 jobs in
Lancaster County. I'll also be focused on real opportunities for
reform on the legislative front in making South Carolina more
competitive in the global competition for jobs, investment and way of
life. We'd ask that people from all corners of the state make their
voices heard on this front."

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