Sanford gets no support

MYRTLE BEACH -- Gov. Mark Sanford always has been a loner, but on Saturday he didn't have a friend in the House.

Not a single member of the House Republican Caucus spoke up for the embattled GOP governor in this oceanfront city at an organizational meeting that wrapped up with a 45-minute discussion about why Sanford should resign or be impeached.

House Speaker Bobby Harrell, a Charleston Republican, resisted calls from members to circulate a caucus letter to urge Sanford to step down or begin immediate impeachment action. Harrell said he wants the caucus to wait until a State Ethics Commission investigation is complete to ensure that impeachment proceedings would be based on fact.

The investigation began Aug. 10 and is expected to take between four and six weeks to complete.

"Members of the caucus are disappointed in him, angry with him and, in some ways, disgusted by the whole thing and they want to deal with it and they want to deal with as quickly as possible," Harrell said.

He has not asked Sanford to resign, nor did Harrell interject any personal opinions.

The caucus did not take a vote or decide on any particular action, although a majority was present with

57 members of the 72-person caucus at the roundtable.

Harrell and Senate leader Glenn McConnell, also a Charleston Republican, could agree to call the Legislature back in advance of the scheduled January return. Two-thirds of lawmakers in each chamber would have to agree to come back to take up an impeachment.

It costs roughly $50,000 a week for the Legislature to stay in session. That figure could drop if lawmakers pay their own expenses.

The governor said in response that foremost he agreed with the legislative priorities discussed by the caucus prior to the subject of his impeachment. The meeting lasted about two hours.

"First, we'd agree with the House GOP Caucus as they spent the bulk of their meeting today discussing how to make South Carolina more competitive in the race for jobs, investment and a better way of life," Sanford said in a statement Saturday. "We'd specifically applaud the caucus for highlighting spending limitations and tort reform as two tools in the toolbox that we can together use to improve our state's economic climate in this upcoming session.

"It's also important to reiterate what we said yesterday: that we're dedicated to an open and fair ethics process, and would further urge all levels of state government to embrace that same transparency. I'd commend many in the GOP caucus who today expressed their respect for this process as well.

"I look forward to working with leaders from both chambers and indeed both parties to substantively address the challenges facing our state today."

Sanford waived his confidentially in the ethics probe Friday in Conway because he said he thinks the investigation will show that he has a sound record. The governor repeatedly has said he will not resign.

At Saturday's meeting, Rep. Greg Delleney, a Chester Republican, said the governor should resign, but because he hasn't, the House needs to begin impeachment immediately. He said Republicans are the party of values, and allowing Sanford to stay in office would be to let down a key group of constituents.

"Those are the people -- lots of them don't have two nickels to rub together -- but those are the people who man our offices, make phone calls for us, go door to door for us," Delleney said. "We don't win statewide elections by huge margins. What do we want to tell those people if we don't take action and tell them that character matters? They may have something to tell us in November.

"We can wait on the Ethics Commission and perhaps have more articles of impeachment, but we have them now, and we ought to act."

Delleney said Sanford could be impeached based on serious misconduct in office and dereliction of duty. Sanford left for a week in June to be with his Argentine mistress in Buenos Aires. He had led his staff to believe he would be hiking the Appalachian Trail.

"He has disgraced the office of governor of South Carolina," Delleney said. "He has disgraced and brought shame on the state. Can anyone in here give me one good reason, one positive thing that's brought on by him remaining in office? He's nothing but an obstacle."

Rep. Annette Young, a Summerville Republican, said she agreed that the matter cannot hold until January, but she wants to wait on the ethics investigation before any action is taken.

"We need to act," she said.

An impeachment would originate in the House, which would be charged with defining Sanford's wrongdoing. The Senate would serve as the jury.

To begin the process, a single House member could introduce an impeachment resolution, which could be taken up on the spot unless five other members object. Such an objection would send the resolution to a committee.

The committee would decide whether to send the resolution back to the full House for a floor debate and a vote.

To send the matter to the Senate, 83 of the 124 House members would have to agree to an impeachment. The governor at that point would be suspended, pending Senate action, and Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer would step in as governor. Chief Justice Jean Toal would preside over the Senate for its decision.

The state has faced a gubernatorial impeachment only once in its history. In 1871, resolutions were filed in the House to impeach the governor and treasurer. Both came to a vote, and both failed.

House Speaker Pro Tem Harry Cato, a Travelers Rest Republican, tried to prompt any Sanford supporters to share their position, but no one did.

"Somebody needs to speak up," Cato said. "Is there anybody in this room that feels the governor should not resign?"

Reach Yvonne Wenger at ywenger@postandcourier.com or 803-799-9051.