Sanford's link to staff still mystery
By JIM DAVENPORT
ORANGEBURG -- Gov. Mark Sanford continued Monday to refuse to answer how his staff could have reached him during his summertime visit with his Argentine mistress, a question that several lawmakers think is key to his political future.
Mark Sanford
While the two-term Republican has detailed his relationship and yearlong affair with the woman he called his "soul mate," he never has explained how he was to be reached during his rendezvous with Maria Belen Chapur in June.
He's insisted he was reachable via a "back channel" by an adviser who was not his spokesman or chief of staff, but Sanford has not offered other details.
"I've answered you ad nauseam on all kinds of different things," Sanford said Monday when asked following a speech to the Orangeburg Kiwanis Club about his plans for the upcoming legislative session. He did not answer the question.
Lawmakers said Monday that the governor needs to make public his method of contacting the state while he was away for five days. His staff said Sanford was hiking the Appalachian Trail.
Some legislators are considering whether to try to oust the governor and are focused in part on his lack of communication while he was away.
"I don't know who the back channel was but he needs to step up to the plate now that his removal from office could be based on that issue alone," said state Sen. Larry Martin, a Pickens Republican who has called on Sanford to resign.
State Rep. Greg Delleney, who plans to introduce an impeachment resolution in the upcoming legislative session in January, said he doubts Sanford could or did stay in touch with his staff and has said the trip constituted "dereliction of duty."
An impeachment resolution would begin in the House. Delleny, R-Chester, said the governor would have to convince lawmakers that a "back channel" mode of contact existed at all.
"SLED (the State Law Enforcement Division) and his staff couldn't find him for five days. The back channel wasn't working if he had one," Delleney said Monday.
Records of phone calls made on the governor's state-issued phone and e-mails during his absence, obtained through the Freedom of Information Act, did not indicate Sanford was in touch with his office. His chief of staff repeatedly called him with no response.
Other questions have been raised about the governor's airplane travel since he took office.
A state Ethics Commission probe based in part on AP investigations into state, commercial and private plane flights is under way.
One GOP state senator who looked into the governor's pricey commercial airline travel said Sanford broke the law, and no House Republicans came to the governor's defense Saturday when lawmakers met to discuss whether he should resign.
The governor has said he did nothing wrong and his travel has been mischaracterized.
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Comments
sardis12 (anonymous) says...
He is such an arrogant jackass...
September 1, 2009 at 1:28 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
ballachulish (anonymous) says...
If the travel has been "mischaracterized", it's up to Sanford to provide the information to exonerate himself.
September 1, 2009 at 3:38 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
nappyd (anonymous) says...
So what are his plans for this upcoming legislative session? Maybe a Girls Gone Wild filming in Ecuador?
September 1, 2009 at 4:01 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Lois_Lane (anonymous) says...
Sounds like he's backed himself into a corner he hasn't figured how to get out of yet. Ad nauseum...yep...that's what it is gov. Now git...
September 1, 2009 at 5:29 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
whalernut (anonymous) says...
LOL Lois_Lane.
He wont make it past the end of the week I am really suprised he didnt make an announcement on Monday.
The writing is on the wall. What a shame. Now GIT!
September 1, 2009 at 5:35 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
GAL2000 (anonymous) says...
State Employee Salary Database (Over $50k)
Marshall Sanford Governor Governor's Office $106,078
At least your {base} salary can be confirmed, and that is about ALL that can be confirmed with you Gov. Since coming back from your A.F. Reserve tour, I hope that you will provide that money you earned to all the places that you visited on the SC Tax Payers...and pay back like you have been saying since being caught.
September 1, 2009 at 5:58 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
charlied914 (anonymous) says...
All this hooplah from these sanctimonius group of do nothing politicians in the capitol of our state trying to get their 15 minutes of fame is sickening. Why dont they try and do something constructive instead of harping on the same old story for so long. This legislature is one of the least productive this state has ever had and its getting worse. I guess none of the rest of them have ever made a mistake maybe we should start doing some investigations on how they got elected. Move on its over
September 1, 2009 at 5:58 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
spengler (anonymous) says...
You should always keep the spare beaver in a penthouse at Motel 6, near the airport, in Columbia. I don't know how many times I told him this. Would he listen? No. I had Achmed, my houseboy, keeping an eye on him, but he slipped the tail and was airborne before I could reach him. I can still remember Achmed calling me, distraught: "He's on the plane, Boss!" Alas, I knew he was headed for trouble with the Fourth Estate, especially after he refused the blackmail payments to The State paper, which is in desperate financial straits. He has exchanged his morals for those of a common Democrat...
September 1, 2009 at 6:28 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
moonpie (anonymous) says...
Spengler, beautiful...
He just doesn't get it and every time he opens his mouth he shows his arrogance. I hope the posting that said he won't make it to the week end holds true...
September 1, 2009 at 6:39 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
martin (anonymous) says...
If he won't answer questions, he needs to keep his sorry behind in his office and do some work.
Did he fly to O'Burg like he flew to Conway? It's only 30 miles, but, hey, he's the governor and his time is precious. He actually has 2 scheduled meetings this week.
Tom Davis is very, very quiet. He said there was no more margin of error and all the plane stuff has come out since. Of course, he probably helped arrange some of those private trips.
September 1, 2009 at 7:13 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
mb300sl (anonymous) says...
Leave him alone to finish his term and fade away...
September 1, 2009 at 7:20 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Tomcatz (anonymous) says...
sanfraud, slither on back to florida, if they will allow you to return. I guess that he enjoys the support of the lions, kiwanis & rotary clubs.
September 1, 2009 at 7:23 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
babyface (anonymous) says...
Get rid of him asap. Let us try and solve our problems and he can go to his farm and live in his dream world.
September 1, 2009 at 7:24 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
ed52 (anonymous) says...
i wish he were a democrat . this story would have been buried months ago. hey media , try investigating clyburn's dealing with grant money, or soles (from nc) addiction to young boys.
September 1, 2009 at 7:33 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
RuleNumberOne (anonymous) says...
Either the back channel was an excuse that didn't really exist, or it was someone who was an accessory to arranging this illicit affair. Sanford is either protecting himself or shielding a friend. But what kind of friend will help you cheat on your wife? If you're really for transparency, start naming names, Governor.
September 1, 2009 at 7:59 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
oldglory (anonymous) says...
Actually, sardis12, you get the award today for being short, sweet and to the point. Only problem is this: you're insulting jackasses (animal) everywhere as they are pretty smart creatures unlike our gov :)
I'm so confused. The gov openly spilled his guts when this first began. Then, all of a sudden, he got a bit resentful that no one was letting him off the hook, not even his buddies. THEN, he got downright mad at all of us when we no longer wanted him. Well, mad at all of us except those Lions and Garden Clubs who all patted him on the back, thanked him for telling the truth, and told him everything would be alright as long as he told the truth.
Seems the gov has tried really hard to cut the truth out of whole cloth, but there's just too little whole cloth to cover all the untruths. I think you have failed, gov. I think you will always fail, because there is no substance with you.
September 1, 2009 at 8:23 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
jj2day (anonymous) says...
here we are again!this man is not about to tell the truth ,the whole truth,nothing but the truth-get it?he's a liar ,cheat ,and a republican.like you have to be a DEM.to be all these?he's a man who has gotten caught,1st by his wife and then by the people of S.C.step down and let *OUR*government get on with state business sanford!you haven't done a damn thing to help us the people ,just leave,dont care where,what ,or who you do see or go to!do it on your time ,not ours!bye-see ya,wouldn't want to be ya!!!
September 1, 2009 at 8:51 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
smp (anonymous) says...
There are a very FEW people who want this to go away. They claim that there is some other "more important" business that needs to be taken care of.
In my opinion, for those of us who are republicans, there is no more important agenda, then to start to remove these hypocrites when ever they pop up. We cannot be a party of principles-- if we have none.
In this case, we have a 'leader' who left his job when the state was in turmoil and crisis, could not be reached for days, for reasons that only a 15 year old boy would be able to rationalize. He led his staff to believe he was hiking the appalachian trail. (not a place where a governor belongs without some security detail, either -- hello you are KEY personell)
Of course now, after shining a spotlight on Sanford, more hypocrisises have come to light.
So there is no more important task at hand for republicans, than to rid our party of this jack ass and regain the title of a Party of Principles, before we become the communist country that the democrats are aiming for us to become.
September 1, 2009 at 9:17 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
ballachulish (anonymous) says...
Yep, If Sanford was a Dem, the Repubes would authorize 55 million to impeach.
Since Marky Mark is a co-hypocrite Goper, we just get a lot of grandstanding from his party.
It's amazing how many of the knuckledraggers who were out for blood when Clinton lied about the nasty, keep turning up with some dirt under their beds, Gingrich, Foley, Sanford, Ensign, Livingston,Craig,Diaper Dave Vitter, the list goes on and on.....
September 1, 2009 at 9:35 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
lloyd007 (anonymous) says...
Back-door channel my butt...Aside from the fact that this man( excuse me: WEASEL) cheated on his wife. Aside from the fact that State money WAS used to cover his trips to see his "SOULMATE". The guy ABANDONED this job for FIVE DAYS. Get rid of this Bum..!!!!
September 1, 2009 at 11:05 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
vmirat90 (anonymous) says...
no it was a "backdoor"..but not channel.
Number 2 shocker...
September 1, 2009 at 11:26 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Luna (anonymous) says...
eeeeewwwwwweeeeee vmirat90!!!!!!!!
That is an exit!
September 1, 2009 at 11:37 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
vmirat90 (anonymous) says...
LOL. At least someone got it.
Yeah, that's pretty gross. :)
September 1, 2009 at 11:39 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
charlestowne2 (anonymous) says...
The back door channel probably leads to C -Street House where the Family was keeping tabs on him. His ties to this group are deep. Ask DeMint. He is a Family memember and knows more then he is saying. But then for some reason, nobody is asking him. WHY?
September 1, 2009 at 12:17 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Paulie (anonymous) says...
Watch the video at: 500DaysofSanford.com & then sign Petition ...
September 1, 2009 at 12:20 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
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