Politicians not calling for Sanford's resignation

Shockwaves spread through Sumter delegation

By JASON WERMERS
Item Staff Writer
jwermers@theitem.com

Local legislators are not calling for Gov. Mark Sanford to resign after his stunning Wednesday announcement that his secret trip to Argentina was for an extramarital affair.

It's no secret that the Republican governor, whose term expires in January 2011, has enemies on both sides of the aisle because of his steadfast positions on key issues. Most recently, he lost a high-profile battle over whether to take $700 million in federal stimulus money, much of which is earmarked for public education.

The Republican-led Legislature went so far as to adopt a resolution requiring that Sanford accept the money and follow the conditions attached by the Obama administration. The state Supreme Court ultimately ruled he had to follow lawmakers' will.

Sanford cited this battle as a major factor that led him to take an "exotic" trip to Argentina, from which he returned on Wednesday morning. He said it was an opportunity to "recharge" after an exhausting legislative session. But only at the news conference Wednesday afternoon did he reveal that he had been unfaithful to his wife with a woman in Buenos Aires.

Shocking as that revelation was, along with his announcement that he tendered his resignation as chairman of the Republican Governors Association, it has not led to calls from even his acknowledged local political foes to resign as governor.

At least not yet.

Sen. John Land III, D-Manning, said Sanford will have to decide "on his own" whether to resign.

"That's something that he's going to have to decide by himself, and there's nothing I would advise him on that," Land said.

However, Land added that he found it "amusing" that Sanford felt he should resign as chairman of the GOP Governors Association, but not as governor of the state.

"It's amusing that he felt like he should resign from (the Governors Association) and not do them any harm," Land said. "I thought that was something that maybe puts the association higher than the state of South Carolina. Maybe he thinks he could still be effective."

Rep. Joe Neal, D-Hopkins, agreed that the question of continuing as governor can only be decided by Sanford.

"That's something that he needs to think about and talk about," Neal said. "That's something that only he can have something to say about."

Rep. Grady Brown, D-Bishopville, added, "What he does in his personal life is up to him and he'll have to answer to that. I'm not going to condemn him."

Sen. Gerald Malloy, D-Hartsville, said he reserved judgment on whether Sanford should resign until he's had an opportunity to review Sanford's statement but added that whether the governor resigns or not, the state will be "operating with ineffective leadership."

"I will say the governor has been derelict of his duties," Malloy said. "He abandoned his office without telling anyone where he was. The whole incident was bizarre. The question is 'Who was running the state?'"

Sen. Phil Leventis, D-Sumter, said that despite what he termed Sanford's less-than-desirable communication and leadership skills, it's only fair to let the governor and his family sort things out.

"I have always disagreed with his leadership," Leventis said. "I have supported him on a few issues. Even then, he was not communicative. He wouldn't speak to people. But this is a personal crisis and tragedy, and I'll leave the politics alone for a while."

Rep. G. Murrell Smith, R-Sumter, agreed that it's too early to answer the resignation question.

"I'm just shocked," Smith said. "It would never occur to me that this would happen here in South Carolina. You think that nothing surprises you in politics. It just goes to prove that nothing should surprise you in politics."

Rep. Phillip Lowe, R-Florence, said the affair is a Sanford family issue, not a state one.

"If it's only an affair, that's not something that should force him to resign," Lowe said.

Attorney General Henry McMaster issued a statement expressing hope that Sanford will not disappear from public view again while he is governor.

"I think we all know that leaving the state without a governor for any period of time is not acceptable," McMaster said. "I suspect Gov. Sanford now understands that better than anyone else. My hope is that this sad experience will make Mark a better governor and a better public servant during the final months of his administration."



Contact Staff Writer Jason Wermers at jwermers@theitem. com or (803) 774-1295.



Item staff writers Randy Burns, Annabelle Robertson and Gina Vasselli contributed to this report.