How much longer does Sanford have as governor?

[Joe Republic]

Yeah, I know, another freakin' Sanford thread.  But this one has serious intent.

Even without the sexual escapades, Sanford went AWOL for several days without leaving anybody in charge of the state.  That is a grave error of judgement, far moreso than the affair itself.  Let's be thankful that there were no emergencies in that time that required the attention of South Carolina's chief executive.

Incidentally, Spitzer announced his resignation two days after his story broke, upon threat of impeachment by the NY legislature.

[Joe Republic]

Depends on whether or not he used taxpayer funds, which would be pretty amusing given that Sanford was a major figure in the "Tea Party" movement.

Spitzer never used public funds to hire the prostitutes.  Although he of course broke the law while Sanford didn't, at least Spitzer didn't irresponsibly leave his state ungoverned for several days.

[Joe Republic]

Unless the General Assembly gets called back for a special session, it would be January before Sanford would have to worry about a possible impeachment, so unlike Spitzer, he probably has several months to let this cool down somewhat.  Plus there's the effect a resignation/impeachment would have on the 2010 race.  Since both our Lt. Gov. and our Attorney General are running, the AG has no incentive to go after Sanford unless Mark and Maria met  via Craigslist.

Thank you for the insight.

Still, I can envisage a trial by media toppling him.  Furthermore, if other top state leaders join with Bauer in lynching him, is it possible for him to be forced to resign even without due process by the General Assembly?

[Joe Republic]

There is zero reason for Sanford to resign. He did not commit a crime, and his personal life is nobody's business. However, he lied in public, so his political career is finished. What a pathetic dumb ass! And he may have been irresponsible, but that is not a capital offense either.

I would not resign under these circumstances, but then I would have refused to discuss my personal life as well, much less lie about it.

Methinks you'd be singing a different tune had there been some kind of crisis in South Carolina last weekend, and nobody could find the governor...

[Joe Republic]

Adultery is a crime in the great state of South Carolina.

Where he wasn't when he committed it, so it's moot.

The legislation makes no mention of whether the adulterer must have committed the act within South Carolina.  It could be argued that he broke the law by virtue of being a resident of the state.

Regardless he should be impeached simply for his derelection of duty.

My point all along.

[Joe Republic]

Affair + with foreigner + public funds + disappearance + all this happening in SC = only a matter of time.

I haven't seen this yet.  Do you have a source?

[Joe Republic]

I find it amazing that Eliot Spitzer hired some prostitutes and resigned two days after it hit the headlines, but Mark Sanford abandoned his state completely for several days to hike some Argentinian tail, and he remains safe?  Let's get some perspective.