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.

[YRABNNRM]

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.

[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.

[YRABNNRM]

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.

Well under SC laws, Sanford broke the law as well.

Spitzer resigned by his own will; I don't believe Sanford's feet will be put to the fire unless he was using government money. I could be completely off base though.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

I'll give him 2-3 weeks.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

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.

[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?

[??????????]

He should have resigned today, IMHO.

[MK]

He should have resigned today, IMHO.

I agree.

Besides hes blown it as Gov anyway with the states UMP rate at historic levels.  I hope he didn't use tax payers money for these trips.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

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?

Unlike Blago, no one is going to worry that Sanford will do more criminal mischief if left in office than if forced from it.  So far both Bauer and Sen. Jake Knotts (R-Lexington) who is one of Sanford's more notable foes have refrained from calling for Sanford's resignation.  Possibly the media might attempt a lynching, but I don't see anyone on the Republican side of the aisle leading the way.  Indeed, from the viewpoint of the General Assembly, having a governor who no one cares if his vetos get overridden gives them more power than they would get by forcing him from office, so they might choose to refrain from impeaching him for that reason as well.

I can't see Sanford caring much about what the media thinks of him as he never has, so unless there is another shoe out there to drop, and he resigns to keep it hidden, I doubt Sanford will resign and give Bauer a leg up on 2010 by being the incumbent.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

He should have resigned today, IMHO.

Agreed.

[Torie]

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.

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.

[Torie]

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.

Well under SC laws, Sanford broke the law as well.

Spitzer resigned by his own will; I don't believe Sanford's feet will be put to the fire unless he was using government money. I could be completely off base though.

What laws did Sanford break?

[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...

[Lief 🗽]

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.

Well under SC laws, Sanford broke the law as well.

Spitzer resigned by his own will; I don't believe Sanford's feet will be put to the fire unless he was using government money. I could be completely off base though.

What laws did Sanford break?

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

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

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.

Well under SC laws, Sanford broke the law as well.

Spitzer resigned by his own will; I don't believe Sanford's feet will be put to the fire unless he was using government money. I could be completely off base though.

What laws did Sanford break?

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

Where he wasn't when he committed it, so it's moot. I don't think adultery is illegal in Argentina, nor would Argentina really care about prosecuting him even if it was.

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

[AkSaber]

He should have resigned today, IMHO.

I agree. The blatant irresponsibility he showed is just staggering.

[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.

[© tweed]

fornication is technically illegal in SC?  cool

[Meeker]

He's either going to be forced out within the next two or three days or he won't be. The media is going to be bored of this by week's end.

[phk]

He's either going to be forced out within the next two or three days or he won't be. The media is going to be bored of this by week's end.

I'm already sick of it.

[Nutmeg]

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

[ag]

He's either going to be forced out within the next two or three days or he won't be. The media is going to be bored of this by week's end.

Agreed. If he survives a week, he should survive till the end of the term. But, you know the old joke:

"Doctor, will he live?"
"Well, if you call THAT life."

He'd survive, but would he govern?

His ability to spend 20 minutes in front of the cameras talking smoothly shows remarkably thick skin. But he'd have to deal w/ the legislature, he'd have to deal w/ the media, and they all are smelling blood.  Governing won't be much fun. A senator can keep quiet in the crowd of a 100. A governor is publicly out there every day (unless he is in Argentina). Does he really want to read about this affair for months? How is he going to be "saving his marriage", with the story being repeated over and over? Does he really care to have newspapers comparing the style of his executive orders w/ his e-mails? And, most importantly, what for? To have more veto overrides?

Of course, Clinton showed that anything is possible. But presidency and governorship are different beasts. I really don't see what is it exactly that Sanford would like to do in his remaining time in office.  Staying would just smack of masochism. Resigning would be a sensible thing to do.

Though, of course, there is a reason I am not a gov'nor of any island

[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?

[Meeker]

I should add that my prediction assumes that nothing else is revealed... an assumption which may be rather foolish considering how this story started.

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?

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0609/24164.html

Not clear if he met the woman though