SC Governor reappears...after going to Argentina?

[UGAalum94]

It's hard for me to see why he shouldn't resign.

It's pretty clear he self-destructed; if members of your own party want you out and you've clearly screwed up. . . .

I understand self-interested behavior, but he's not just undermining his own success at this point.

[Munchkin03]

Originally Posted by UGAalum94

It's hard for me to see why he shouldn't resign.

It's pretty clear he self-destructed; if members of your own party want you out and you've clearly screwed up. . . .

I understand self-interested behavior, but he's not just undermining his own success at this point.

The state funding the boom-boom-room trip was the turning point for me. It's just so weird.

[DaemonSeid]

Originally Posted by DaemonSeid

I think one of my questions is getting answered....whose money he spent to go and this looks like this was for last year's trip:


COLUMBIA, S.C. — One day after admitting an affair, South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford reunited with his wife and sons and announced he will reimburse the state for a trip he took last year in which he met his Argentinean mistress.

Sanford said he "made a mistake" in seeing the woman last June during a trade mission to Brazil and Argentina. State records indicate he spent more than $8,000 in airfare, lodging and meals. The governor's spokesman, Joel Sawyer, said Thursday that Sanford will pay back the money spent in Argentina. Sawyer had said earlier that no state resources were used.

Republican state Sen. Jake Knotts called for an investigation. "That's like a bank robber getting caught and wanting to return the money," Knotts said. "He should strongly consider resigning."

Sanford resigned Wednesday as chairman of the Republican Governors Association but said he'd "let the chips fall where they may" otherwise. He spent Thursday at his family's beach house near Charleston after spending Father's Day weekend in Buenos Aires.

Knotts said the use of taxpayer money was too much to accept from a onetime presidential contender who made his name as a staunch fiscal conservative.

link

Now my question is answered...

Aside from the damage done to his standing as a social conservative, South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford’s recent admission of an extramarital affair may end up tarnishing another of his political credentials — his carefully honed reputation as a tightfisted steward of taxpayer money.

A POLITICO analysis of hundreds of pages of state travel records requested to explore the circumstances of his affair found that in his 6 1/2 years as governor, Sanford traveled frequently and in a style markedly at odds with his political persona.

The records detail more than $468,000 worth of state-funded travel for Sanford and show that he routinely billed taxpayers for high-end airline seats, racking up more than $44,000 on business- and first-class tickets. He often stayed in pricey hotels that far exceeded the rates he imposed on other state employees.




Link

[DrPhil]

I missed O'Reilly's take on this but I'm watching Hannity's.

"Hannity's Headline: Lost and Found."

Good stuff. LOL. Hannity calls it a "very stunning admission." He knows it isn't stunning.

[DrPhil]

The interesting thing about the press conference is that he talked about hurting the mistress before he mentioned hurting his wife and kids.

Bastard.

[deepimpact2]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

The interesting thing about the press conference is that he talked about hurting the mistress before he mentioned hurting his wife and kids.

Bastard.

I didn't even think about that. Good point. Shows where his heart is.

[FSUZeta]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

The interesting thing about the press conference is that he talked about hurting the mistress before he mentioned hurting his wife and kids.

Bastard.

YES!! i noticed that too. Mentioning the wife and boys seemed almost an afterthought. What a bizarre press conference.

when i first heard that noone had seen hide nor hair of the governor for 7 days, i said to my husband,"mistress"!

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by FSUZeta

YES!! i noticed that too. Mentioning the wife and boys seemed almost an afterthought. What a bizarre press conference.

when i first heard that noone had seen hide nor hair of the governor for 7 days, i said to my husband,"mistress"!

I actually cringed and said "are you going to mention your wife and kids?"

Yes, that's the ideal mistress (or young lovers running away from a judgmental world ) getaway.

[DrPhil]

If adultery is illegal than other things that can cast a negative light on marriage should be illegal.

~ Emotional or physical neglect (being sued for something in a civil suit does not mean it is illegal)
~ Mismanagement of family money (economic troubles contribute greatly to divorce)
~ Allowing bratty kids to overshadow the marriage
~ etc.

When would the law stop meddling in family affairs and mind its own damn business?

[Kevin]

From the perspective of someone who works in the area of family law, I hope bigamy/adultery are never declared illegal. While prosecutions never happen (and I don't really see the constitutional defect y'all are honing in on), the illegality does allow us to keep adultery from being claimed as grounds for divorce because as a practical matter, both of the alleged adulterers are going to invoke their 5th Amendment right to STFU when questioned about the alleged act or acts giving rise to the 'for cause' divorce.

In Oklahoma and probably most states, it doesn't make a lick of difference as to property division or anything else whether the divorce is granted for cause unless the proponent of that charge can further prove that there was an expenditure of marital resources in furtherance of the affair (usually tough to do).

[greekchef]

I am the lone democrat in a family of conservative republicans and I am already hearing comments like "Bill Clinton was considered a hero but let a republican make one mistake, etc..... Dear Lord! John Ensign and Mark Sanford both said that Bill Clinton should have resigned as a result of his affair with Monica Lewinsky. Sanford called Clinton's actions inexcuseable. Now both Ensign and Sanford have been caught with their pants down and there is a public outcry for them to live up to their own statements: resign because of their behavior. But the response is that those suggesting that they should resign are to quick to condemn and not willing to forgive. Give me a break! This is totally about Sanford's own statements about politicians getting caught with their pants down. Hypocrits

[UGAalum94]

Originally Posted by greekchef

I am the lone democrat in a family of conservative republicans and I am already hearing comments like "Bill Clinton was considered a hero but let a republican make one mistake, etc..... Dear Lord! John Ensign and Mark Sanford both said that Bill Clinton should have resigned as a result of his affair with Monica Lewinsky. Sanford called Clinton's actions inexcuseable. Now both Ensign and Sanford have been caught with their pants down and there is a public outcry for them to live up to their own statements: resign because of their behavior. But the response is that those suggesting that they should resign are to quick to condemn and not willing to forgive. Give me a break! This is totally about Sanford's own statements about politicians getting caught with their pants down. Hypocrits

I'm in favor of Sanford resigning, but I'm not sure that the issue with Bill Clinton was exactly the same. The affair was a factor in his impeachment, but it was really just the subject about what he was accused of lying under oath about. Or am I misremembering the scandal?

I suspect that if SC investigates Sanford's trips to Argentina, the issue will escalate to something clearing resignation worthy, but it's hard to make the claim that an affair alone necessarily disqualifies a politician, if we're using history as our judge. (Personally, I've already said I consider it disqualifying, but I don't think history bears it out as a matter of expected conduct. Do you think we'll never hear from John Edwards again, for instance?)

I think using Clinton as the standard is kind of strange because "his affairs" were caught up in sexual harassment allegations and dishonestly about the affairs. I mean, the Bimbo Eruptions (was that the term?) were fairly common knowledge even at the time he first ran for President. I think people forgave him the affairs pretty easily. The expectation that he could avoid testifying honestly about them in a lawsuit related to his similar behavior was too much to ask though. Being President + the affairs + using the actual oval office for tryst + arrogance about avoiding telling the truth = a different set of problems than this particular dumbass in South Carolina.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by UGAalum94

I'm in favor of Sanford resigning, but I'm not sure that the issue with Bill Clinton was exactly the same. The affair was a factor in his impeachment, but it was really just the subject about what he was accused of lying under oath about. Or am I misremembering the scandal?

No, you're remembering correctly.

[FSUZeta]

it is interesting to see someone's political career being so magnificently destroyed by the self destruct button. the today show just played part of an interview where sanford admitted "physical contact" with numerous women over the past couple of years, but says of his affair with the argentine woman :it's "a love story"-"she is his soulmate".

crash and burn!

[UGAalum94]

Originally Posted by FSUZeta

it is interesting to see someone's political career being so magnificently destroyed by the self destruct button. the today show just played part of an interview where sanford admitted "physical contact" with numerous women over the past couple of years, but says that his affair with the argentine woman as "a love story"-"she is his soulmate".

crahs and burn!

I can't figure out why no one can get him to stop talking. I understand that the media probably doesn't want him to, but is there no one, personally or politically in South Carolina who can just say, "enough, buddy, enough." "Think of your kids, dude, and shut up."