Anti-Gay, Adulterous South Carolina GOP Gov. Sanford to Stay in Office

Mark Sanford will be allowed to stay in office. The disgraced South Carolina Republican anti-gay "family values" governor disappeared for almost a week while carrying on an extra-marital affair in Argentina. Legislators say the governor's dereliction of duties and missing in action ... doesn't quite rise to a "high crime".

South Carolina lawmakers on Wednesday quashed a move to oust Gov. Mark Sanford over his summertime tryst and his use of state aircraft, saying his embarrassing conduct was not serious enough to merit impeachment. Lawmakers were still considering whether to recommend an official reprimand. Six of the seven panel members said they believed the events surrounding Sanford's extramarital affair involving an Argentine woman did not rise to a high enough level to warrant his removal from office prior to the end of his second and final term in January 2011. "We can't impeach for hypocrisy. We can't impeach for arrogance. We can't impeach an officeholder for his lack of leadership skills," said Rep. James Harrison, the Columbia Republican who headed the panel.

The serial philandering Sanford is a vocal opponent of same-sex marriage and adoptions by gay couples. 

Sanford's impeachment would have presented the South Carolina Republican Party with a vexing public relations issue. Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer, who called for the resignation of the governor, has been outed as gay.

Comments

[Derrick from Philly]

See, Tiger should've moved to South Carolina. Adultery is no "high crime" in the Palmetto State...not even 15 adulteries.

[Otis]

I guess it's ok to attack the sanctity of marriage as long as you are a straight male...and bein' white don't hurt.

[kayman]

Well, I see that the South Carolina State Legislature Republicans feel the need to circle the wagons rather than do the ethical thing and oust Sanford from office. However, that would require them to admit they would have their first proven gay governor in state history. Boy, I thought us in Alabama had it bad, but the citizens in South Carolina have it worse.

[Sasha Not So Fierce]

Straight men (esp white men) can have as many affairs as they please. But a gay man or woman in a loving relationship is never seen as an equal. Shameful.

[mjolnir202]

I think every South Carolina state employee should not come to work for a week with no explanation. They should then file a class action lawsuit when they're fired. Afterall if the Governor, who's basically the CEO of the state can do it, why not any other state worker?

This is such typical Bible Belt behavior. The same legislators who find it so easy to forgive their AWOL adulterer governor will be beating the homophobic family values drums come re-election time and their hypocritical constinuents will lap it up like cream.

[Trey]

I ashamed to say that I'm originally from Charleston. Down there, blacks don't vote and white are so ass backwards that this doesn't surprise me at all. Not enough people there will speak out against this. They just let things happen. However, this is not all bad news. People like this governor and Sarah Palin, continue to expose the republican party for what it really is. Come election time, voters (just like in '08) won't forget this and they will lose.

[Differing View]

The truth is he should not lose him job and his views are horrible towards others having equality...and the world keeps on turning, big wheel keep on burning...