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SC governor silent as clamor grows for resignation

Published Thursday, July 02, 2009 11:26 AM

By Jim Davenport - Associated Press Writer
Summerville Journal Scene ®

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — After days of soul-baring and often odd confessions and apologies about an adulterous affair, South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford went silent as the clamor for his resignation grew.

Sanford, who has said he won't resign, made no public appearances Wednesday, as he figures out how to salvage the last 18 months of his second and last term and his 20-year marriage.

The 49-year-old Republican also refused to release promised personal financial records to the media to show he hadn't used public money to fund trips to Buenos Aires, Argentina, to see his mistress, Maria Belen Chapur, whom he calls his "soul mate."

In interviews with the AP over the past two days, Sanford revealed more puzzling tidbits of his personal affairs, including that he asked permission from his wife, Jenny, to visit Chapur, and that he had had dalliances over the years with other women, but never had sex with them.

Jenny Sanford, who found out about the relationship in January when she discovered a letter the governor had written to Chapur, did not immediately return messages seeking comment after Sanford's latest revelations early this week. The Sanfords have four sons.

The question is now whether the governor should step down. Top South Carolina Republicans and at least a half-dozen newspapers are calling for his resignation.

Summerville Representative Patsy Knight (D)-Dorchester, said Sanford’s personal affairs should be reason enough for him to willingly step down as governor.

“If he was true to his saying about trying to make his marriage work and help his children and sincere (about it) he would step down himself; we wouldn’t have to make him,” Knight said Thursday morning. “He’s got enough work at home to do.”

She stopped short of saying the embattled governor should be impeached, unless a State Law Enforcement Division investigation shows that he did anything illegal with public money.

Sanford did give two personal checks totaling $3,300 to the state treasurer as reimbursement for part of a taxpayer-funded trip to South America last year. The money covered lodging, meals and airfare to Buenos Aires, where he saw Chapur.

“If you can give me the evidence that we can get something to impeach him on, I’d be the first one (in favor),” Knight said.

Sen. Mike Rose (R)-Summerville, said he would wait until the results of the investigation are complete before making a decision on whether Sanford should be impeached.

“Rather than make a quick rush to judgment on whether there are grounds for impeachment or not, we should exercise restraint and await the results of the investigation,” Rose said. “I assure you that whatever decision I make will be from the perspective of what is in the best interests of my constituents and the State of South Carolina."

Rose, who was endorsed by Sanford during his campaign, expressed sympathy for the first lady and their children.

"Vivian (Rose) and I send our heartfelt prayers to all those suffering due to this tragic situation: the Sanford family, especially Jenny and the boys, and the people of South Carolina.”

Jenny Horne (R)-Summerville said the news about the governor was concerning, but said she would not personally call for his resignation.

“I am concerned about the Governor's ability to effectively lead this state under the circumstances; however, the decision to resign rests solely with him,” Horne said. “I will be very interested in what (the SLED investigation) reveals.”

Rep. Annette Young (R)-Summerville could not be reached as of press time for comment.

Over the course of one week, Sanford had chronicled his affair and tortured emotions in interviews with The Associated Press. Those came less than a week after he returned from a secret visit to Argentina and confessed his affair at a tearful, rambling press conference. His staff had said he was hiking the Appalachian Trail and Sanford apologized for misleading them.

His spokesman issued a statement Wednesday saying there's nothing left to say.

"He is focused on being governor, on rebuilding his marriage and on building back the trust of South Carolinians," spokesman Joel Sawyer said.

Attorney General Henry McMaster has asked the SLED to review all of Sanford's travel records to see if he broke any laws.

Though some state Senate Republicans have done the same, no one is talking seriously about pressing to remove him. The state constitution allows top elected officials to elevate the lieutenant governor if the governor is "unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office," but no law defines what that means.

"This section deals more with actual inability, on a respirator in a hospital because he's had a stroke or heart attack, not because he's nutty," said constitutional attorney John Harrell of Charleston, who could find no example of when the provision has been used. He said another example would be if Sanford had never returned from Argentina. "But I don't think a failure of personal life and being inappropriately lovestruck would necessarily rise to the level."

Sen. John Courson, R-Columbia, said he has been speaking with Sanford daily and the governor is exhausted but fit to the lead the state.

"He's very tired and this has been a very traumatic experience for him," Courson said. "I don't detect any emotional instability in his voice or inflections."

Knight doesn’t see it that way.

“I think he’s broken his trust with us and residents of the state of South Carolina,” Knight said. “This is not just hurting him and his family but it’s putting a bad light on the state. With our strong family values, he needs to step down.”

Jenny Peterson contributed to this report. Contact her at 873-9424 ext. 216 or JPeterson@journalscene.com.

Associated Press writers Tamara Lush, Katrina A. Goggins, Susanne M. Schafer, Seanna Adcox and Brett J. Blackledge in Columbia, and Bruce Smith in Charleston, contributed to this report.

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