Impeachment in S.C.? State GOP may decide this weekend.
| Atlanta
The Mark Sanford affair 鈥� the South Carolina soap opera tinged with romance, heartbreak, political power, and an entire state on the precipice of financial disaster 鈥� now moves on to its next scene: The Redneck Riviera.
The annual GOP caucus retreat in Myrtle Beach, S.C. 鈥� usually reserved for dull talking points and afternoon golf 鈥� has suddenly found itself weighing the future of an embattled governor burdened with revelations of a torrid affair, lies and obfuscation about a five-day fling in Argentina, and allegations of illegal use of a state airplane.
The retreat 鈥渋s going to be a showdown between Republicans who are ready to move against the governor and a speaker of the House who, for whatever reason, is not there yet,鈥� says Will Folks, editor of FitsNews.com, an online news site that covers the backrooms of South Carolina politics.
The junket takes on even more import after Wednesday鈥檚 call by Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer for the governor to resign. Governor Sanford rebuffed the offer, saying he won't be "railroaded" out of town.
Americans watching developments in South Carolina have to wonder who鈥檚 right: Is it the governor who says people understand that God puts imperfect people in all kinds of jobs? Or is it his political opponents who say that Sanford鈥檚 tumultuous summer has 鈥減aralyzed鈥� a legislature facing issues ranging from a $100 million budget deficit to economic development strategies that have left South Carolina floundering behind its Southern neighbors.
To be sure, Mr. Bauer鈥檚 well-timed call is likely to only give fuel to a groundswell coalition of conservative Republicans and some Democrats gathering around an impeachment effort.
鈥淓verything in this state is Hatfield and McCoys, political families that fight back and forth, and a legislature whose votes are tied to political empires,鈥� says Mr. Folks. 鈥淭here are a few leaders and a bunch of lemmings, and Bauer was trying to get some of those lemmings off the fence.鈥�
Standing in their way is House Speaker Bobby Harrell, who, under a weak constitutional governor, is one of the most powerful people in the state. So far, Mr. Harrell has taken a cautious approach and is likely to urge legislators to wait for the results of an Ethics Commission inquiry into the Sanford affair.
Instead, Republican House members are likely to push for a special impeachment session to 鈥渁ir the dirty laundry,鈥� says Neal Thigpen, a political science professor emeritus at Frances Marion University in Florence, S.C.
鈥淚t鈥檚 an embarrassment for the people of the state, that鈥檚 what lawmakers are hearing from constituents,鈥� says Mr. Thigpen. 鈥淭he travel accusations are small potatoes. This is about the five- or six-day absence, and really it鈥檚 about the woman.鈥�
Harrell will want to do what's best for the Republican Party, Thigpen adds.
鈥淚f you continue to stir this stuff [by starting impeachment proceedings], the thing can only get worse and draw more adverse publicity for the state,鈥� he says. 鈥淗e might go with the school of thought that says, 鈥楲isten, leave this stuff alone. Just let Sanford twist slowly in the wind for the next 16 months. That鈥檚 what鈥檚 best for the party.鈥� 鈥�
Democrats can only sit on the sidelines and grin. They鈥檝e already got an unprecedented five announced gubernatorial candidates and, for the first time in years, a real shot at the governor鈥檚 mansion.
That means that this year, for the Republicans, the weekend rounds of golf might have to wait.
