The Sanford fallout

Posted: Friday, June 26, 2009 9:21 AM by Domenico Montanaro
Filed Under: Republicans

THE SANFORD FALLOUT.
The New York Times: “Gov. Mark Sanford of South Carolina acknowledged Thursday that he visited his mistress in Argentina on a taxpayer-financed trade mission to South America early last summer, an admission adding another layer to a scandal that produced increasing calls for his resignation.”

Video: The State's Gina Smith talks with MSNBC about breaking the news of Gov. Mark Sanford's trip to Argentina, and e-mails with his mistress, which they had acquired months before the scandal broke.

'Sanford and Hon': The New York Post profiles Sanford's mistress (photo included), a 43-year-old TV reporter in Argentina.

Wow, we didn’t know this… The Washington Post front-pages that both Sanford and Ensign have ties to the secretive “Fellowship” religious group.

EMAIL THIS

Comments

Can someone splain what the "Fellowship" religious group is. I honestly don't know, or I do and forgot.

cindy, las vegas, nv (Sent Friday, June 26, 2009 9:27 AM)

Yeah...I'm guessing that in hindsight Governor Sanford wishes he had scheduled his press conference for yesterday.

Pete - Albany, NY (Sent Friday, June 26, 2009 9:29 AM)

SJ Rheins, San Jose CA (Sent Friday, June 26, 2009 9:31 AM)

Mark Sanford
John Ensign

Both of you screwed up …. But not nearly as bad as Nixon. Disgraced and resigned. OUCH.

Bad Chihuahua (Sent Friday, June 26, 2009 9:34 AM)

I've got a feeling this thing is just getting started.

The question is this was business. Are you alloweded to visit your friends or mistress while you're on a business trip? He said he'd repay the state for the ticket. The larger issue is leaving the state without a governor while he was gone. What if North Carolina decided to invade? That's a joke, Anita.

Anyway, there's much more coming concerning Mark Sanford.

Monkberry Moon (Sent Friday, June 26, 2009 9:34 AM)

I am so glad that the fallout from Adulterer Sanford's Father's Day Makeout Session is still coming. I am so happy that he had to pay back over $10,000 dollars to the good people of South Carolina for his dalliance with his new squeeze. Yup Adulterer Sanford has shown us just how crooked and deceitful he has been talking up traditional marriage. Maybe we should just rename the repugnant ones party the Grand Old Adulterer Party since so many seem to hate their traditional marriages.

Resign Now Adulterer Sanford!

Eric, Salinas, CA (Sent Friday, June 26, 2009 9:34 AM)

Wow, we didn’t know this… The Washington Post front-pages that both Sanford and Ensign have ties to the secretive “Fellowship” religious group.

A cult...how Intriguing...what did they teach? How To Cheat On The Spouse 101? Then Make A Public Confession Of Forgiveness and life geos on...

Anita, Birmingham, Alabama (Sent Friday, June 26, 2009 9:35 AM)

He should resign not because he commited adultery but because he left the country and his state was without a leader or any way to contact him for 5 days. Now with the revelation that he visited his mistress on official business and only now has decided to repay the state for the trip seems very odd.

Imagine if he was a Democrat! Hannity and Limbaugh would be SCREAMING for his resignation.

Jeff,Plainfield, Illinois (Sent Friday, June 26, 2009 9:45 AM)

Another in a long line of lying so-called fiscal conservatives who do not think twice about using tax payor money for self gratification. Their only frugal w/ their own money. How conveniant that he now will pay after getting busted.

Juan,Ft Lauderdale, Fl (Sent Friday, June 26, 2009 9:48 AM)

But, Sanford is from a southern state, is a Republican, and is a possible candiate for President, so the media must destroy him.

At least Sanford picked a women that looks good. Not like what BClinton did.
SJ Rheins, San Jose CA (Sent Friday, June 26, 2009 9:31 AM)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Uhhhh nooooo… Scumbag Sanford represents the Family Values Party therein he’s just another run of the mill lying cheating Republicant HYPOCRIT!

What’s your excuse for Ensign? He’s from your neighbor state?

And give it a rest about the ‘looks’ thing! We’re not interested in your sexual preferences? What you should have said is this:

At least Sanford picked a WOMAN – Period!

Feisty Redhead Roselle, IL (Sent Friday, June 26, 2009 10:03 AM)

"But, Sanford is from a southern state, is a Republican, and is a possible candiate for President, so the media must destroy him."

SJ Rheins, San Jose CA

Gravity being what it is, it's tough to fall off of the pedestal you climbed onto and not get smashed!

Isaac Newton (Sent Friday, June 26, 2009 10:03 AM)

I live in Columbia - just 15 miles from the capitol. I bet that he wont resign, however he does have enough political enemies from his own party that will not let the issue die, they will beat the horse 9 feet in the ground and force him out with impeachment proceedings, put the popcorn in the machine cause this movie has just begun.

Dan, Columbia SC (Sent Friday, June 26, 2009 10:04 AM)

Bad Chihuahua (Sent Friday, June 26, 2009 10:11 AM)

Right wing Republican conservatives will be the last to call for his resignation. Moral values are only handy for beating the opposition, not for friends and the loyal. No, they are to be forgiven. Was illegal drug user Rush rejected? No, of course not. He continues to spout his "conservative agenda." The entire moral cry of conservatives is as false as any rightousness of Rush Limbaugh. It is a shallow cry from shallow people who use Religion and the cry of moral correctness as their political club, nothing more. Respecting religious expression is our heritage. Using it for politics is not. But, we have not yet learned that we are not, as Iran, a Theocracy. We are a democracy. Maybe it is time to grow up. This politician should be treated on the grounds of political failure, failure of judgement, misuse of public funds. He and his family are not responsable to anyone but God and each other to account for their religious failures. The difficulty following this advice is that this man has used religion and faith to get him to where he is in politics.

mexed, san antonio, texas (Sent Friday, June 26, 2009 10:29 AM)

Ego Trippin,Wv (Sent Friday, June 26, 2009 10:30 AM)

A cult...how Intriguing...what did they teach? How To Cheat On The Spouse 101? Then Make A Public Confession Of Forgiveness and life geos on...
Anita, Birmingham, Alabama (Sent Friday, June 26, 2009 9:35 AM)

==============================================

I'm sure nothing near as damaging to the country as that cult Obama belonged to for 20 years.

Sanford and Eliot Spitzer both know banking and Wall St. They should team up and redeem themselves by busting the crooks in New York, something everyone in this country cares about.

Dave, Tn (Sent Friday, June 26, 2009 10:31 AM)

Ego Trippin,Wv (Sent Friday, June 26, 2009 10:31 AM)

That's intersting about Sanford. If he was in California, and the mayor of ohh, say LA or San Fran, and he had an affair, no one in the media would blink an eye. In fact, that's kind of a right of passage for the pols out in California.

But, Sanford is from a southern state, is a Republican, and is a possible candiate for President, so the media must destroy him.

At least Sanford picked a women that looks good. Not like what BClinton did.
SJ Rheins, San Jose CA (Sent Friday, June 26, 2009 9:31 AM)
_________

Spitzer wasn't Republican or from California, and the press had a field day with him.

So much for the partisan point you were trying to make.

The GOP will never learn. (Sent Friday, June 26, 2009 10:46 AM)

What a shock, a conservative doing an imitation of Bill Clinton, Ted Kennedy and other democrats that cheated on their spouse. So much for the double standards.

Truth Be Told (Sent Friday, June 26, 2009 10:50 AM)

Bill Clinton is the poster child of political and social disgrace. We all know that and the Dems accept it. He will carry a big footnote with his legacy.

Clinton
Obama
Pelosi
Reid
Frank

You make Michael Jackson look sane.

Bad Chihuahua (Sent Friday, June 26, 2009 10:11 AM)
____________

Welcome to today's continuing story of "As The Chihuahua Vomits".

Funny thing about that footnote. It gets amended every day. Look at the people that voted to impeach him. Gingrich, Ensign, Sanford. All having affairs as well. Let's just keep watching the hypocrisy pile up from the party of "morality" and "family values".

Funny how you have failed to weigh in on the admiited affairs of Engisn and Sanford except to say "thank you".

So really, who are you to discuss anyone else's saneness when you cannot exhibit a single iota of your own. Not once.

Just more wonderful GOP hypocrisy for you! (Sent Friday, June 26, 2009 10:51 AM)

Mo (Sent Friday, June 26, 2009 11:05 AM)

Bad Chihuahua needs a mussle, tick bath, an infusion of reality and quarentine. News Flash! Clinton left office w/ a surplus and a 60% approval rating UNLIKE the idiot Bush. Lumping Obama w/ your 10:11 am list is truly idiotic. My list of Repugnants would be too long.

Juan,Ft Lauderdale,Fl (Sent Friday, June 26, 2009 11:15 AM)

This is only part of the emails though.. they have all of the emails downloadable over at http://jjpeg.com/file2018451.html if you want to see them, but WARNING: they're *really* cheesy haha.. they also have a video of Governor Sanford with the mistress last year at a gala (not holding hands or anything but together nonetheless) over at http://jjpeg.com/watch28015.html if anyone wants to see more of what she looks like

karenakarson, downtown, juliebrown (Sent Friday, June 26, 2009 11:17 AM)

Republicans- will you please take your lumps? When you can admit that your brand has no monopoly on morality and fidelity maybe you will win back some respect. btw- How does the crow taste?

Quentin Crisp (Sent Friday, June 26, 2009 11:39 AM)

Bad Chihuahua - to say something like that about a world icon and use him as a tool of your disgusting demeanor is beyond cruel, you are heartless and shameful - when you die; we all hope you rot in hell.

Thank you and GOD BLESS AMERICA

The - Democrat Soldier (Sent Friday, June 26, 2009 11:40 AM)

I think all sane and intelligent thinkers should step back and don't say anything about him resigning. The longer he stays in as Governor, the ever increasing mirror of hypocrisy gets larger not only on those fellow Repugs, but on the people of South Carolina.

Do you think the "Old White Money" of SC wants someone to represent them that has no credibility anywhere or with anyone? Not even his own family?

He'll resign within a week.

GAAAAAA RUUUUUUUUUN TEEEEEEEEED!

Pimp Bishop Don Juan (Sent Friday, June 26, 2009 11:44 AM)

As an infidelity expert frequently called on by the media to comment on infidelity issues in the news, I’d like to share the following insights on the Sanford Affair:

Sanford’s affair highlights the danger of opposite sex friendships. Most people underestimate the danger of close friendships with members of the opposite sex, because they start innocently, and initially, no sex involved. Very often, the person involved in this type of friendship does not realize how much of a threat it can be to his or her marriage or relationship. If the situation is not put into check, these friendships form strong bonds that progress to emotional infidelity, and eventually lead to sexual infidelity.

Ruth Houston (Sent Friday, June 26, 2009 11:55 AM)

That's intersting about Sanford. If he was in California, and the mayor of ohh, say LA or San Fran, and he had an affair, no one in the media would blink an eye. In fact, that's kind of a right of passage for the pols out in California.

But, Sanford is from a southern state, is a Republican, and is a possible candiate for President, so the media must destroy him.

At least Sanford picked a women that looks good. Not like what BClinton did.

THIS IS JUST DUMB!!! The guy lied, used state money for his affair and messed up his kids forever
Come on GOP dumb dumb

Nj (Sent Friday, June 26, 2009 11:58 AM)

HE WHO IS WITHOUT SIN. Pretty soon the only republican who is able to run for president will be John Voight.

Pacheck, Huntington Beach, Ca. (Sent Friday, June 26, 2009 12:34 PM)

How about a legal question....notwithstanding Sanfords' willingness to repay the state for his "personal" trip, doesn't this actually rise to the level of a felony, whether it is called misappropriation of public funds or fraud?...Seems that this alone is an impeachable offense.

John, Sacramento (Sent Friday, June 26, 2009 1:37 PM)

Anyone still think he is trustworthy? From the AP
SC 1st lady says letter tipped her to affair
The Associated Press

Fri, Jun 26, 2009 (10:15 a.m.)

South Carolina first lady Jenny Sanford says she discovered her husband's affair in January when she found a letter to the governor from his mistress.

Jenny Sanford told The Associated Press on Friday she told him to end the affair and was shocked this week when she found out he'd gone to Argentina to see his mistress. She says she believed Gov. Mark Sanford had gone somewhere to work on writing a book.

Jenny Sanford says she stayed with her husband while their four sons were attending their private school in Columbia. She waited until the school year ended to leave him for their coastal home on Sullivans Island.

She wept as she displayed her boys' stellar report cards and said she most worries about how they're being affected by the scandal. Jenny Sanford says she plans to take them out of the state for the weekend.

The SOB needs to Resign or be Impeached for dereliction of duty. His Wife needs to hand him his gonads on a platter, un attached.

Dave F. Florence, SC (Sent Friday, June 26, 2009 2:58 PM)

Both parties have some people who have done things they shouldn't have done. It all came to light because some holier than though prigs decided to go after a political enemy. They didn't recon that the pandora's box they opened would include their own hypocritical behavior too. It is going to be very difficult to close that box (that is a good thing as it turns out) and more will fall victim to what is inside it. How many more pols from either party will be caught with their proverbial "pants down"?

eagle1776 (Sent Friday, June 26, 2009 3:17 PM)

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