July 1, 2009
Posted: July 1st, 2009 12:02 PM ET
From CNN Political Producer Peter Hamby
A total of 14 GOP South Carolina state senators have called for Mark Sanford’s resignation.
COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA (CNN) - The resignation drumbeat continued in South Carolina on Wednesday, where GOP state senators continued to call for Gov. Mark Sanford to step down. CNN has learned GOP Senators Daniel Verdin, Shane Martin and Wes Hayes joined the anti-Sanford chorus on Wednesday morning, bringing the total number of Republican senators calling for the governor's resignation to 12. (Update: GOP state senator Ronnie Cromer and Senate President Pro Tempore Glenn McConnell also called for Sanford's resignation Wednesday afternoon, bringing the total to 14.) There are 27 Republicans in the state senate. Sanford's support among legislators and grassroots leaders in the state eroded considerably on Tuesday after Sanford told the Associated Press he had met with his mistress more times than he had previously disclosed. He also admitted to dalliances with other women. At least four county GOP chairman have also called for Sanford to go.
Glenn McCall, the York County Republican party chair who has been leading a grassroots effort against the governor, said Wednesday that he and other conservative activists are now postponing a planned rally at the State House next week because legislators are starting to come out strongly against Sanford. The rally had been scheduled to pressure Senate and House leaders to call for Sanford's resignation and start an investigation into his activities. But now that officials are publicly coming out against the governor and Attorney General Henry McMaster has begun a probe into Sanford's travel records, McCall said the rally may not be necessary. "We are hoping that legislators can quietly, in private talks with the governor, ask him if he would please step down," McCall said. Late Tuesday, seven senators, including Majority Leader Harvey Peeler, jointly issued a letter demanding that the governor step down because he has lost the trust of South Carolinians. "The bottom line is that the Governor's private matters should remain private, but his deception and negligence make it impossible for us to trust him, and for him to govern in the future," they wrote. Peeler told CNN that Sanford "has lost his ability to lead and I'm afraid he has lost his ability to function as a man." "He is sitting all alone in that big governor's mansion, totally alone," Peeler said. "It's about leadership and moving forward and it's time for him to resign." Peeler issued the statement along with Leatherman, Paul Campbell, Thomas Alexander, Jake Knotts, Larry Martin and William O'Dell. Earlier Tuesday, two of Sanford's top conservative allies in the senate - Larry Grooms and Kevin Bryant - also said Sanford must go. The Greenville News, one of the largest papers in South Carolina, also issued a sharply-worded editorial Wednesday telling Sanford to go. They wrote that Sanford has "acted like a heart-sick school boy, and he's revealed facts that clearly demonstrate he is capable of exceptional deception, arrogance and narcissism." UPDATE: South Carolina’s Democrats also called for Sanford’s resignation Wednesday. "While I believe an investigation should still be done to determine the full extent of Mark Sanford's abuse of power, (through) his long stream of confessions he has already revealed enough immoral and reprehensible behavior to justify asking him to step (down),” state Democratic Party chair Carol Fowler said in a statement. “State officials seem unable to do anything except worry and talk about Governor Sanford's extramarital affair, which we learn more about every few hours. “... South Carolina can't afford to be at a standstill for the next 18 months with a governor who ignores his job responsibilities while pursuing personal interests. Any other worker in South Carolina would be fired for not showing up at work with no notice." Filed under: Mark Sanford South Carolina
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