Ethics Commission charges Sanford with 37 violations
By Tom Baxter
Southern Political Report
November 24, 2009 — A subcommittee of South Carolina House legislators meets today to begin talks on the impeachment of Gov. Mark Sanford, after the release Monday by the State Ethics Commission of its finding that Sanford committed 37 violations of state ethics laws. The commission charged Sanford with using state planes for family and personal trips, flying first-class -- a violation of state ethics rules -- while on state business, and taking money from his campaign account for personal use. The commission cleared the governor of the charge that he failed to report private trips given to him by friends and supporters. The commission will vote later on whether Sanford is guilty of the charges brought against him. He could also face criminal charges. -- Businessman Tom Schieffer attracted a lot of national buzz in his bid for governor of Texas, but the former partner with George W. Bush in the Texas Rangers baseball team and brother of CBS anchorman Bob Schieffer never lit enough fires among Democrats at home. On Monday, Schieffer bowed out of the governor's race, setting the state for Houston Mayor Bill White to drop out of his US Senate race for the seat being vacated by Kay Bailey Hutchison to run for governor. -- The president of the Arkansas Farm Bureau said Monday that total weather-related losses to agriculture in the state could reach $650 million. Farm Bureau president Randy Veach testified before a field hearing of the US Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee, chaired by US Sen. Blanche Lincoln. |
