Calls grow for Sanford to quit, be impeached

Bingham’s caucus meets this weekend and expects to discuss removing one of its own. GOP leaders are beginning to see if there’s the political will - and the numbers - to send Sanford packing, but any impeachment proceeding likely probably happen until lawmakers return in January.

Sanford has said it’s time to move on from the controversy, saying politics are at the heart of efforts to railroad him out of office. He said he has much to offer in his remaining 16 months and quitting would be the easy way out.

Instead of stepping down, he’s out on the road, telling civic and political groups he’s sorry and seeking their help in pursuing an agenda that includes government streamlining and spending limits.

In July, it appeared Republicans were willing to let him stay put. At the time, they were dealing only with the news that he disappeared for several days and led his staff to believe he was hiking along the Appalachian Trial. He returned from the trip to reveal he had been in Argentina with his mistress, Maria Belen Chapur.

Now, sentiment is turning and patience faltering. Ethics investigators have been asked to review issues raised by a state senator and in stories by the Associated Press about the governor’s travel.

“It’s one thing to have a personal issue. It’s another thing to combine that with what could very well be some major ethics violations,’’ said Bingham, Republican of Columbia.

Sanford said yesterday that he would waive confidentiality of a State Ethics Commission probe, but it was unclear if an investigation had begun. Sanford said he didn’t know and the agency’s leader said he can’t confirm it.

AP investigations have found Sanford used state planes for personal and political trips, which state law prohibits. He failed to disclose trips on private planes that ethics officials say should have been made public in campaign and ethics filings.

He also took pricey flights on commercial airlines for overseas trips despite a law requiring state employees to use lowest-cost travel.

Sanford has said the AP has “cherry-picked’’ the flights reported and that he has saved money by selling state aircraft and taking fewer trips than his predecessors. He also has said he doesn’t think he has to report flights given by friends and family.

“When somebody says you broke the law, that’s a big deal and you better be about the business of substantiating what you have said when you go out and make a claim like that,’’ Sanford said.