The letter, which listed the names of 59 other lawmakers, came a day after the House speaker issued a similar call. Any move to impeach the GOP governor would begin in the House, which has 72 Republicans, 51 Democrats, and one empty seat.
The chamber’s Democratic leader, Representative Harry Ott of St. Matthews, has said his caucus will discuss the governor next month. Representative James Smith, a Democrat from Columbia who is working with Democrats and Republicans on an impeachment resolution, said there is sufficient support for the measure to get the 83 votes - a two-thirds majority - it would need to pass the House.
If an impeachment bill were to pass, state senators would serve as jurors for a trial.
Sanford, a two-term governor, has been under mounting scrutiny since his June revelation of a yearlong affair with a woman in Argentina. Three ensuing Associated Press investigations raised questions about his travel, leading one state senator to accuse the governor of breaking the law and the state Ethics Commission to launch an investigation.
The term-limited governor has spent the past weeks apologizing to members of civic organizations for his affair, denying doing anything wrong when it came to his travel, and attempting to refocus on his final-year agenda of restructuring government.
His office said yesterday that the lawmakers urging him to resign are perpetuating the distractions they’re railing against. Sanford’s spokesman Ben Fox said in a statement that many are political foes “simply responding to media innuendo and an ongoing political circus in Columbia as a cause for action.’’
“What this letter does provide is further evidence of a disconnect between the people of this state who want to move forward and many politicians in Columbia who see the current situation as a way to achieve political payback,’’ Fox said.
The AP investigations have shown that Sanford appears to have violated a state law requiring lowest-cost travel when taking commercial flights; used state aircraft for personal and political trips; and failed to disclose flights on private planes.
Even more egregious than Sanford’s abandonment of his post, Bingham wrote, was the pain inflicted on South Carolina residents by his behavior.
“Your actions have been destructive to our state’s image on a worldwide stage and are harming the stability of our state on many levels,’’ Bingham wrote. “Unless major changes are made, South Carolina will find itself perpetually sidetracked.’’
