In a major blow to South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford’s hopes to remain in office, the Republican speaker of the state House of Representatives has just released a statement calling for Sanford to resign. “It is with great though and much trepidation that I feel compelled to send you this letter requesting that you resign from the office of Governor of South Carolina,” Speaker Bobby Harrell wrote to Sanford today. “The events of the past several weeks have brought to light disturbing facts regarding you and your administration. More importantly, these events and your handling of these events have created an environment that makes it impossible for you to continue to lead our state.”
Just moments ago, Harrell also sent out this explanation for his decision:
It was with much thought and trepidation that I came to this conclusion. I did so only after I spoke with colleagues in the Legislature, talked with leaders in our communities, heard from numerous citizens from across the state and carefully reviewed the facts surrounding the situation.
What has become clear is that Governor Sanford’s issues will continue to dominate our state as long as he remains in office. Whether he should be removed from office is a question that will need to be answered from the State Ethics Commission investigation, but our state’s future is too important to have the Governor’s issues overshadow everything we do for the next fifteen months. For the good of our state, Governor Sanford should step aside.
The issues we have facing our state and the work that needs to be accomplished is too important for us to spend this next year bogged down with the distractions Governor Sanford’s actions have created.
South Carolina needs strong and effective leadership to address the pressing issues facing our state. The continued distractions brought on by Governor Sanford’s self-inflicted wounds have proven that he is not in a position to lead us in that direction. If Governor Sanford remains in office, too much time will be spent overcoming these obstacles instead of dealing with the important issues facing us, such as addressing job creation, education and health care.
This is a disappointing situation, but a necessary step for the public restoration of trust to our state’s highest elected office and the only way to allow our state to move forward.
