SC House speaker: Governor’s rendezvous not serious enough to bring impeachment proceedings

SC lawmaker: Rendezvous not enough to impeach gov

COLUMBIA, S.C. — A top South Carolina lawmaker says the embattled governor should not face impeachment simply because he secretly left the state in June — a trip he took to see his Argentine lover.

House Speaker Bobby Harrell said Tuesday he thinks a newly filed measure to remove the Republican governor based on his alleged dereliction of duty does not carry enough weight.

Instead, Harrell believes state representatives should rely on an Ethics Commission investigation of Sanford’s travel to determine whether his removal is warranted.

The commission is to decide Wednesday whether Sanford should face criminal or civil charges, or no sanctions at all.

Harrell’s statement came the same day a fellow Republican filed a measure to impeach Sanford because of the trip to Argentina.