South Carolina House rebukes Gov. Mark Sanford, Senate sidelines censure

COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina state representatives formally reprimanded a governor for the first time Wednesday, admonishing Gov. Mark Sanford for secret trips to see his Argentine mistress and improper use of state aircraft.

The lawmakers voted 102-11 to censure Sanford for bringing "ridicule, dishonor, disgrace and shame" to himself and the state. The rebuke says the two-term Republican was derelict in his duty and abused his power.

The issue came up a few hours later in the Senate, but was sidelined when a legislator said the resolution needed to be reviewed in a committee. Some Senate leaders have said their body may never vote on censure.

The censure has no practical effect on the final year of Sanford's tenure. State law prevents him from running again.

Before the vote, Sanford said he wouldn't attend the session or watch and would have no comment. "It is what it is," Sanford said.

Sanford has been under scrutiny since his June revelation of an affair that included a trip to see a woman after telling staff he was going to hike on the Appalachian Trail. He still faces civil ethics charges over travel on state planes.

The governor ignored calls to resign after he returned and tearfully confessed an affair with the woman he later called his soul mate.

The House Judiciary Committee had considered impeaching Sanford but decided against it.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we have lived this nightmare for over seven months," said Judiciary Chairman Jim Harrison, a Republican. "Our failure to take this action today would send a message to the governor and to the citizens of South Carolina that the governor's conduct is acceptable in our eyes."

The censure is on an unsure path in the Senate after Sen. Jake Knotts, a Republican and frequent Sanford critic, said legislators need more time to look at what Sanford has done, including what comes of the ethics charges.

"It wasn't a pressing issue to get back to the United States from Argentina, so why should we rush to do something about it now," Knotts said.

State Rep. Todd Rutherford was one of the handful voting against the measure Wednesday. The Democrat said in December that legislators would be "idiots" if they didn't impeach Sanford.