In another freewheeling performance in front of the cameras this afternoon, Mark Sanford accused state lawmakers of trying to railroad him out of office, and demanded that he be given a chance to present his "side of the story."
"It is not OK to short-circuit an ethics process to try and get the result that you want," said the beleaguered governor, referring to an ethics inquiry that's focused on his decision to leave the state in the lurch when he visited his Argentinean mistress, and his use of state aircraft.
Yesterday, House Speaker Bobby Harrell became the latest Republican to call for Sanford to resign or face impeachment charges.
Sanford said that not allowing him to present his case would create a "kangaroo court...based on political opponents' accusations."
And he singled out Sen. Dave Thomas, a Republican who has led the anti-Sanford movement, suggesting that Thomas had improperly met with the director of the ethics committee about the inquiry.
He added: "I get that many members of the general assembly would like to see me gone." But he said that his political antagonists had long wanted to get rid of him, and suggested they'd seized on his recent missteps as an excuse.
Sanford didn't directly mention his romantic travails, but he did defend himself on the issue of his charging business class airplane seats to taxpayers, referring to "thirty years of history of people buying business class tickets, of both parties, and not once did people say, 'you broke the law.'"
In other words: he's not going anywhere just yet.

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tiowally
September 10, 2009 4:32 PM
Oh yes, Mark, do tell your side. And please, insert as many San-koans as you feel is necessary.
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greylox
September 10, 2009 8:37 PM in reply to tiowally
**Might not be a good idea. We just heard one of these family values republicans from Orange County detailing his trail-walking, and it was NOT pretty. In fact, in honor of Ronald Reagan, we now call the guy "The Dripper."
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Johann
September 11, 2009 10:52 AM in reply to greylox
Mark wants to tell his side of the story?
Why doesn't TPM send a reporter over to get it? That would make great reading.
.
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JNagarya
September 13, 2009 11:50 AM in reply to Johann
We've already heard his side of the story. Several of them, in fact.
You say Applachia,
I say Argentina;
Let's tell another lie . . .
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Johann
September 14, 2009 7:11 AM in reply to JNagarya
Just wondering how many more versions he can think up.
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CN
September 10, 2009 4:35 PM
Oh please let this clown tell his side of the story. I could use a laugh.
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Bushie
September 10, 2009 4:48 PM
I believe the defendant has a right to tell his story during the impeachment process. Let the show trial begin. Now please. No, really, now.
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Citoyen92
September 10, 2009 4:49 PM
"Business class" is a relatively new marketing development. To claim that South Carolina "people of both parties" have been buying such tickets for the last 30 years is not accurate.
Quantas Airlines (of Australia) claims to have invented the business class product back in 1979.
And then former SAS CEO Jan Carlzon adopted it in 1981 for his airlines.
30 years? Were South Carolinians regularly taking junkets to Sydney and Copenhagen?
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Dave Bowman
September 10, 2009 5:11 PM
He went on, "In the end, this is going to be a powerful heart-warming story, one in which you’re going to be really impressed, it’s going to take world news."
Oh, wait, that was Philip Garrido's jailhouse interview.
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EH
September 10, 2009 6:18 PM in reply to Dave Bowman
In a world, where the line between ethics...and love...is paper-thin, one man rises up to the challenge. One man dares to stand up for himself, to stand up for us all, against overwhelming odds. His enemies have no fear, no morals, and no way out. One man...is going to fight the dark forces of evil with EVERYTHING HE'S GOT. (explosion sounds before a man in a blue cape with a palmetto and Islamic crescent on his chest flies through the flames) This man...is MARK SANFORD. ("Carmina Burana" plays)
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cheesenstein
September 10, 2009 6:27 PM
There IS no "other side" of the story. He violated ethical guidelines and broke state law. He abandoned his constituents and put them into a potentially grave constitutional crisis. He misappropriated state funds. He violated state travel rules.
Sanford is entitled to his day in court, to be sure. However he is not entitled to his own set of facts.
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traitorjoe
September 10, 2009 6:33 PM
"But I've spoken enough," Sanford said. "Let my character witnesses - Larry Craig, Mike Duvall, Mark Foley and David Vitter - take over from here."
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Stiggs
September 11, 2009 8:23 AM in reply to traitorjoe
Don't forget Joey "Tourettes" Wilson who won't be taking the stand but will shout out anything he thinks might be pertinent.
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Chabuka
September 10, 2009 7:44 PM
What unmitigated gall..all of a sudden this sleaze ball is playing the "victim" card...he makes my skin crawl....I wonder what the Argentinian lover thinks of this "pathetic little manchild" now...? (one would assume SHE might have a few ethics, maybe even a little moral character...because HE certainly doesn't...and, you know what they say,..opposites attract...!
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greysells2
September 13, 2009 12:47 PM in reply to Chabuka
His Argentinian exGF can't be too happy. He's has effectively dumped her when it was no longer convenient to continue the affair. Then he grandstanded private details of the relationship to the international press corps and World. His ex-girlfriend with considerable dignity has been silent.
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Matt Jones
September 10, 2009 8:16 PM
I really would like to hear "his side" - if only to see the insane C-Street ideology of "it's OK if you're one of the CHOSEN" out in public view.
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hawaiian
September 10, 2009 9:55 PM
This is your lead story?
ACORN fired two of it best workers for telling the truth about life in Baltamore. This is where some of our best Democrats, like Nancy Peloci, come from and use the government as is seen on this little film. Come on TPM, catch up !
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Leftflank
September 11, 2009 12:16 AM
Since all the repubs are getting caught anyway, they should make their exploits a PPV reality show. That would solve several of their problems. For instance; a shrinking audience, shrinking fund-raising, the requested chance to tell their side, show off to the other repubs, practice their acting skills & get all their hoochies/lobbyists/pages/undercover cops/girlfriends/wives back together.
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nadja
September 11, 2009 3:32 AM
"Read More :
Mark Sanford, Sex"
Oh, this tag thing just cracks me up every time...
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sashimi
September 11, 2009 8:08 AM
Oh, please, yes, do go on! And while you're at it, please spill some more about your friends and mentors at C St.,too!
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Confound Them All
September 11, 2009 11:06 AM
Isn't there somebody with power of attorney who can get this guy committed?
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psmoses
September 11, 2009 11:32 AM
I've heard enough of his side. I am very tired of, and somewhat nauseated from, hearing about the private goings-on of ugly Republican misfits.
http://www.enewse.com/
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Richard L. Adlof
September 11, 2009 12:39 PM
Sanford is an arguement for Mental Health Parity.
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Snarky
September 11, 2009 3:16 PM
His side? Again? That silly man has told way more than any of us need to know. Was he ever a real politician? Because something has addled his brains and turned him into a weak, middle-aged fool.
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greysells2
September 13, 2009 12:39 PM
Remember the long tearful "Soul Mate" press conference? I thought he told his story then and in subsequent pressers. However, I might be wrong, so Sanford can have as many press conferences as he wants to tell "his side" of the story. So he doesn't need to whine. Hopefully, he'll include some "facts" to answer the allegations outstanding.
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