South Carolina GOP Censures Mark Sanford

The South Carolina Republican Party made history Monday. For the first time, it voted to censure one of its own. Gov. Mark Sanford is the recipient of the historic public scolding after his affair with an Argentine woman was revealed and dominated headlines (prior to the death of Michael Jackson).

It took the South Carolina GOP's executive committee more than four hours and multiple ballots to agree on the measure, which accuses Sanford of:

"breach[ing] the public's trust and confidence in his ability to effectively perform the duties of his office" and of failing to act in line with Republican principles.

That sounds ominous, but what practical effect does this resolution have? Maybe not all that much. The party is not calling on him to resign, and Sanford has said he has no intention of doing so. Yes, this black mark will go down on Sanford's permanent record, but failing to act in line with Republican principles is not an actual crime. Even in South Carolina.


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