The verdict is in and the House Judiciary Impeachment Subcommittee decided today in a 6-1 vote not to recommend that Gov. Mark Sanford be impeached.The seven-member subcommittee voted unanimously in favor of censuring the governor. A censure has no practical affect, other than to publicly disparage Sanford.
"It says, we believe the governor's conduct was improper," Committee Chairman Rep. Jim Harrison said.
Rep. Greg Delleney, R-Chester, was the only member who voted in favor of impeachment.
Harrison and Reps. James Smith, D-Columbia, Walt McLeod, D-Little Mountain, David Weeks, D- Sumter, Garry Smith, D-Simpsonville, and Jenny Anderson Horne, R-Summerville, voted against impeachment.
The recommendation will be sent to the full 25-member House Judiciary Committee, which will meet at 10 a.m. next Wednesday.
Delleney said that he will continue to push the full committee to sent the impeachment bill to the House floor and force Sanford from office. The Senate would serve as jury.
"I am not giving up," Delleney told reporters after the first part of the subcommittee meeting.
"One thing is certain: impeachment is not akin to a recall. We can't impeach for hypocrisy. We can't impeach for arrogance. We can't impeach an office holder for his lack of leadership skills," Harrison said.
Harrison said that Sanford's alleged wrongdoings don't rise to the level of impeachment based on the fact that Harrison, a lawyer, says the executive power would have transferred directly to Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer had there been an emergency during the five days in June that Sanford left the state to be with his lover in Argentina.
Harrison said that Sanford should resign, a point echoed earlier by Rep. James Smith, D-Columbia.
"(Sanford) has fired at least one Cabinet-level official for conduct not as serious as this," Harrison said.
Weeks said the governor committed egregious offenses, but he doubts the wrongdoings rise to impeachment.
"We need to keep the bar high," Weeks said. "We need to be real careful how we open the door. ... Based on what I see it is very close call."