GO, BE GONE WITH YOU - AT 7:14 P.M. ET:  Another fall from grace.  South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford used to be considered a possible GOP candidate for president.  But he cheated spectacularly on his wife, and, if the current charges against him are correct, pretty much abused his office.

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Over the protests of Gov. Mark Sanford’s lawyers, South Carolina lawmakers on Tuesday began the preliminary steps of a process that could lead to the governor’s impeachment and removal from office.

A subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee, made up of four Republicans and three Democrats, held its first meeting to review a resolution to impeach the governor for secretly leaving the state in June to see a woman in Argentina with whom he was having an extramarital affair.

Members voted unanimously to broaden the review to include 37 ethics charges that accuse the governor of misusing state aircraft for personal or political reasons, repeatedly violating a policy that requires officials to use coach class airplane tickets, and misappropriating campaign funds.

In a separate action, the state ethics commission will hold hearings on the 37 allegations early next year.

Sometimes it's best for a man to resign and contemplate his future. 

But there is hypocrisy here.  When ethics charges are brought against Republicans, they seem to be taken much more seriously than when brought against Democrats.  Charlie Rangel, a tax cheat, among other things, is still a major committee chairman in the House.  There is serious talk of Eliot Spitzer, who was forced to resign the governorship of New York over another sex scandal, returning to politics.

As a general rule, and there are exceptions, I think conservatives take personal ethics more seriously than liberals, who too often regard themselves as a bit above these trivial considerations. 

Sanford, I assume, will soon be gone.  He disappointed us.  Goodbye.

November 24, 2009