SC Governor Mark Sanford And The Adultery Law

South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford has faced a storm of criticism in the past week.
First - questions arose about his whereabouts after reporters noticed he hadn’t been around for a few days…then - his aides said he’d taken some time off to hike the Appalachian Trail…but it turned out he’d been in Argentina visiting his mistress.  There is a law on the books in South Carolina that makes adultery a crime…punishable by possible fines and even jail time.  News Three talked to folks in the Low Country today to find out if they think the governor should be prosecuted.

The governor has fended off calls for his resignation and calls for an investigation of his state-funded activities over the last week…but it appears he won’t be fending off criminal charges…at least not for adultery.  Up to 500 dollars in fines and a year in jail…those are the punishments an adulterer could face in South Carolina based on state law.  Governor Mark Sanford has admitted the crime…“I wanted to apologize to everyone for letting you down.“  But apparently won’t do the time.  A SLED spokesperson saying they can’t waste limited money on trying to prosecute or arrest Sanford on such a charge…a law that dates to 1880 and reportedly hasn’t been enforced since around 1907. 

That doesn’t sit right though, with some of the governor’s constituents.  Amber Gray says, “
“Just because he’s the senator or governor of our state doesn’t mean that the rules should be bended for him.  If it is on the books that it’s a rule, then he should be prosecuted.“  Adrien DuPont agrees, “If me or you would have been in his shoes you know what I’m saying - we would have been penalized and he just a person just like you and me.“  And so does Shannon Moore, “He did wrong - I mean just period - I mean you don’t do those kind of things.“ But not everyone’s calling for blood.  Leroy Bentley says, “He’s punished enough knowing that his kids know what he’s done you know.  They age level and they understand things you know - I think to him, he’s being tortured within himself.“  A torture perhaps alluded to in the governor’s statements on Monday.  “You fall and that’s the end of the story?  Or do you begin the process of getting back up and rebuilding life, trust and all that goes with it?  And their point was that’s not just a message to your four boys - that’s a message to people across this state, frankly across this nation and the world.“

Of course the governor’s actions are being looked at for possible improprieties connected to use of state funds and he could still face trouble in that arena - but for now sled’s spokesperson says there are “murderers and other violent offenders to pursue.“