Sanford Rejects Call to Resign

From the Associated Press;

South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford rebuffed his lieutenant governor's call to resign Wednesday, saying he will not be "railroaded" out of office and plans to finish the last 16 months of his term.
Sanford returned from a nearly weeklong disappearance in June to admit an affair with an Argentine woman, a revelation that led to questions about the legality of his travel on state, private and commercial planes.

At a news conference hours after Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer called for him to step down, Sanford said the people of South Carolina want to move past the scandals.

"I'm not going to be railroaded out of this office by political opponents or folks who were never fans of mine in the first place," Sanford said. "A lot of what is going on now is pure politics, plain and simple."

Bauer and Sanford are Republicans who have served together for two terms but were elected separately and have never been friends.

Some Republicans have been reluctant to seek Sanford's resignation or impeachment because they do not want to give Bauer what would amount to a long-term tryout for the job.

If Sanford steps down before his term ends in January 2011, Bauer said he will promise not to run in 2010, so that is not an issue.

Bauer considered making the same offer in June but never officially did.

"The serious misconduct that has been revealed along with lingering questions and continuing distractions make it virtually impossible for our state to solve the critical problems we're facing without a change in leadership," he said Wednesday.

House Republicans are expected to discuss this week what it would take to impeach Sanford.

The House is expected to launch impeachment proceedings when lawmakers return for their regular session in January, though they could also hold a special session before then.

Any House member can make the proposal.