Rep. Delleney Plans to Introduce Impeachment Resolution Against Governor Next Week

The South Carolina General Assembly will return to Columbia, Tuesday, October 27, to correct an oversight that threatens to deprive approximately 7,000 unemployed South Carolinians of 20 additional weeks of unemployment payments. The special session was announced by House Speaker Bobby Harrell on Monday.

Although Rep. Greg Delleney says he intends to introduce a resolution of impeachment against Governor Mark Sanford during the special session, Speaker Harrell has said impeachment is not on the agenda. He will limit business to taking up changes in state law to qualify unemployed South Carolinians for additional unemployment benefits. The changes are necessary to qualify for federal stimulus funds approved in February. A spokesman for lawmakers said the stimulus based aid would not have to be paid back.

Harrell has insisted that the impeachment question will not be addressed by the House until after the current Ethics Commission investigation has been completed.

Should lawmakers decide to attempt to impeach Governor Mark Sanford for his five-day absence when his staff was unaware of his whereabouts, or any additional charges that may be raised by the Ethics Commission, the House would vote on whether or not to impeach and if impeachment is voted for, the House would act as prosecutor and the Senate would serve as jury to determine if the governor should be removed from office.

When President Bill Clinton was impeached by the US House of Representatives, the US Senate voted not to remove him from office.