SC Governor Sanford’s Driver Ticketed After Further Review

Columbia, SC – South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford has found himself in another controversy.

On Tuesday, the governor and his driver were pulled over on Interstate 385 in the Upstate, for driving 85 mph in a 65 mph zone.

The driver, James Rawl, a State Law Enforcement Division agent and member of the governor’s security detail, was not ticketed for the infraction.

Video from the state trooper’s dashboard camera captured the entire incident which lasted less than two minutes.

The tape shows Lance Cpl. R.S. Salter ask Rawl, “You got a good reason for running 85?”

Rawl identifies himself and says he’s with the governor and Salter responds that’s “not really a good reason to be speeding.”

Salter then walks around to the side of the Crown Victoria, exchanges a few words with Sanford, and then shakes the governor’s hand, before returning to his vehicle without issuing a citation.

Mark Keel, Director of the South Carolina Department of Public Safety, said Wednesday that after reviewing the video, his office has decided to file speeding charges against the SLED agent.

“I have directed since I’ve been here, that our own troopers have gotten a ticket in various instances. And because of that, you know, I just felt it was the appropriate thing to do,” said Keel.

Rawl has now received a ticket for $185 and four points on his license.

Keel says that the decision to write a ticket is at the discretion of the trooper and that Salter will not face any disciplinary actions.

Sanford responded Thursday, saying, “I think it’s important folks not make a bigger deal than it was. It was unfortunate. He got caught for a speeding ticket. He’s a good guy. And I don’t think that, you know, it is anything beyond that in terms of picking on him.”

When asked if there was a reason why the governor was in a hurry, Sanford said, “There’s always something we’re getting back (to Columbia) for. I mean it’s sort of a non-stop on that front.”

Sanford said he wasn’t aware that his driver was speeding.

This latest incident will likely draw additional criticism of the embattled governor, because Sanford was critical of Lt. Governor Andre Bauer’s previous issues with speeding.

In 2005 Bauer was pulled over for driving 77 to 78 mph in a 65 mph zone and a few months later in 2006 he was caught driving 101 mph, but was never issued a ticket.

At the time, Sanford’s office said they “believe very strongly that preferential treatment should never be a factor when enforcing the law.”

After being pulled over, the governor said he didn’t feel the need to get involved in the situation.

“The idea of getting, you know, out of the car, having a conversation between two law enforcement folks and saying, ‘No, you ought to be giving this guy (Rawl) a ticket’ is something that didn’t occur to me at the time.”