SC Lieutenant Governor Speaks About Governor’s Scandal

Columbia, SC—Here in the Statehouse, in Columbia, the office of Governor Mark Sanford is right across the same hallway from Lt. Governor Andre Bauer’s office.

The offices may be close, but the two men seem very far apart, especially now.

Lt. Governor Andre Bauer, (R) South Carolina: “The Governor and I don’t have a very close relationship.“

In fact, Bauer says he almost never talks with Mark Sanford. He did try to call him, last month, when Sanford told everyone he was hiking the Appalachian Trail…but he was really with a mistress, in Argentina.

Bauer: “I called his Chief of Staff, and said, ‘I want to talk to him, now,‘ and was unable to reach him.“

Bauer first thought, what if someone tries to harm Sanford.

Bauer: “Say somebody is in the Appalachian Mountains, and happens to stumble across him. Who knows what they would do? Hold him for ransom?“

But, the more he learned, the more his worry became frustration. He’s spoken to Sanford only once…since.

Bauer: “I thought I was a pretty good judge of character, and I would have never thought that out of the Governor.“

Bauer tells us he’s leaning heavily toward running for Governor, next year. He says the state’s Constitution must be changed to allow a quick transfer of power if something like a governor disappearing, without notice, ever happens again. Despite standing calls for Sanford to resign, Bauer holds his tongue on that question, saying, it looks self-serving, no matter what he says.

Bauer: “I can’t make a judgement call without people criticizing for it.“

As long as Sanford is in office, Bauer is content to let the Governor try and put an embarrassing mess behind him, and focus on the job. He’ll do the same…right across the hall.