Gov. Mark Sanford (R., S.C.) came out swinging in his own defense this afternoon in a press conference at the state house in Columbia, taking on his critics, Republicans and Democrats alike. In his opening remarks, Sanford referenced the late radio broadcaster Paul Harvey, and urged his political opponents to let him tell “the rest of the story.” Without that, Sanford says, any investigation into his conduct could become a “kangaroo court.”
“All we’re saying here is let the committee work through its full process, not a truncated process, and let’s make decisions after that,” says Sanford. Yesterday, Fox News reports, Sanford received a letter, signed by 61 of the 72 Republicans controlling the South Carolina House of Representatives, asking for his resignation. On Tuesday, Republican House Speaker Bobby Harrell sent the governor a similar letter.