http://66.225.205.104/JR20091216a.mp3
A six-month scandal over South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford's affair with a woman from Argentina ended today with a whimper. The state's House Judiciary Committee voted against impeachment. They will censure Sanford instead. WFAE's Julie Rose reports: Governor Sanford's opponents in the state legislature hoped to force him out of office for ethics violations and dereliction of duty related to secret visits he made to his Argentine mistress. In the end, lawmakers on the House Judiciary Committee found the Governor's actions irresponsible and hypocritical, but not deserving of impeachment. In a statement, Sanford called the decision "reasonable." However, the 24-member committee did vote unanimously to rebuke Governor Sanford. If the censure resolution is approved by the full legislature in January, Sanford would be the first sitting governor formally censured by the South Carolina General Assembly. Early next year, Sanford will also face a hearing before the State Ethics Commission and could be fined up to $74,000 for numerous violations including misuse of the state plane.