DELLENEY WILL TRY TO INTRODUCE IMPEACHMENT ARTICLES

The 170 members of South Carolina’s General Assembly are coming back to Columbia for an extremely rare special session. And they could consider impeaching Gov. Mark Sanford.

Lawmakers said Monday that they would convene later this month under the Sine Die Resolution. The official purpose of the session is to correct an oversight made by the Employment Security Commission — but it could open the door for impeachment.

“I don’t know how limited [the session] is going to be, but I’m going to try to file articles of impeachment,” Rep. Greg Delleney (R-Chester) told The Palmetto Scoop.

Delleney has been a very vocal proponent of impeachment in the wake of Sanford’s six day disappearance and admission of an affair. The governor is also being investigated by the State Ethics Commission over allegations that he used state aircraft for personal travel, violated state requirements by using high-priced airfare, and did not report the use of private aircraft.

Delleney said his resolution will cite Sanford’s dereliction of duty, absence without leave, deceit and cover up, and disgrace of office, “which is what impeachment is about,” he noted.

Many legislators believe that if Sanford’s impeachment is not considered in a special session prior to the General Assembly’s scheduled return in January, it could consume the entire regular session, allowing lawmakers to accomplish little or nothing next year.

The special session will convene at noon on Oct. 27.

When asked if there would be enough votes assuming he were able to file the resolution, Delleney said “I guess we’ll find out.”

“If character matters, I’ll have the votes. If character doesn’t matter, I won’t have the votes,” Delleney said, noting that it’s hard to “work people” when the legislature is not in session. “If he is not impeached, we will be making an unfortunate exception for elected officials in South Carolina.”

In a statement, House Speaker Bobby Harrell and Senate President Pro Tempore Glenn McConnell said the intent of the session is to pass legislation to allow those without a job in the state access to Federal unemployment benefits. They expect the process to take no longer than just a few days.

“It is unfortunate that the Legislature must return to fix this problem, this oversight was completely avoidable and further highlights the need for reforming the ESC from a reactive check writing agency into a proactive job placement agency,” McConnell and Harrell said. ” Just as the ESC waited until the 11th hour to warn the General Assembly about the dwindling Unemployment Trust Fund, again the ESC has laid this problem at the feet of lawmakers at the last possible minute.”

Lawmakers will receive no additional legislative pay for these session days.