Gov. Sanford to repay South Carolina for Argentina trip

If more evidence surfaces that Sanford used state money for his romantic liaisons, it would be particularly damaging, given his sometimes unyielding demands that government not spend wastefully.

The South Carolina Constitution says that public officeholders may be impeached for "serious crimes" or "serious misconduct" -- nebulous concepts that have rarely been tested, said James Underwood, an emeritus law professor at the University of South Carolina. Impeachment would require a two-thirds vote of the House and, after a trial, a two-thirds vote of the Senate.

Blair, the liberal bar owner, is no fan of Sanford, but he doesn't like the idea of a drawn-out drama either. He's already worried that the scandal has distracted South Carolina from dealing with its budget crisis, its struggling schools, and one of the highest unemployment rates in the nation.

"Impeachment?" he said. "How much more wasted effort is that going to take?"

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richard.fausset@latimes.com