The governor that keeps on giving: Sanford stopped for speeding, but leaves officer behind

[ck4829]

When a Highway Patrol trooper told a driver Tuesday that there was no good reason for him to blaze down a busy stretch of South Carolina interstate at 85 mph, he got a surprising reply: "Tell him that."

Video from the trooper's dashboard camera recorded the incredulous trooper as he strides to the side of the governor's unmarked sedan, a window rolls down and then, a handshake. "Mark Sanford," the governor introduces himself.

Lance Cpl. R.S. Salter returned to his patrol car and its camera captures the sedan pulling away. The governor's driver did not get a ticket.

But a day later, state Department of Public Safety Director Mark Keel had reviewed the video and the trooper was writing a ticket for the State Law Enforcement Division agent driving Sanford. And the SLED agent's boss wasn't happy.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091008/ap_on_re_us/us_sc_governor_unticketed_speeding

"I'm Mark Sanford... uh, see ya!" *drives off*

[WI_DEM]

1. This guy is something else. I'm sure he will say that he thought since he shook the cops hand

that it was understood that no ticket would be given.

[dixiegrrrrl]

2. Sanford had a plane to Argentina to catch. Good enough reason, I guess.

[Why Syzygy]

3. God is failing to protect Sanford from himself again....nt

[Rosa Luxemburg]

4. was he drunk?

[KansDem]

5. Are we going to hear now that the governor was late for a drive on the Appalachian Trail?

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

6. Would you shake hands with Mark Sanford?

Who knows where that hand has been?

[mopinko]

7. get real.

most guys would shake it, then sniff it.

[unblock]

8. he could have let him write a ticket and then pardoned his driver....

[malaise]

9. Normal rules do not apply

to members of the FAMILY

[Lochloosa]

10. South Carolina interstate speeds are 55.

There speed limit signs say 55 MPH
STILL

[damntexdem]

11. "He's fleeing the interview! Fleeing the interview!"

Put out an APB. ;-)

[ddeclue]

12. To be fair: the governor wasn't driving and usually the driver is another state patrol officer

in most states anyways. That the driver didn't get a ticket is actually "business as usual" and I'm shocked that the trooper didn't run the tags before he even bothered to do the stop.

Remember Corzine's 95 MPH accident a few years back?

Sanford is an embarassment to be sure but it's kind of hard to single him out for speeding in this case.

[Enrique]

14. to be fair

every poor sucker in S.C. who has gotten a speeding ticket should be reimbursed straight out of the pocket of the fucking governor. That would be fair.

No I don't remember Corzine's accident, if he or his driver was going 95 mph he should be strung up.

I do remember SD governor Bill Janklow's accident, which killed a middle-aged motorcyclist.

[ddeclue]

16. Corzine's driver was rushing him down to smooth over the Don Imus incident

when he drove off the road and broken about a zillion of Corzine's bones.

You also forgot about the Governator who had a motorcycle accident while governor and while driving without a valid motorcycle permit.

I'm just saying that you'd have a hard time claiming that only Republican governors do this sort of thing.

[Enrique]

13. we need him to give a press conference about this

preferably one where he compares himself to Solomon or something.

[timeforpeace]

15. Oh so when you said he was stopped for speeding, not his driver, it was an error. That's OK.

[qb]

17. WTF? "I think we as an agency owe Trooper Salter, as well as the governor, an apology."

(State Law Enforcement Division Chief Reggie Lloyd)

It is the governor who owes Trooper Salter, and the rest of his constituents yet another apology.