SC Dem Chair Responds to Sanford Furman Visit

South Carolina Democratic Party Chair Carol Fowler issued the following statement today in response to Governor Mark Sanford's address at Furman University. During an address to Furman's Conservative Students for a Better Tomorrow, Sanford will make his first public statements on whether he will accept $700 million in aid from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Last week, state lawmakers urged Sanford to accept the funds after the Congressional Research Service issued an opinion stating an amendment in the stimulus bill that would allow the General Assembly to bypass the governor's decision may be unconstitutional.

"Maybe Mark Sanford's anti-stimulus views were applauded by the Conservative Students for a Better Tomorrow, but the rest of South Carolina isn't cheering him on. In fact, we're ready for the governor to get in touch with reality. South Carolina desperately needs all of the funding it has been allocated under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act-our taxes will pay for it, whether or not our state uses the money. This is money that will go to keep public school teachers on the job. We can't afford to have any more layoffs or to lose this money to other states. It's time for Governor Sanford to do the right thing for South Carolinians," said Fowler.