Sanford Suggests He's Open to Taking Stimulus Money, Despite Opposition

Published December 24, 2015

South Carolina Republican Gov. Mark Sanford suggested Thursday that he's open to accepting money from President Obama's stimulus plan, even as he and other GOP governors voice opposition to the package.

A handful of Republican governors are considering turning down some of the money from the $787 billion package.

But Sanford told FOX News his state is still "looking at the pros and cons" of the bill and combing through the "fine print" to see what would benefit South Carolina residents.

He suggested he's open to taking the money, saying Democrats aren't turning down tax cuts even though many oppose them.

"There are a lot of Democrats that voted against tax cuts and yet they don't go back to their states and their congressional districts and tell their folks, 'Look you can't take the tax cut because if so it'll undo what I believe'," he said.

He also told CBS' "The Early Show" that being against the plan "doesn't preclude taking the money."

He made clear his opposition to the stimulus bill, however. "I think it's a horrible idea. I think it has real bad ramifications for this country and for this economy going forward," Sanford told FOX News.

Though none has outright rejected the money available for education, health care and infrastructure, the governors of Texas, Mississippi, Louisiana, Alaska, South Carolina and Idaho have all questioned whether the bill signed into law this week will even help the economy.

"My concern is there's going to be commitments attached to it that are a mile long," said Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who considered rejecting some of the money but decided Wednesday to accept it. "We need the freedom to pick and choose. And we need the freedom to say 'No thanks."'

U.S. Rep. James Clyburn, D-S.C., the No. 3 House Democrat, said the governors -- some of whom are said to be eyeing White House bids in 2012 -- are putting their own interests first.

"No community or constituent should be denied recovery assistance due to their governor's political ideology or political aspirations," Clyburn said Wednesday.

In fact, governors who reject some of the stimulus aid may find themselves overridden by their own legislatures because of language Clyburn included in the bill that allows lawmakers to accept the federal money even if their governors object.

He inserted the provision based on the early and vocal opposition to the stimulus plan by Sanford. But it also means governors like Sanford and Louisiana's Bobby Jindal -- a GOP up-and-comer often mentioned as a potential 2012 presidential candidate -- can burnish their conservative credentials, knowing all the while that their legislatures can accept the money anyway.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

URL

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/sanford-suggests-hes-open-to-taking-stimulus-money-despite-opposition