Mark Sanford avoids criminal charges following ethics investigation

By GottaLaff

Mark the C Streeter skates after pleading no contest to ethics charges. However, I wonder what will eventually come of Rachel Maddow's investigations into the suspiciously low rent he paid to live there.

As for the Appalachian Trail hike trip to Argentina sexcapades, he's home free:

South Carolina's Attorney General has decided that Gov. Mark Sanford will not face criminal charges following an investigation into his travel and campaign expenses.

The A.G. said he didn't "knowingly, willfully, and intentionally set out to break state law". He did, however, knowingly, willfully, and intentionally set out to break his family member's hearts.

But on Monday, McMaster said the ethics violations did not rise to the level of criminal conduct. The law, he said, "requires a much higher standard before criminal prosecution is warranted."

This gave Sanford the opportunity to use the word "stalwart":

He said McMaster's decision reaffirms his belief that the Sanford administration has always "been a stalwart defender of the taxpayer. "

Said the man who could very well be residing in a building owned by a group that shouldn't have tax exempt status and treats their favorite members of Congress to cut rates.

BREAKING: Mark Sanford will plead no contest to ethics charges

By GottaLaff

Via a Yahoo e-mail alert:

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) SC gov will plead no contest to ethics charges, pay $74,000 in fines over travel, spending.

That's all I have. Details coming.

All my previous posts on the Sanford scandals here.

UPDATE via another alert:

CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) Judge finalizes divorce of SC Gov. Mark Sanford, ending his 20-year marriage to wife Jenny.

All Americans should be allowed travel to Cuba, says new poll

Could this finally be the death knell for the hard core Cubans, soon to be taken over by the new generation? I mean, the embargo has worked so well for the past 30+ years...

A new poll of Cuban Americans shows a strong majority favor allowing all Americans to travel to the island, a major shift from a 2002 survey that showed only a minority supporting the change, the Bendixen & Associates polling firm reported Tuesday.

Executive Vice President Fernand Amandi said he was surprised by the magnitude of the swing in just seven years -- from 46 percent in favor in 2002 to 59 percent in the Sept. 24-26 survey. Only 29 percent were opposed in the new survey, compared to 47 percent in 2002.

(snip)

A campaign to allow all Americans to travel to Cuba has become a key Washington battle ground this year for those who favor and oppose easing U.S. sanctions on the island. Permitting such travel would allow U.S. tourists to visit Cuba. Only Cuban Americans are now allowed virtually unrestricted travel to the island.

At least three bills lifting all restrictions on travel are now before Congress -- two in the House and one in the Senate. While most analysts believe the House may well approve some version of the measure, they say it will have little chance of gaining Senate approval because of opposition from Sen. Bob Menendez, a powerful Democrat.

Amandi noted that the results of the September poll should disarm the argument that the travel restrictions on Americans cannot be eased because of the political power of Cuban Americans who oppose it. ``This removes the final fig leaf for why the time has not come to change policy -- that Cuban Americans were opposed,'' he said.

Travel Guy Frommer: "Do Guns at Political Events Disturb You? Then Consider Skipping Arizona for Now "

By GottaLaff

When Travel Guy Arthur Frommer states publicly that he won't be traveling to Arizona anymore because of the nutbally assault rifle-toters' little show outside of the Phoenix Obama event, the hotels must be quaking in their fluffy white terry robes:

[...] I am shocked beyond measure by reports that earlier this week, nearly a dozen persons, including one with an assault rifle strapped about his shoulders and others with pistols in their hands or holsters, were openly congregating outside a hall at which President Obama was speaking to the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

For myself, without yet suggesting that others follow me in an open boycott, I will not personally travel in a state where civilians carry loaded weapons onto the sidewalks and as a means of political protest. I not only believe such practices are a threat to the future of our democracy, but I am firmly convinced that they would also endanger my own personal safety there. And therefore I will cancel any plans to vacation or otherwise visit in Arizona until I learn more. And I will begin thinking about whether tourists should safeguard themselves by avoiding stays in Arizona.

I hear Oregon is beautiful this time of year.

H/t: TPM

Obama's Entourage

A logistical nightmare. Via Taegan-

The Guardian notes President Obama will not be traveling light when he arrives in London this week.

"More than 500 officials and staff will accompany the president on his tour this week --- along with a mass of high-tech security equipment, including the $300,000 presidential limousine, known as The Beast. Fitted with night-vision camera, reinforced steel plating, tear- gas cannon and oxygen tanks, the vehicle is the ultimate in heavy armoured transport."

"In addition, a team from the White House kitchen will travel with the president to prepare his food. As one official put it: 'When the president travels, the White House travels with him, right down to the car he drives, the water he drinks, the gasoline he uses, the food he eats. America is still the sole superpower and the president must have the ability to handle any crisis, anywhere, any time.'"

Obama travels, Obama leads

By GottaLaff

BFCE:

Sen. Barack Obama, his running mate and his wife have appeared at twice as many events in swing states as their Republican counterparts, which may help explain the Democrat's lead in many battleground-state polls.

In the five weeks since the fall campaign officially began, Sen. Obama, his wife, Michelle, and vice-presidential nominee Joe Biden have appeared at a total of 95 separate events in states that both sides are contesting.

Sen. John McCain and his running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, have appeared at 55 events in those areas, with Cindy McCain, the nominee's wife, adding only one more to the total, according to a Wall Street Journal tally based on schedules provided by the campaigns.

The gap makes a difference in the amount of press that each ticket gets in critical markets -- and is mirrored by a similar disparity in TV advertising. Sen. Obama outspent Sen. McCain and the Republican National Committee on ads in 15 states for the week ended Oct. 4, according to the Wisconsin Advertising Project, an initiative at the University of Wisconsin. The Republicans spent more in just two states.

The effect: The Democrats are being seen much more often, in free news coverage and in paid advertising, in the states that will determine the winner. [...]

Sen. Obama's own early debate preparation was done in states he hopes to win this fall -- Florida and North Carolina -- garnering him extra local press. This week, he is prepping in Toledo, Ohio, another swing state.

The Obamas have one more thing going for them: Who really goes out of their way to see Cindy McMealTicket? Snerk.

H/t: Ellen