In late 2000, Sanford was one of three U.S. House members to vote against the Violence Against Women Act, which authorized $3.6 billion over five years for law enforcement and judicial training, grants for domestic violence shelters, child abuse prevention programs and a national domestic violence hot line.

Once elected governor, he angered women’s groups when he delayed signing a domestic violence bill so that he could go on a cruise.

In 2005, Sanford’s press secretary was charged with domestic violence after injuring his fiancée during an argument. He resigned and later pled guilty.

Realizing that he was in trouble on this issue and seeing an election year looming, in December, 2005, Mark Sanford for the first time in his 10 years in elected office proposed domestic abuse legislation.

Tommy Moore’s Record

Tommy Moore has consistently championed and supported strong anti-domestic violence legislation and victim’s rights bills.

Tommy Moore was instrumental in passing both the very first act that addressed protection against domestic violence (S.484 in 1984) and the single most important piece of legislation protecting victims of all crimes, including victims of criminal domestic violence (1998 Victim’s Bill of Rights, Constitutional Amendment), as well as many other important anti-criminal domestic violence initiatives over the years. He is a recipient of the South Carolina Victim Assistance Network’s Legislator of the Year Award for his work on behalf of the victims of crime.

THE AD THE TRUTH

Sanford claims:

Reality shows:

On Screen: Tough New Laws Against Domestic Violence

On Screen: newspaper image:

“Tougher Laws On Violence,” Greenville News

On Screen: Tough New Laws

Against Domestic Violence

On Screen: newspaper image:

“Tougher Laws On Violence,” Greenville News

On Screen: Tough New Laws Against Domestic Violence

On Screen: newspaper image:

“Tougher Laws On Violence,” Greenville News

WHAT THAT EDITORIAL REALLY SAYS:

The governor’s leadership certainly is needed on this issue. A hope is that Sanford still might champion some of the 23 recommendations in a 110-page report issued by a state domestic violence task force in 2000.

South Carolina is making slow progress on combating domestic violence. Stronger gubernatorial and legislative leadership could move that process forward and save more women and children from harm.

[“Tougher laws on violence,” Greenville News, June 7, 2005]

CRITICS QUESTION SANFORD’S DELAY ON SIGNING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE BILL:

“Legislators and advocates say Gov. Mark Sanford’s delay in signing a bill strengthening the state’s domestic violence laws is sending the wrong message about his commitment to the issue. The governor, who is on a cruise with his family this week, has not yet scheduled the bill signing… [The Herald, 8/12/2003]

SANFORD WAFFLES ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE LEGISLATION:

“Sanford pledged to aggressively fight domestic violence but so far has failed to live up to that promise. For instance, he’s not even certain whether he will sign the ‘Domestic Violence Prevention Act’ approved by the General Assembly this year. He should sign it immediately and then consider championing some of the 23 credible recommendations made in a 110-page report by a domestic violence task force in the year 2000. Sanford also should lay out a detailed and comprehensive strategy for fighting domestic violence.” [Greenville News, 7/29/03]

SC RANKS WORST IN NATION FOR RATE OF WOMEN KILLED BY MEN:

“South Carolina again leads the nation in the rate of women killed by men, an annual study released Thursday said. In 2001, 64 women were killed by men in the Palmetto State a rate of 3.15 per 100,000 residents, said the Violence Policy Center… The numbers put South Carolina’s homicide rate for women at more than twice the national average.” [The State, 9/26/03]

SANFORD ELIMINATES FUNDING FOR COMMISSION ON WOMEN:

“Gov. Mark Sanford eliminated funding for his own Commission on Women on Wednesday, angering advocates who say the advisory group is critical in a state that ranks near the bottom nationwide in the status of women… State Rep. Becky Meacham-Richardson, R-York, and chairwoman of the Republican Women’s Caucus, said she was surprised and disappointed. ‘That commission has done a lot,’ she said. ‘It’s been instrumental in domestic violence issues the last several years, and that’s a real problem we’ve had.’” [The State, 6/19/03]

SC RANKS 49^th IN NATIONAL WOMEN’S ISSUES STUDY:

“South Carolina remains one of the worst states in the country for women in terms of political, economic, social and health standards, according to a study released Tuesday. The state ranked second to last, followed only by Mississippi, according to the report by the Institute for Women’s Policy Research. South Carolina ranked low in categories including women’s political participation, employment and earnings, reproductive rights and health, said Amy Caiazza, the study’s director… It’s no coincidence that the state’s ranking has dropped since Gov. Mark Sanford cut funding last year to the Commission on Women, University of South Carolina political scientist Laura Woliver said.” [Associated Press, 11/16/04]

SANFORD SPOKESMAN CRITICIZED FOR REMARKS ABOUT COMMISSION ON WOMEN:

“Gov. Mark Sanford’s press secretary made what some lawmakers and political observers called an unfortunate and inappropriate remark to reporters about Sanford’s decision to eliminate the Commission on Women. The comment has drawn criticism given South Carolina’s poor record on women’s health, safety and job equity… Folks said Wednesday that he does not remember specifically what he said, but that it was a joke. He said he has a tremendous amount of respect for women.” [The State, 2/15/04]

IN CONGRESS, SANFORD VOTES AGAINST “VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN ACT”:

“In 2000, Sanford voted against reauthorizing the ‘Violence Against Women Act’ to allocate $3.6 billion for programs including shelters, sexual assault prevention and education and training for judges. The bill passed 415-3.” [Charleston Post & Courier, 7/13/02]

SANFORD SPOKESMAN CHARGED WITH CRIMINAL DOMESTIC VIOLENCE:

“A spokesman for Gov. Mark Sanford was arrested after he kicked open the door at his home and shoved his fiancée into furniture, police said. Will Folks, 30, turned himself in to police Saturday and was charged with criminal domestic violence. He was released on a personal recognizance bond.” [Associated Press, 7/24/05

# # #