Sanford averts fight over Guard leadership

e-mail this story Dan Hoover • Andre Bauer makes a move (05/04/03) • Hollings keeping Dems on edge (04/27/03) • Sanford averts fight over Guard leadership (04/20/03) • Boot camp was a breeze (04/12/03) • Democrats envy S.C.'s '04 date (03/29/03)

Sanford decided that his druthers notwithstanding, he wouldn't make a move on the National Guard by trying to convert its elected adjutant general into a gubernatorial appointee.

That wasn't supposed to happen.

In his Jan. 22 State of the State Address, Sanford said the nine statewide elected officials are too many and they "dilute" executive branch authority.

"Philosophically, I think every constitutional officer, with the exception of the attorney general, should be appointed by the governor," he said.

That was then.

Last week, he acted on the concept, announcing that restructuring bills would be introduced in the General Assembly, with powerful sponsorship: House Speaker David Wilkins and Senate President Pro Tem Glenn McConnell.

Guard omitted

There was one noticeable difference. Sanford and the legislative leadership omitted the adjutant general.

"Politics is the art of the possible," Sanford said, hinting perhaps that rather than risk the package, it was tactically correct to leave the adjutant general as is. For now.

The political reality is that the Guard is a heavyweight constituency built around tens of thousands of current and former members, their families and friends.

That means a big voice in Columbia, one that can literally circle the tanks barrels facing the Statehouse, when threatened.

To Rep. Adam Taylor, a Laurens Republican who was an Army Guard captain for six years, "that's as strong a lobby as the hospital association or any big business."

Taylor said, "It crossed my mind" that Sanford may have backed off rather than endanger one of his signature issues.

"You pick your battles and that was one that probably didn't want to be fought," Taylor said. "The Legislature would have had a tough time making that change."

Tough lobby

It's not unlike the "Marine lobby" in Washington that often leaves old Army hands shaking their heads at its ability to get what it wants on Capitol Hill and kill what it doesn't.

Believe it, said Sen. John Hawkins, R-Spartanburg, and an ANG captain.

"The adjutant general is uniquely situated to generate grass-roots support throughout the state, and I can tell you, being a guardsman myself, that he wouldn't have to do a whole lot of work to generate support because guardsmen are pretty much of one voice that the adjutant general remain elected."

Taylor, like Hawkins, "fully supports" leaving the post as is: "It's worked well for a long time."

At least 14 legislators, five in the Senate and nine in the House, listed National Guard affiliations, past and current, in their official biographies.

As a constitutional amendment, it would need a two-thirds vote of the House and Senate to pass.

The effort could have faced opposition from pro-Guard Republicans and Democrats unwilling to grant extensive new power to the governor in a solidly GOP state.

Adjutant General Stan Spears has been out of state and hasn't commented on Sanford's announcement.

Lt. Col. Pete Brooks, spokesman for the Adjutant General's Office, said the Army Guard has 10,000 members and the Air Guard another 1,275. Of the nearly 11,300, approximately 3,000 are currently deployed, from the Middle East to stateside bases.

Considerations

Sanford offered some elaboration after his "politics is the art of the possible" remark.

"The fact of the matter is, we thought that indeed we should change that, but the time when you shouldn't change that is when you have all these guardsmen deployed on the other side of the Atlantic, because they will want to have a voice in how the adjutant general's position is handled.

"We simply said, 'Wait a minute.' "

Few legislators see enough time remaining in the session to pass the bills this year, and no voter referendum would be held until at least November 2004. Any constitutional changes approved then wouldn't be effective until January 2007.

Sanford said he remains interested in making the top military officer an appointee rather than the only one in the 50 states who is elected.

"As much as we can get, we're going to go after" in the restructuring fight, said Will Folks, a Sanford spokesman.

Folks said the governor's "main focus" was to avoid an inappropriate political debate while so many Guard members are deployed.

Political reality

Others see it as recognition — and wise acceptance — of reality, much as Sanford had said in referring to "the art of the possible."

Capt. James Smith, leader of the House's Democratic minority, figures Sanford and his advisers took the easiest path to preserve the heart of the plan.

Messing with the Guard "would have had an impact on the ability to pass the rest of the package," said the Columbia attorney. "It was an anchor" dragging it down.

Smith said his and others' concerns about the change revolve around independence and qualifications, whether a gubernatorial appointee would be recognized as a major general by the Defense Department or would be selected because of political ties to a governor and not military competence.

Now the Guard can stand down; no need for shock and awe at the Statehouse.

Dan Hoover's column appears on Sunday. He can be reached at (864) 298-4883 or toll-free at (800) 274-7879, extension 4883, or by fax at (864) 298-4395.