Ken Ard resigned today from his post as South Carolina’s lieutenant governor as a criminal investigation is underway. The criminal investigation is looking at whether Ard spent campaign money on a PlayStation (presumably a PlayStation 3), iPads, his wife’s cell phone bill, and family vacations, among other things.
The 48-year-old Republican admitted his wrongdoing and apologized today, according to the New York Times. In a statement, Ard wrote: “During my campaign, it was my responsibility to make sure things were done correctly. I did not do that. I am deeply sorry and take full responsibility for the entire situation.”
The state is not taking this lightly as he’s already paid more than $72,000 in fines as an ethics commission found he misspent funds during his 2010 election. South Carolina can’t seem to catch a break, politically speaking. Mark Sanford, the state’s previous governor, admitted he violated campaign spending laws and confessed to having an affair with a woman in Argentina.
According to TalkingPointsMemo, the South Carolina Republican Party Chairman Chad Connelly had this to say about the situation: “Lieutenant Governor Ard has taken responsibility for his actions. His resignation will help our state move past this sad and unfortunate incident. Our thoughts and prayers are with Ken and his family during this time.”
It should be noted that politicians around the world, regardless of party affiliation, have made some pretty bad personal decisions. While we can’t blame Ard for wanting to join the PlayStation community, maybe he should have spent his own $250 on a PS3 and look to PSU for all the latest and greatest PlayStation news. Just a thought.