(Columbia, S.C.) This morning, Lieutenant Governor
Ken Ard will submit his resignation to Governor Nikki Haley and State Senate
leadership. The Lieutenant Governor wished to share this
message:
"I want to thank the great people of South Carolina for the incredible
opportunity to serve as their Lieutenant Governor. It truly has been an
honor and an experience I will never forget. The love and support you
have shown my entire family has been humbling and something I will always
remember.
I also want to thank my family, especially my wife, Tammy, and my three
children, Jesse, Mason, and Libby. You have lived this experience with
me. There were challenges and setbacks, but you were steadfast in your
support and were there for me at every turn.
To those who volunteered and worked on our campaign, thank you from the bottom
of my heart. You were always there and never expected anything in return.
To my staff, I have nothing but praise. Your professionalism and work
ethic have been exemplary from day one. You have remained focused on
carrying out the duties of our office in spite of other distractions.
To all of the above and more, I owe a great apology. During my campaign,
it was my responsibility to make sure things were done correctly. I did
not do that. There are no excuses nor is there need to share blame.
It is my fault that the events of the past year have taken place.
I regret the distraction this has caused for the people of this state, my
family, my staff, and other elected officials in South Carolina. It
is because of these mistakes that I must take full ownership and resign from
the Office of Lieutenant Governor. Once again, I am deeply sorry and take
full responsibility for the entire
situation."
