Sanford is Stimulated

Ed Week's Politics K-12 blog reports that South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford will be forced to apply for federal stimulus funding, despite his opposition.

South Carolina can now get a boatload of federal aid, some $700 million, largely designated for education under the economic-stimulus law. The state Supreme Court today ruled unanimously that Republican Gov. Mark Sanford must apply for the money.

The court found that the state’s General Assembly had authority in passing its state budget plan, which assumed use of money from the state fiscal-stabilization fund, to order the governor to formally seek the money. The governor had contended that he had the sole authority to request the federal aid. He said earlier this month that he would not appeal the ruling.

I guess he won't be running as the "effectiveness" candidate should he decide to seek the GOP presidential nomination in 2012.

For background, see here, here and here.