Knotts at bill signing this week, Gov.Sanford looking on

Senator Jake Knotts says his calling Nikki Haley (and President Barack Obama)a “raghead” was a jest on a “freewheeling” webcast called “Pub Politics.”   The show is hosted by Senate caucus spokesmen Wesley Donahue (Senate Republicans) and Phil Bailey (Democrats) and yes, it often takes place in a pub, broadcast live from a webcam. Nothing is off-the-record because it is public and watched by other media.

The show has guests from both parties, as well as print journalists and an occasional blogger, including Fits News’s Will Folks, who alleged weeks ago that he had an affair with Haley.

Knotts is known for being outspoken in and outside the Senate and has been a longtime critic of Gov. Mark Sanford, Sanford’s staff and of Nikki Haley. He is also one of the most powerful members of the Senate, sitting on key committees.

In a recent Senate subcommittee meeting, Haley and a roomful of Tea Party members took on Knotts about Haley’s roll call voting bill (which eventually expired in that same subcommittee).

The interchange got heated, with Haley responding to a Knotts  comment, “Arrogance like this is the reason that I am running.”

This slur has added to the maelstrom around Haley since her rise to the top of the polls in the governor’s race.  She told SCRN affiliate WVOC’s Kevin Cohen that if any allegations of marriage infidelity were proven, she’d resign:

AUDIO: Haley says she would resign if there were evidence (:20)

Haley’s longtime supporter, Gov. Mark Sanford, did not step down after his marriage infidelity was proven, though there were calls from his party and by the legislators for him to do so.