ECB Attacks Sanford on Equal Pay for Women

Choosing a Saturday to help highlight the theme of her remarks, Elizabeth Colbert Busch told a group of female College of Charleston students she will work to eliminate the pay gap between genders.

"The average American woman still only makes 77 cents for every dollar a man makes," Colbert Busch said. "That means a woman has to work seven days a week to earn the same amount a man does in five."

Colbert Busch wasted no time in drawing a contrast between her position that men and women performing the same job deserve the same pay and former Gov. Mark Sanford's track record on women's issues.

"Let me be very candid, my opponent Mark Sanford has not and will not fight for you," Colbert Busch said. "He has a history of not having equal pay for equal work." 

Citing a 2003 State article Colbert Busch said while he was governor Sanford paid the four women in senior positions on his executive staff an average of $59,000 while the men in similar positions on his executive staff earned an average of $71,000.

"On top of that we know we really can't trust him to fight for us, we know that that's not going to happen," she continued. "He also voted against the Violence Against Women Act. That has a direct impact on a woman's career, her life and her ability to earn a living. So he is not your friend, and I know what it takes to make sure we area treated fairly and we are treated equally."

Colbert Busch lamented that gender inequality in pay has remained a problem into the 21st Century.

"I graduated from the College [of Charleston] back in 1988 and really began a very, very strong business career," she said "Twenty-five years ago I jumped into business, so I consider myself a very tough, independent minded business woman who has seen the struggles of the inequality of pay since I started my career. I would have never thought that today we'd still be talking about it, but we are."

She promised to fight to end the pay inequality if voters send her to Congress.

"We're going to keep laser focused on this, because I know what it is, I've seen it and I know the signs of it," she said.

Standing with two of her daughters, her daughter-in-law and two granddaughters, Colbert Busch said she was determined to eliminate the pay gap for everyone's daughters and granddaughters.