From today’s (Sunday) Times Argus:
In one email, staff members write a response to an article. The e-mail’s title is “Proopsed surrogate: Chad Walldorf.” That indicates Sanford’s office wrote the piece for Walldorf, a political ally and former chief of staff, to sign his name to.
Sanford spokesman Joel Sawyer said the practice is common among politicians. “I wouldn’t say we do it often,” Sawyer said.
(E-mails show concern about image of Sanford’s administration, Sunday Rutland Herald/Times Argus, 07/19/09)
More reference to the guv’s friends’ plagiarism is found further on in the article.
I would really like to know … how common is the above?
Plagiarism is theft of the work or ideas of another and passing it off on your own. What you’re describing is more like working with a hired speechwriter.