Ethics panel: 37 cases of probable cause against Sanford

COLUMBIA — The State Ethics Commission found 37 cases of probable cause against Gov. Mark Sanford for the purchase of business class airplane tickets, use of state aircraft and campaign reimbursements, according to a document released today by the commission.

Three of the commissioners will meet, likely after the new year, for a closed-door administrative hearing on the matter. Sanford could agree to waive additional confidentiality rights to open the hearing to the public.

Sanford faces 18 counts of use of a public office for personal financial gain for the business class tickets; eight counts of the same charge for his use of the state aircraft and nine counts of the same charge for campaign reimbursements totaling less than $3,000.

"We are confident that we will be able to address each of these questions, none of which constitutes findings of guilt and none of which we believe rise anywhere near to the traditional standard of impeachment, now that we finally have an opportunity to present our side of the story," Sanford's attorney Butch Bowers said in a press release Monday afternoon. "We look forward to working with the Commission and resolving this matter. Moreover, we look forward to cooperating with the General Assembly as we proceed, and in that light we will provide a copy of the Commission’s investigative report in its entirety to the Speaker of the House later today."

Attorney General and Republican gubernatorial candidate Henry McMaster also has a copy of the investigation and is reviewing it to see if finds Sanford guilty of any criminal charges.

Members of the House Judiciary Committee will meet tomorrow on Statehouse grounds to begin discussion about impeachment proceedings.

Check back with postandcourier.com for more information on this developing story.