The Ethics Commission launched an investigation of the governor’s travel records, following Sanford’s admission of a year-long affair with an Argentine woman.
The investigation aims to determine whether Sanford misused public funds in carrying out his affair.
Sanford had welcomed such an investigation, and had pledged to keep such a probe open and transparent, but in recent weeks has reversed his position, stating that allowing the report’s findings to become public would allow Sanford’s political enemies to use the report against him.
He also said that releasing the findings could weaken his ability to defend himself against allegations, and sued the Ethics Commission in order to keep those findings private.
Legislators have stated that they will begin impeachment proceedings against Sanford when they reconvene in January.
The governor’s attorneys argue that only prosecutors can see the preliminary commission report, but Ethics Commission Executive Director Herbert Hayden disagreed, stating that as the House would serve as the prosecution in any impeachment proceeding, it should be allowed to view the report.
In response to Sanford’s brief filing suit against the commission, the House responded with a brief of their own to ensure the investigation remains open.
“This issue is too important for us allow it to be done in secret,” said Speaker of the House Bobby Harrell. “If the Governor succeeds in breaking his promise to keep this process transparent, it will cause all of this to drag on and on. It is time to get this behind us and move on.
“This political maneuver to delay the process and keep the people from seeing the facts is not what South Carolina needs right now,” he continued. “I was disappointed to see Governor Sanford reverse his position about making this a transparent process.
“I strongly urge the Governor to rethink his new position so we can address this issue and move on.”
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