S.C. high court to hear Sanford case

COLUMBIA, S.C., Oct. 6 (UPI) -- Arguments on whether South Carolina legislators should get initial findings of an ethics investigation of Gov. Mark Sanford will be heard soon, a court ruled.

The South Carolina Supreme Court decided Monday it will hear arguments from attorneys representing the state Legislature, which is seeking access to the state Ethics Commission report, on Oct. 19, The State, in Columbia, S.C., reported.

Sanford opposes release of the commission's initial findings to lawmakers, saying the move would undermine him legally and politically. The State said Sanford contends the Ethics Commission's initial findings are similar to a criminal indictment and should only be seen by those with prosecutorial powers, and do not contain his responses to the allegations.

Lawmakers are seeking to impeach Sanford and remove the two-term governor from office over his use of state planes and other resources for personal reasons. The move came after Sanford acknowledged in August that he had misled his staffers about his whereabouts so he could conduct an extramarital affair with an Argentine woman.