Judge: Sanford delaying ethics probe

COLUMBIA, S.C., Oct. 20 (UPI) -- South Carolina's chief supreme court justice says she believes Gov. Mark Sanford is trying to delay an ethics panel investigation of his activities.

Commenting Monday during hearing in a case pitting the state Legislature against the governor, Chief Justice Jean Toal told Sanford's lawyers she believes the governor is using a "four-corners offense" in the case, the Greenville (S.C.) News reported.

Toal's reference was to a tactic employed by in the 1970's by University of North Carolina basketball coach Dean Smith, who would have his players form a box and keep passing the ball to each other to run out the game clock.

Legislative leaders are suing to gain access to a preliminary report from the state Ethics Commission on allegations that Sanford used state funds to pay personal expenses. But Sanford claims lawmakers are only entitled to the final draft, after he has had a chance to answer the allegations, the News said.

Sanford attorney Kevin Hall told Toal that the governor has actually requested an expedited hearing in the matter, saying, "There is no attempt at delay here."

Attorneys said afterward they didn't know when the Supreme Court would issue a ruling.