Panel drops most charges against Sanford

COLUMBIA, S.C., Dec. 4 (UPI) -- The legislative panel considering impeachment of South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford has dropped a majority of the ethics charges lodged against him.

The House Judiciary Impeachment Subcommittee decided Thursday that three-quarters of the charges do not merit removing the two-term Republican governor from office, Columbia, S.C.'s The State newspaper reported.

Instead, it appears more likely that the lawmakers will censure the governor when the legislature returns to work in January rather than impeach him.

Separately, the South Carolina State Ethics Commission has charged Sanford, 49, with 37 violations in connection with his five-day absence last June to visit a mistress in Argentina.

The three-member panel is scheduled to meet in January to deal with changes ranging from illegal use of business-class airfare to improper use of a state-owned plane.