S.C. Gov. Sanford agrees to pay fines

COLUMBIA, S.C., March 19 (UPI) -- South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford said while he will pay $74,000 in fines for alleged ethics violations, he does not admit to doing anything wrong.

The (S.C.) State said Thursday the South Carolina State Ethics Commission, which charged Sanford with 37 ethics violations, disputed the governor's stance regarding his innocence in his use of state assets and campaign money.

The commission officially issued a public reprimand to Sanford on Thursday.

"I continue to maintain my belief in the innocence of my actions being judged by the Ethics Commission," Sanford offered in a statement. "On the one time thus far that my full arguments and defenses were considered (by the House Impeachment Committee), 32 of the 37 Ethics Commission findings were dismissed."

The two-term Republican governor agreed to pay $66,223 to compensate the state for the cost of the investigation into his alleged ethics violations. The compensation payment will also cover Sanford's use of state aircraft and airline tickets, as well as allegedly misspent campaign funds.

The State said Sanford has already been formally rebuked by members of the South Carolina House of Representatives for his alleged actions.

Sanford has also taken fire for his admitted affair with an Argentine woman that was exposed by the media in June 2009.