Governor Sanford’s investigation by the state Ethics Commission is underway. At the same time, Sanford has challenged state lawmakers to look into their own travel expenses.

For that to happen, someone would simply need to submit a complaint about a specific member to either the House or Senate Ethics Committees. Any investigation would be private and the results of any Ethics Committee investigations in the General Assembly are rarely revealed to the public.

Unlike the rules of the state Ethics Commission currently investigating Governor Sanford, which allowed the Governor to waive his right of confidentiality, everyone is prohibited by law from revealing any actions of the Ethics Committees inside the General Assembly. That includes the person being investigated. The one exception is if an action is taken against a lawmaker.

But could that rule of privacy be a little self-serving to members of the House and Senate? York County Senator Wes Hayes chairs the Senate Ethics Committee.  “Well, it could be.  The law has been on the books for a long time and it could be something that we need to look at.  But until that law is changed, we’re going to abide by the law.”  [Read more...]

An Ethics Commission investigation is underway into Governor Sanford’s travel expenses. Sanford has said that he has used air travel far less than previous administrations.

For a perspective on air travel by state officials, we talked with Sumter Senator Phil Leventis. Leventis is a licensed pilot as well as a jet pilot with the air force reserves, and says he uses the state plane as much as any other state lawmaker. Leventis says he makes between two and four air trips each year, while on development business for Sumter or Lee Counties, or business related to Shaw Air force Base, located in Sumter County.

First of all, Leventis asserts that, regardless of the Sanford controversy, the state plane is a tremendous asset and
should be used.  “I think the public has every right to ask about the appropriateness of the use.  Having said that, I’ll tell you that I’ve been flying myself as a pilot for over 40 years.  I’ve spent my own money and my company’s money flying and I think it’s a tremendous asset for the state.  The primary porpose of the state airplane has been economic development and it has been highly important in that regard.”  [Read more...]