As the new year begins, South Carolina Attorney General Henry McMaster continues with an investigation into Governor Mark Sanford’s business trips and other actions while in office to determine if there has been any criminal wrong doing.

“We’re reviewing a mass of documents and doing research in my office,” says McMaster, “and other than that, it would be inappropriate for me to comment about the investigation, because I may be called upon to make a prosecutorial decision.” 

McMaster talks about the possibility of his using information in his case from the ongoing investigation by the state Ethics Commission.  “It depends on the thoroughness of that information and any gaps or lack of gaps that may be there,” says McMaster.  “There may be additional information that’s needed, or there may not be.  That’s what we’re determining.”

The South Carolina Supreme Court will hear arguments this week in a case that will determine whether political candidates who lose a primary election can run in a general election, but affiliated with a different political party.

The high court will consider the case of Eugene Platt, who lost the Democratic Party’s nomination for the South Carolina House in 2008 but then tried to run during the general election as candidate for the Green Party.  A candidate is currently allowed to represent more than one party, but is prevented from running in the same election cycle after losing a primary election.

Platt is being represented by the American Civil Liberties Union out of Atlanta.

Forrest Truett Nettles II of the Nettles Law Office of Charleston is representing the Charleston County Democratic Party, which sought an injunction against Platt after he tried to run in the general election.

A decision in the Supreme Court case will simply clarify what’s allowable in future elections.

The case will likely be heard Wednesday.