By Bob Bouyea
bbouyea@scbiznews.com
Published Sept. 14, 2009

Herbert Hayden, executive director for the state Ethics Commission, said Gov. Mark Sanford knew two days before he held a news conference to denounce the release of a preliminary investigative report into his actions that he would be allowed his say before the report is released.

“First of all, there’s not going to be a preliminary report,” Hayden said. “That report will include any statement from the governor he wishes to make.

“We don’t do a preliminary report for anybody.”

Hayden said he was surprised by the comments made at Sanford’s news conference, saying he had a meeting with Sanford and his attorney on Tuesday to discuss getting “his side of the story.”

Hayden also received a letter from Bowers on Wednesday acknowledging the meeting.

But on Thursday afternoon, Sanford said that a preliminary report was going to be released that would deny him a chance to give his side of the story. And his attorney, Carl “Butch” Bowers, said the release of any such report would be “against the law,” violating the Ethics Commission’s process of first releasing the report to a prosecutorial body.

Sanford’s troubles began this summer after he returned to South Carolina from Argentina and admitted he’d been having an extramarital affair there. Questions have since swirled around the governor’s use of state resources and personnel. The Ethics Commission is investigating whether Sanford broke state law by flying business class instead of coach, or by his use of state and private planes.

The commission’s report, which examines approximately 600 flights, will determine if Sanford violated ethics law, whether his action was criminal and whether there is cause for impeachment. Hayden said he expects the report to be completed by mid- to late October.

Sanford continues to be pressured to resign by political leaders from both parties; he continues to defy them, however.

Last week, Sanford received letters from the S.C. Republican Party, House Speaker Bobby Harrell and the S.C. Republican Caucus, all asking him to step down, saying it would be in the state’s best interest.