South Carolina governor to settle ethics complaint with $74,000 fine

South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford agreed Thursday to pay a $74,000 fine to settle an allegation that he breached the state ethics code 37 times by overspending on travel and making personal use of state airplanes and campaign funds.

The settlement was detailed in a consent order issued by the State Ethics Commission and signed by the governor. It brings to a close one chapter of Sanford’s well-publicized troubles, which began in June when the governor, who was married, traveled to Argentina to visit his lover but told aides he would be hiking on the Appalachian Trail.

The state became consumed by the scandal and Sanford’s personal revelations, including that he considered his lover his “soul mate” but would try to fall back in love with his wife.

Questions arose about other trips Sanford had taken. A number of state lawmakers were embarrassed and accused him of abandoning his post by sneaking off to Argentina. But attempts to impeach him fizzled. Sanford resisted calls to resign, but he must leave office in January because of term limits.

Although the ethics investigation and the impeachment drama are behind him, Sanford still could face criminal charges. The state attorney general, Henry McMaster, is reviewing Sanford’s travel spending and other matters, McMaster spokesman Mark Plowden said.

Also Thursday, the Associated Press reported that a judge had finalized Sanford’s divorce from Jenny Sanford, who in recent months toured the country promoting a book, “Staying True,” that detailed her reaction to her husband’s affair. The couple have four children.

The 37-count ethics complaint alleged, among other things, that Sanford bought numerous first- and business-class airline tickets -- including those related to his extramarital jaunt to South America -- “when no exigencies existed to justify an upgrade from coach class.”

The document noted numerous times when Sanford used state planes for non-state business, in one case taking himself and a staff member from Columbia, the state capital, to Myrtle Beach to get a haircut.

The consent order notes that Sanford does not admit that he was guilty nor that he was in violation of the state ethics act.

In a typically pugnacious statement, the governor said his actions “never extended to the taxpayer,” arguing that he used the state plane less than his predecessors and was generally “a good steward of taxpayer resources.”

As part of the agreement, in addition to the $74,000 fine, Sanford must reimburse the state $36,498 for investigation and court costs, $18,000 for the first-class tickets and $8,794 for the use of state aircraft. He also must reimburse his campaign $2,940 for personal expenses.

Before his Argentine affair, Sanford had gained national attention as a budget hawk who attempted to reject $700 million in federal stimulus money for his state. Eventually, the state Supreme Court ordered him to accept it.

richard.fausset@

latimes.com