Sanford faces 37 ethics charges

Governor Mark Sanford faces 37 charges that he broke laws regarding campaign funds and limiting the use of airplanes. A special House committee will consider an impeachment resolution Tuesday in Columbia.
Governor Sanford is accused of breaking ethics laws by using state funds for unnecessarily expensive airline seats, using  state planes for personal and political trips and using campaign funds as reimburse for travel expenses. The details of the charges against the governor were released today by the state Ethics Commission.
The charges include 18 instances in which Sanford is accused of improperly buying first- and business-class airline tickets.  That violates a state law requiring lowest-cost travel.  The charges also accuse the governor of improperly using state-owned aircraft for travel to political and personal events, nine times, including once to a discount hair salon.  And the summary says that Sanford improperly reimbursed himself with campaign cash on ten occasions. 
Civil charges against Governor Sanford carry up to $74,000 in fines. The state attorney general is deciding whether the governor would face any criminal charges.