Mum's now the word

Governor's transparency promise isn't so clear

by Anna B. Mitchell

Published: Sept. 3, 9:25 a.m.

Embattled South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford announced less than a week ago that in keeping with his administration’s history of transparency, he would waive confidentiality in an Ethics Commission probe into his travel expenses as governor.

But waiving confidentiality in this already highly publicized case means virtually nothing.

Cathy Hazelwood, general counsel for the South Carolina Ethics Commission, said today that waiving confidentiality means she can confirm the commission is investigating the governor – and nothing more.

“For us it means we can say ‘Yes, there’s a complaint and we are looking into it,” Hazelwood said. “If you’d called a week ago, I would have said ‘We can neither confirm nor deny there is an investigation. Well, (attorney general) Henry McMaster took care of that.”

Media reports on the governor’s international flights and flights he’s taken on state airplanes have prompted lawmakers and the attorney general to request an Ethics Commission investigation. Normally, such complaints would receive no publicity.

“In the continued spirit of a fair and transparent process, I am today announcing that I'll be waiving confidentiality as the Ethics Commission studies some of the allegations made in the press and by political detractors,” Sanford said in a statement on Aug, 28. “Our administration has nothing to hide. We would welcome the public to scrutinize our record, just as the Ethics Commission will do.”

Sen. David Thomas of Fountain Inn, who has been gathering information on the governor’s flights, said Monday he’d been in contact with Hazelwood and learned that little information would be made available to the public despite the governor waiving confidentiality.

Hazelwood said the governor has a right to open hearings but has not requested those yet. She also said Ethics Commission files on the governor’s case would not be available.

“They would never be available,” Hazelwood said.

When asked about the governor’s intentions about the hearings, Governor’s Office spokesman Ben Fox said late Monday he wasn’t sure.

“My inclination is that they're still very much in process on that question - so I don't have a set answer for you now,” he said.

The governor’s attorney on his Ethics Commission case, Columbia-based ethics expert Butch Bowers, was not immediately available for comment.

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