COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford is reviewing how three state-funded universities use their airplanes even as he faces scrutiny for his own travel practices.
In response to a Sept. 1 request, Clemson University, the Medical University of South Carolina and the University of South Carolina have provided records for flights officials took to meetings, conferences and sports events in recent years.
Republican House Speaker Bobby Harrell says the inquiry is an attempt to distract from Sanford’s own problems. Those started in June, when the Republican governor disappeared for five days and returned to confess an affair with a woman in Argentina whom he called his soul mate.
Sanford’s confession prompted inquiries into his travel. Investigations by The Associated Press found Sanford used pricey seats on commercial planes despite a requirement that employees use economy seats; flew on state aircraft for personal and political purposes; and didn’t report private flights on ethics forms.
Sanford has said other governors have done the same thing.
Harrell said Monday that the discussions about how universities are using their planes and how past governors have traveled “is all about trying to move the spotlight a little bit.”
The state Ethics Commission is investigating Sanford, and Harrell is waiting for the outcome before deciding whether to move forward with impeachment.
State rules make it illegal to use planes for personal and political purposes, but it’s not clear if that applies to all of the state-funded research universities, particularly the University of South Carolina, where the plane officials use is owned by a foundation, not the school. Still, the university kept records and provided them to Sanford lawyer Swati Patel.
Clemson spokeswoman Cathy Sams said her school also had no problem providing the records.
“I would not speculate on the reason for the governor’s inquiry,” she said.
The Greenville News reported Sunday that the three schools’ presidents traveled more than 500 times since 2004 at a tab topping $500,000. State records show Sanford has taken 680 flights worth more than $383,000 on state aircraft since taking office in 2003.
Sanford spokesman Ben Fox said Monday the governor is not criticizing of the schools’ use of planes.
“We’re still in the process of looking through it,” Fox said Monday, calling it an an effort to “provide greater context for how state aircraft are being used.”
But that may be a challenge because of wide variations in how flight costs are tabulated.
For instance, MUSC records show an August 2008 trip by President Ray Greenberg from Charleston to Columbia cost $2,200; the state charged itself $440 for a Sanford flight between those two cities in June of that year.
From 2006 through 2008, records show the three university presidents headed to speeches, alumni gatherings, weddings and funerals, meetings with state officials, college sport events and commencements.
But budget troubles are clipping college wings. MUSC spokeswoman Heather Woolwine says the university’s Beechcraft King Air turboprop is being sold. Clemson President Jim Barker has flown 51 times on Clemson’s plane since July 2008, about 30 fewer flights than three years earlier.
And all say the planes are used only for official business, never personal or political purposes.
“It is a university resource,” Sams said. “We’re careful to only use it for university matters. It has been an asset from a time management and productivity standpoint.”
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
