South Carolina legislators begin Sanford impeachment hearings

COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina legislators upset with Gov. Mark Sanford's summer disappearance to see his lover in Argentina have begun debating a measure that ultimately would remove him from office.

Seven lawmakers from the House Judiciary Committee began a hearing Tuesday afternoon into Sanford's five-day absence in June and failure to put someone in charge of the state while he was gone.

The Republican faces new ethics charges about his travel and campaign finances. But this week's debate is focused solely on the contention Sanford was derelict in his duty and wrong to mislead staffers into thinking he was hiking the Appalachian Trail.

If approved by the panel, the impeachment measure would face another vote by the Judiciary Committee before it could be considered by the full House.