Eyewitness News was in Columbia as the commission revealed it had found probable cause to charge Sanford on several counts of violating state laws.

Late Thursday, Sanford's lead attorney Butch Bowers e-mailed Eyewitness News a statement about the commission's findings. It said in part that the commission is only concerned with a very small number of the governor's plane flights and travel expenses.

"The ethics commission reviewed 772 flights taken by Gov. Sanford, and no questions were raised regarding 97 percent of these flights," Bowers said. "Similarly, the commission examined 622 of the governor's campaign expenditures, and 98 percent of them were found to be in complete compliance with the law."

Despite the lawsuit, Sanford filed to keep the ethics report out of the hands of state lawmakers. Bowers said Sanford will, "in a good-faith gesture," give House Speaker Bobby Harrell a copy of the report next week.

Harrell criticized Sanford earlier in the day for keeping it private and "breaking his own promise of transparency."

Harrell's spokesman later said that next week wasn't soon enough and that the governor should have released the report Wednesday, as soon as the commission’s investigation was over.

In the midst of all the back-and-forth arguing, the push to remove Sanford from office is losing steam.

Eyewitness News asked York County Republican Rep. Gary Simrill if he believes the state will have a different governor before Sanford's term is over.

"I think the chances are 25 percent yes, 75 percent no," Simrill said.

He said time has been on the governor's side because his problems started after the general assembly was already on break. He's had time to travel the state to apologize and give people the impression that the matter is settled.

Simrill said it won't be that easy.

"The governor needs to face these issues. Just because it's painful to do this, doesn't mean we shouldn't do it,” he said. “When you look at character and what government is supposed to mean to people, I think this is important.”

Dr. Adolphus Belk is a political science professor at Winthrop University. He said there's a big gap between calling for Sanford's resignation and having the stomach to remove him.

"It seems as though his intent was to wait it out, and the governor seemed pretty confident that there would not be enough to throw him out on his ear," Belk said.

Many lawmakers, including Simrill, don't think the ethics report will reveal any serious criminal charges against the governor. If that's the case, then the resolution filed by Chester County Republican Rep. Greg Delleney and co-sponsored by Simrill, as well as Rep. Keith Kelly of Spartanburg County and Rep. Mike Pitts of Laurens County, could become the centerpiece of the allegations against him.

That resolution focuses on Sanford's leaving the country for Argentina last June and lying about his whereabouts until he was caught at an Atlanta airport on his return.

The resolution calls that act "dereliction of duty" amounting to serious misconduct.

The resolution has been sent to the Judiciary Committee, and then referred to a five-member ad hoc committee for review. It could take up the resolution for debate before the end of the month.

Previous Stories: November 18, 2009: S.C. Gov. Sanford To Face Hearing Into Possible Ethics Violations November 18, 2009: S.C. Panel Determines Sanford Should Face Hearing November 17, 2009: S.C. Lawmaker Introduces Gov. Impeachment Measure November 12, 2009: S.C. House Committee Readies For Sanford Impeachment November 5, 2009: S.C. High Court Says Gov.'s Ethics Probe Is Public October 29, 2009: S.C. Gov Signs Bill Extending Jobless Benefits October 27, 2009: S.C. Lawmakers Nix Considering Sanford Impeachment October 21, 2009: Chester Rep. Plans To Introduce S.C. Gov. Impeachment Proceedings October 20, 2009: Governor Leads Conversation On Unemployment Problem October 7, 2009: Sanford Says Constituents Care More About Jobs Than Ethics Probe October 2, 2009: SC Supreme Court To Review Gov's Ethics Arguments September 17, 2009: S.C. Gov Tours Lancaster School He Considered Closing, Pushes Reform September 10, 2009: S.C. GOP Leaders Vote To Ask Governor To Quit September 9, 2009: 60 S.C. House Republicans Call On Governor To Resign September 8, 2009: S.C. Governor Defends Flights, Staying In Office