South Carolina's top ethics official says Lt. Gov. Ken Ard faced his biggest ethics fines for using campaign money on a vacation, clothes and iPads after he provided ethics investigators inaccurate information.
Ard on Thursday paid a $48,400 fine and agreed to reimburse the state Ethics Commission $12,500 for its investigation. He'll also repay his campaign about $12,000.
Ethics Commission Executive Director Herb Hayden said Friday the biggest fines were for offenses where Ard provided inaccurate explanations of spending to investigators.
Ard said he visited Washington to talk with U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham about South Carolina issues. Graham's office told investigators Ard only asked Graham's office for tour arrangements and didn't meet Graham.
Ard was not available for comment and his lawyer didn't respond to a call Friday.
