US Rep Clyburn defends SC State research center

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — U.S. Rep. James Clyburn says former Gov. Mark Sanford’s administration is to blame for delays in building the South Carolina State transportation research center named for Clyburn.

Clyburn told reporters Tuesday that Sanford repeatedly rejected plans for the center and that hurt fundraising.

Delays, funding and spending on the center were the subject of a Legislative Audit Council’s report last month.

Clyburn says the project has been singled out for scrutiny that similar projects at the other state universities have never faced.

Clyburn says reports that the project was missing $50 million were proven unfounded by the report. He says problems auditors found with inflated personal expense reports were garden variety issues that come up despite financial controls.

Sanford says he opposed many projects that could have gotten other funding.