Dem chair: Prosecutors slow to act on lt gov case

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina Democratic Party Chairman Dick Harpootlian says Republican Attorney General Alan Wilson is wasting time by setting up a task force to investigate the ethics case against GOP Lt. Gov. Ken Ard.

Harpootlian is a former prosecutor. He said Friday that Ard’s case needs to go to a grand jury now to consider prosecution because Ard already has admitted he used campaign cash for personal purposes.

Ard paid a $48,000 fine and $12,500 last month to cover investigation costs tied to 107 counts of using campaign cash for personal purposes.

Wilson set up a task force last week to review the investigation.

Wilson spokesman Mark Plowden says Harpootlian’s job is to turn issues into partisan fights, but the attorney general isn’t in the business of creating cute sound bites.