The state's administrative agency has admitted at last that the S.C. Governor's Mansion is riddled with toxic mold that will cost $550,000 to eliminate - even though the state spent $5.6 million to renovate the structure, including the air-handling system, in 2000-01. It took repeated adamant complaints from first lady Jenny Sanford last year and this year to get the agency, the Budget and Control Board, to take the problem seriously. Now, Gov. Mark Sanford is living in the mansion pool house while his family is at home in Sullivans Island.

The board Tuesday hired a private law firm to see whether the money to be spent on mold remediation can be recovered from the contractors. Board members have good reason to hope so. If it can't, they'll have a construction boondoggle to explain to the people of South Carolina.