Federal officials are investigating public corruption charges against Atlantic Beach Mayor Irene Armstrong and Councilwoman Gloria Lance, a spokesman with the S.C. attorney general's office said Tuesday.

Those allegations stem from investigations by the town's police department. They are the basis for tonight's special hearing of Town Council, which will vote on whether Armstrong and Lance should be impeached on charges including embezzlement and extortion.

The meeting will be at 6 p.m. at the town's community center.

"The investigation has been turned over to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, which has interest in the case on a number of levels," Mark Plowden, spokesman for state attorney general's office said Tuesday. "We have offered our assistance in any way but, as of now, we are not involved in their investigation."

FBI officials could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

Armstrong and Lance said they will not attend tonight's Town Council hearing because they have not committed any crimes.

"After the dust settles, I will still be mayor of this town," Armstrong said Tuesday. "I will still have my integrity intact."

Atlantic Beach police have asked the Horry County Police Department to keep order at tonight's meeting.

Armstrong and Lance said they won't leave office even if they are impeached because the Town Council has no authority to remove them. Howard Duvall, executive director of the Municipal Association of South Carolina, said only the governor has authority to remove officials and only if they have been charged with a crime.

"They are in new [legal] territory now if the council is trying to remove them themselves," Duvall said.

Will Folks, spokesman for Gov. Mark Sanford, said the governor "has been briefed on the situation in Atlantic Beach and is following it closely."

Folks said he couldn't comment further until the council makes a formal request to Sanford, which could happen during tonight's meeting.

"I would welcome the governor's investigation of [these] tasteless charges," Lance said.

Lance and Armstrong, who haven't attended most council meetings this year, said they are awaiting a state Supreme Court ruling Sept. 21 that will determine whether the town's November election should be upheld.

Incumbent council members John Sketers, Delores Wilson and Charlene Taylor appealed the election, saying voter fraud skewed the results. Sketers and Wilson had lost their seats to Sherry Suttles and Jake Evans, Armstrong's brother.

If the November election is upheld, two new council members will be seated and Armstrong and Lance will have enough votes to fire Town Manager Carolyn Montgomery, who they say has orchestrated the police investigations and tonight's hearing because of political feuding.

Montgomery, an Atlantic Beach property owner, was hired as town manager in 2001 when the town was on the verge of bankruptcy. Atlantic Beach avoided bankruptcy that year because Tyson Beach Group - a business in which Montgomery's husband, Gerald Montgomery, is a partner - loaned the town $200,000. Atlantic Beach has not repaid any of that money. Carolyn Montgomery said Tyson Beach Group isn't pushing for repayment because the town isn't yet financially stable.

"When the newly elected members of council take their seats, I will convene with them because they are the people the citizens of Atlantic Beach elected," Lance said. "What you have now is an illegal council making illegal decisions."

Taylor lost her bid to unseat Armstrong for mayor but still would remain on the council if the high court upholds the election.

Armstrong said Sketers, Wilson and Taylor have yielded most council decisions to Montgomery.

Sketers said the absence of Lance and Armstrong at council meetings has been an example of their poor leadership.

"They were elected to represent all of the people of Atlantic Beach, not just the ones who voted for them, and it shows a lack of decency when they don't participate," Sketers said.