Gov. Mark Sanford suspended McKown July 21, a day after McKown was indicted by a grand jury on three drug charges. McKown will not be paid until the charges are resolved.

McKown was indicted on charges of distribution of a controlled substance, unlawful possession of a controlled substance and unlawful possession of a prescription drug. The charges stem from an incident in early May in which police say they have a video of McKown watching as his girlfriend, Erin Jenkins, makes a drug deal in York.

The arrest of McKown and Jenkins came after a two-year investigation. While charges have not been filed against Jenkins, McKown, if convicted, could face a maximum punishment of 15 years in prison and a $25,000 fine.

If McKown is cleared of the charges, he could be returned to office and, most likely, would be eligible for reimbursement of salary lost during his suspension.

McKown also claims that he upheld ethical standards while in office. An independent audit of Mc-Kown's office found no evidence of financial mismanagement, and McKown touted the report as evidence that he has "run an office that has been aboveboard."

Nonetheless, questions remain about money he accepted from companies that did business with his office. For example, McKown was paid $600 a month from York Pathology Associates, a company that performed autopsies for the county at the coroner's request on a regular basis. McKown also was paid nearly $7,000 over a six-year period by Carolina Mortuary Transportation Service, another company that did business with the county.

Neither arrangement was listed on economic interest forms Mc-Kown was required to file annually with the State Ethics Commission. Although McKown claimed that he did not believe he violated ethical standards, officials with the Ethics Commission informed him in 1998 that he should not be working for York Pathology Associates. And while McKown said he disagrees with that ruling, the conclusion of state officials as stated in a letter to him could not be clearer.

At this point, questions of accepting money from businesses paid by the county may be small potatoes compared to his other legal problems. Nonetheless, the issues are serious enough to deter the governor from automatically reinstating McKown as coroner even if he wins his case.

IN SUMMARY
Even if McKown is cleared of criminal charges, he faces issues regarding unreported income.