COLUMBIA, S.C. - South Carolina Democrats criticized Gov. Mark Sanford on Tuesday for hiring a firm to determine the value of Santee Cooper, accusing the governor of secretly trying to justify selling the state owned utility.

"We expect our governor to act in an honest and aboveboard manner," state Democratic Party Chairman Joe Erwin said at a news conference.

Sanford showed up at the news conference and said there are no plans to sell the utility, which the Legislature would have to approve.

But Erwin said the governor has said that before.

"While the truth is that they would secretly hire a Wall Street investment bank to figure out how much cash they could generate by the privatization of Santee Cooper," he said.

First lady Jenny Sanford, a former investment banker, was involved in discussions that resulted in awarding the contract for the study to Credit Suisse First Boston LLC.

The (Charleston) Post and Courier obtained the contract under the state's Freedom of Information Act.

Without the newspaper's report, Erwin said, no one would "know about a Wall Street firm being hired to even investigate this. Why isn't that done in the open? ... That's the way to do it and the right way."

As Erwin wrapped up his news conference Tuesday, he handed Sanford a Freedom of Information request asking for any documents related to the contract or discussion about selling Santee Cooper.

"It's convenient you are here," Erwin said to the governor.

Sanford later said he's been trying to take politics out of Santee Cooper. Democrats, he said, are raising the issue of selling the utility "to bring about fear for political gain."

But the Senate's top Democrat, Minority Leader John Land of Manning, said Sanford's explanations don't meet the political realities of a utility that has deep roots in the lives of rural and coastal South Carolinians.

"He's on an intellectual level," Land said, but "Santee Cooper is down there where the rubber meets the road. ... He's in a think tank-type mood which has no positive benefit on the people of South Carolina."

The governor has pursued efforts to sell the state's fleet of cars and surplus property, including property at Port Royal, as well as privatizing a state-owned golf course and a bait and tackle operation in state parks.

"But we haven't talked about privatizing Santee Cooper," Sanford said.

John Rainey, a former Santee Cooper chairman and key Sanford supporter, recommended an independent evaluation, the governor said. The goal was to determine how to maximize the amount the state makes off the utility.

While some may see the study as a factor in future decisions about whether to sell Santee Cooper, Sanford said "the driving force for us was yield."

One percent of the utility's revenues go to the state's general fund. "We think the return ought to be greater," Sanford said.

Sanford said his wife was involved in selecting a firm because she has worked as an investment banker. His office has no background in valuing assets and she does.

"She knows where I am coming from in terms of the big picture," Sanford said. It made sense for her "to be my eyes and ears on this one and she was."

Studying a sale of Santee Cooper power assets wouldn't be allowed with the Legislature's approval under a bill that cleared the Senate on Tuesday. The legislation also says the Legislature would have to approve the sale of utility generating equipment.