(AP) -- COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) -- South Carolina's attorney general says he's made no decision whether ethics complaints against Gov. Mark Sanford's will turn into a criminal prosecution.

Henry McMaster said Wednesday that he is still reviewing evidence that helped bring 37 civil charges against the two-term Republican last week.

McMaster also says that just because a lawyer working for the governor has also worked for him doesn't mean there's a potential conflict of interest in the case. Attorney Butch Bowers has given legal advice to both politicians.

McMaster says the state's tight-knit legal community presents many such relationships. He dismisses the contention he should recuse himself and appoint a special prosecutor to decide whether the governor should face criminal charges.

(Copyright ©2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)