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ABC News' Michael Falcone reports:

Stephen Colbert is putting his money where his mockery is - or, at least, his super PAC is.

On his Comedy Central show Thursday night Colbert announced "an exploratory committee to lay the groundwork" for his "possible candidacy for president of the United States of South Carolina." He also handed control of his super PAC, Citizens for a Better Tomorrow, Tomorrow, over to his colleague, Jon Stewart, host of "The Daily Show."

ABC News has learned that the group is already buying up television air time in South Carolina. A source tracking ad buys in early primary states told ABC that the super PAC has purchased nearly $10,000 worth of time on a broadcast station in the Charleston, S.C. area between Jan. 15 and Jan. 19.

And according to a South Carolina news web site, the Palmetto Public Record, the super PAC is also reportedly "negotiating a substantial media buy in the Columbia market."