Sanford admitted the affair during a press conference Wednesday, following a seven day absence from the country.
“The bottom line is this: I’ve been unfaithful to my wife,” Sanford said. “I hurt my wife, I hurt my boys … I hurt a lot of different folks. All I can say is that I apologize.”
The affair with the Argentinean woman lasted about a year, and Sanford and his family have been dealing with it for “about five months,” Sanford said.
First Lady Jenny Sanford issued a statement that said she’d asked Gov. Sanford to move out several weeks ago.
She said he would be willing to forgive her husband’s infidelity, if he demonstrated humility and repentance.
During his absence, staffers said that the governor was hiking alone on the Appalachian Trail.
It was then revealed that Sanford had left the country without telling his family or his security detail his whereabouts.
Legislators from across the state expressed their disappointment in Sanford’s actions.
“There is no excuse for the unfortunate events that have transpired in recent days,” said Speaker of the House Bobby Harrell. ““For five days the governor let his staff deceive the press and the people of South Carolina regarding where he was and what he was doing.”
‘Legitimate concerns and questions’
During the months following the discovery of Sanford’s affair, the governor said he’d considered resigning but decided against it.
But some in the state feel Sanford has no choice but to resign.
Last week, The Spartanburg Herald Journal publically called for Sanford’s resignation, as did Rep. Carl Gullick.
“Gov. Sanford should also put the citizens first and step down,” Gullick said.
Sanford said he will reimburse the state for taxpayer funds used to pay to send him to Argentina on a Department of Commerce trip last June.
“While the purpose of this trip was an entirely professional and appropriate business development trip, I made a mistake while I was there in meeting with the woman who I was unfaithful to my wife with,” Sanford said. “That has raised some very legitimate concerns and questions, and as such I am going to reimburse the state for the full cost of the Argentina leg of this trip."
Even before his dramatic announcement, Sanford had come under fire for the mysterious and ever-changing details of his disappearance.
“Several issues have arisen concerning the impact of a sitting Governor leaving the State and the Governor being incommunicado for an extended period of time,” said Sen. Glenn McConnell. “Also troublesome was the Governor’s decision to leave his security detail behind.
“I believe that the office of Governor is too important as a symbol for our state and too necessary during times of emergency to risk something happening to the person who serves as Governor,” he continued.
The state Constitution requires that the Lt. Governor act in the governor’s stead should he leave the state, he said.
“In the case of the temporary disability of the Governor and in the event of the temporary absence of the Governor from the State, the Lieutenant Governor shall have full authority to act in an emergency,” the Constitution states.
The problem lies in defining “temporary absence” and defining emergencies where the Lt. Governor would have to act as Governor, McConnell said.
“That is why I am proposing a bill that would provide a definition to the term “temporary absence” so that we can ensure that the government continues to operate in a smooth and continuous manner and that we are also protected in case of an emergency,” he said.
‘Missing in action’
SC Democratic Party Chair Carol Fowler called Sanford’s absence “unacceptable.”
“It is the height of irresponsibility for the Governor to walk out on his solemn duty to the people of South Carolina, and to be completely out of touch without making arrangements for those responsibilities to be handled in his absence,” she said. “When it comes to the real needs and concerns of South Carolinians, Mark Sanford has been pretty much missing in action for the last 6 and a half years. But it is not acceptable for him to be actually missing.”
Fowler called for an investigation into Sanford’s disappearance.
"During the past 10 days South Carolinians have been subjected to the greatest display of irresponsible behavior by an elected official in a hundred years,” Fowler said. “Mark Sanford abandoned his official duties, deceived the public, and misled his family. He has even admitted to using public funds to support his extramarital affair.
But in spite of 10 days of full national humiliation, South Carolinians still don't know the whole truth,” she continued. “Is Mark Sanford simply an irresponsible public official or guilty of something criminal?”
Republican state senator Jake Knotts has also called for an investigation.
Local leaders also expressed their disappointment in Sanford.
Sen. Lindsey Graham said the governor still has a chance to lead the state — provided he can reconcile with his family.
“It’s a sad day for South Carolina,” said Pickens County Republican Party Chairman Phillip Bowers. “I’m stunned by the Governor’s actions and my heart aches for the innocent victims; Jenny, Marshall, London, Bolton, and Blake. Mark made this terrible choice and he’ll have to live with it.”
‘I think he needs to consider it’
Sen. Larry Martin said this week will be pivotal in Sanford’s future.
“I think he’ll either decide to step down or he’ll choose to weather it,” Martin said. “The calls and the indignation will continue and that may be something that we may well have to address.
“I think do think he should consider it,” Martin said. “He definitely needs to look at the seriousness of the situation as it relates to his family and work toward reconciling with them. It’s going to be extremely hard to do that, in my judgment, under the glare of his remaining in office.”
Martin did not call for a legislative investigation, stating that the press has done “a pretty job of getting a lot of the investigation out to the public.”
“There does need to be further questions asked about any other use of public funds to carry on this relationship,” Martin said. “ I do think his phone records should be examined, to ensure state funds haven’t been misused in that respect.”
But those questions should be able to be answered “without a full-scale investigation,” Martin said.
“It may come to that,” he said. “But I think folks are able to see it for what it is without convening a panel of legislators.
“I think he’s committed some pretty serious misconduct,” Martin said. “He needs to consider stepping down.”
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