From the ArcaMax Publishing, News & Features Newsletter:
http://www.arcamax.com/news/newsheadlines/s-575698-900850
CHARLESTON, S.C. (UPI) -- South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford mixed
business and pleasure during a three-day Argentina trip last year that
included a visit to his mistress, records show.
Records obtained by The (Columbia, S.C.) State newspaper show Sanford
left behind an official state trade delegation hunting birds in
Cordoba, Argentina, to go to Buenos Aires, a trip he has acknowledged
was to see his lover, Maria Belen Chapur.
Sanford has reimbursed taxpayers about $3,300 for the trip, the
newspaper said.
Kara Borie, a South Carolina Commerce Department spokeswoman, said the
department set up the 2008 Argentine meetings at the governor's
request, even though the U.S. Department of Commerce had not conducted
a trade mission in the country between 2002 and 2008.
Borie said Sanford did not steer the trip toward Buenos Aires.
"In this case, since the governor was already going to be in Argentina
for the bird hunt, Commerce was asked to add trade-related meetings in
Argentina to the agenda as well," Joel Sawyer, the governor's
spokesman, told The State.
Democrats and Republicans in South Carolina have called on Sanford, a
Republican, to resign. However, two allies Friday told The State
Sanford should remain in office.
State Sen. Tom Beaufort, Sanford's former chief of staff, said he
changed his mind after talking to Sanford and his wife, who convinced
him they could try to repair their marriage while Sanford remains in
office.
"I am not going to second-guess them on that personal matter,"
Beaufort said.
State Sen. Greg Ryberg said it is "time to move forward" now that an
investigation shows no misuse of state funds.