jillio
New Member
- Joined
- Jun 14, 2006
- Messages
- 60,232
- Reaction score
- 19
COLUMBIA, South Carolina (CNN) -- South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford did not spend the last five days hiking the Appalachian Trail -- as his staff indicated -- but instead was in Buenos Aires, Argentina, he told The State newspaper.
Gov. Mark Sanford told The State newspaper he was surprised the story was attracting such attention.
Spotted returning from the trip at the Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta, Georgia, Wednesday morning, the Republican governor told The State he had considered hiking the Appalachian Trail after his state's busy legislative season ended but instead decided differently.
"I wanted to do something exotic. It's a great city," Sanford said, referring to Buenos Aires.
The governor will speak with reporters Wednesday at 2 p.m. ET, his office announced.
Sanford's staff and family seemed to be in the dark about his whereabouts. Sanford also said no one else accompanied him, the paper reported. The Republican governor and possible 2012 contender told the newspaper only that he took a drive along the coastline on his trip.
Sanford told The State the legislative session was difficult for him, particularly losing the fight over whether he should accept $700 million in federal stimulus money he wanted lawmakers to spend on debt instead of urgent budget needs. Watch what Sanford said about this trip »
Sanford also said he hadn't planned to return until Thursday, but came back earlier after his chief of staff told him the story of his whereabouts was drawing widespread media attention.
Sanford expressed surprise that the story was attracting such attention, saying it's not unusual for him to take such trips.
"I would get out of the bubble I am in," he said, according to the paper.
South Carolina Democratic Party Chair Carol Fowler said in a statement Wednesday it was the "height of irresponsibility for the governor to walk out on his solemn duty to the people of South Carolina.
"When it comes to the real needs and concerns of South Carolinians, Mark Sanford has been pretty much missing in action for the last six-and-a-half years. But it is not acceptable for him to be actually missing.
"However, as disturbing as it is to walk out on your responsibilities without telling anyone, what's more troubling is that the governor and his staff have been less than truthful about his whereabouts," the statement said.
Sanford's wife Jenny told CNN Tuesday she had not talked to her husband since he left last Thursday and did not know where he went.
"I am being a mom today. I have not heard from my husband. I am taking care of my children," she said outside the couple's beach home on Sullivan's Island, South Carolina.
Following confusion over his whereabouts, a Sanford spokesman said Monday that the governor had been hiking along the Appalachian Trail.
A black Chevy Suburban believed to have been used by Sanford to leave town was spotted Tuesday in the parking lot of Columbia Metropolitan Airport.
CNN was alerted to its location by a law enforcement official.
The SUV was outfitted with blue police lights and two-way radio. A parking permit for the school attended by Sanford's children was on the windshield.
State Sen. Jake Knotts, a fellow Republican and adversary of Sanford, said South Carolina law enforcement officials informed him Saturday that the governor had taken a South Carolina Law Enforcement Division vehicle on Thursday and had not yet returned.
"I found out that he was taking frequent trips at odd times of the night in a SLED car with no security," Knotts said. "He would be driving. I got wind that he had taken another one of these types of capers last Thursday, and that nobody knew who he was with."
Knotts added that on Saturday, he "was getting wind that he had not shown back up and nobody knew where he was."
He said a South Carolina Law Enforcement Division official told him Monday that Sanford had not returned.
"He needs to transfer the power and let the lieutenant governor, which the constitution requires, let him be the person that makes the decisions." Knotts said.
"My concern was, 'Who would be in charge should an emergency arrive for the safety of the people and citizens of the state?'"
Report: S.C. governor says he was in Argentina - CNN.com
Here's some responsible behavior for you.:roll: Bizarre behavior.
Gov. Mark Sanford told The State newspaper he was surprised the story was attracting such attention.
Spotted returning from the trip at the Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta, Georgia, Wednesday morning, the Republican governor told The State he had considered hiking the Appalachian Trail after his state's busy legislative season ended but instead decided differently.
"I wanted to do something exotic. It's a great city," Sanford said, referring to Buenos Aires.
The governor will speak with reporters Wednesday at 2 p.m. ET, his office announced.
Sanford's staff and family seemed to be in the dark about his whereabouts. Sanford also said no one else accompanied him, the paper reported. The Republican governor and possible 2012 contender told the newspaper only that he took a drive along the coastline on his trip.
Sanford told The State the legislative session was difficult for him, particularly losing the fight over whether he should accept $700 million in federal stimulus money he wanted lawmakers to spend on debt instead of urgent budget needs. Watch what Sanford said about this trip »
Sanford also said he hadn't planned to return until Thursday, but came back earlier after his chief of staff told him the story of his whereabouts was drawing widespread media attention.
Sanford expressed surprise that the story was attracting such attention, saying it's not unusual for him to take such trips.
"I would get out of the bubble I am in," he said, according to the paper.
South Carolina Democratic Party Chair Carol Fowler said in a statement Wednesday it was the "height of irresponsibility for the governor to walk out on his solemn duty to the people of South Carolina.
"When it comes to the real needs and concerns of South Carolinians, Mark Sanford has been pretty much missing in action for the last six-and-a-half years. But it is not acceptable for him to be actually missing.
"However, as disturbing as it is to walk out on your responsibilities without telling anyone, what's more troubling is that the governor and his staff have been less than truthful about his whereabouts," the statement said.
Sanford's wife Jenny told CNN Tuesday she had not talked to her husband since he left last Thursday and did not know where he went.
"I am being a mom today. I have not heard from my husband. I am taking care of my children," she said outside the couple's beach home on Sullivan's Island, South Carolina.
Following confusion over his whereabouts, a Sanford spokesman said Monday that the governor had been hiking along the Appalachian Trail.
A black Chevy Suburban believed to have been used by Sanford to leave town was spotted Tuesday in the parking lot of Columbia Metropolitan Airport.
CNN was alerted to its location by a law enforcement official.
The SUV was outfitted with blue police lights and two-way radio. A parking permit for the school attended by Sanford's children was on the windshield.
State Sen. Jake Knotts, a fellow Republican and adversary of Sanford, said South Carolina law enforcement officials informed him Saturday that the governor had taken a South Carolina Law Enforcement Division vehicle on Thursday and had not yet returned.
"I found out that he was taking frequent trips at odd times of the night in a SLED car with no security," Knotts said. "He would be driving. I got wind that he had taken another one of these types of capers last Thursday, and that nobody knew who he was with."
Knotts added that on Saturday, he "was getting wind that he had not shown back up and nobody knew where he was."
He said a South Carolina Law Enforcement Division official told him Monday that Sanford had not returned.
"He needs to transfer the power and let the lieutenant governor, which the constitution requires, let him be the person that makes the decisions." Knotts said.
"My concern was, 'Who would be in charge should an emergency arrive for the safety of the people and citizens of the state?'"
Report: S.C. governor says he was in Argentina - CNN.com
Here's some responsible behavior for you.:roll: Bizarre behavior.
