Staff Report
Published June 25, 2009

Republican Gov. Mark Sanford admitted this afternoon that he used a state-funded business development trip a year ago to Argentina to rendezvous with a woman with whom he said he has had an extramarital affair for the past year.

He said in a statement that he would reimburse the state for the full cost of the visit to Argentina.

“As noted by the Department of Commerce, I attended a trade mission with the Department of Commerce last June. As the agenda notes, the mission was spent meeting with government and private business officials in both Brazil and Argentina. This trip was handled very professionally by the Department of Commerce, and I’m proud of their work there.

“However, 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.”

Earlier today, the state Department of Commerce released information and documents that showed Sanford’s airfare alone for the official trip was $8,687. The state delegation also visited Brazil during the June 2008 trip.

A spokeswoman further explained the delegation’s movements.

“The Governor was part of the group in Cordoba for a day and half of hunting and went on to Buenos Aires for official state meetings. The trade delegation did not accompany the Governor to the meetings in Argentina. The Governor was accompanied by a project manager from the Department of Commerce, which is standard practice for meetings with public officials and prospective companies,” said Kara Borie, spokesperson for the Department of Commerce. The Commerce Department provided a photograph of Gov. Sanford with Buenos Aires Gov. Daniel Scioli during the trip (above).

The Commerce Department said the only taxpayer funds expended for any of the Argentina portion of the trip were for Gov. Sanford and Commerce Project Manager Ford Graham. 

Supporting documentation:
Agenda for meetings in Brazil and Argentina
Itemized list of travel expenses

*Airfare includes travel from Columbia to Atlanta to Sao Paulo, Brazil to Cordoba, Argentina to Buenos Ares, Argentina to Atlanta to Columbia, S.C.          

** Includes transportation, phones, portage and interest service.