SC Governor Mark Sanford Admits to Affair on Wife Jenny During Press Conference

Gov. Mark Sanford (R-SC) held a press conference Wednesday, stating that he was having an affair on wife Jenny.

Sanford disappeared for a week and was said to have been hiking on the Appalachian Trail. He admitted Wednesday that he had secretly flown to Argentina to visit his mistress.

“I have been unfaithful to my wife,” said Sanford in the press conference. He said he felt ashamed and spent the last five days “crying in Argentina”. He apologized to his wife Jenny and his four sons for his affair.

Sanford, who in recent months had been mentioned as a possible presidential candidate in 2012, said he would resign as head of the Republican Governors Association.

The affair is over now, according to Sanford. He described the woman who lives in Argentina as a "dear, dear friend" whom he has known for about eight years and been romantically involved with for about a year. He said he has seen her three times since the affair began, and his wife found out about it five months ago. A newspaper published steamy e-mails between Sanford and the woman, but he did not identify her.

The governor said he wants to reconcile, and his wife's statement said her husband has earned a chance to resurrect their marriage. "This trial separation was agreed to with the goal of ultimately strengthening our marriage," she said.

Sanford also denied that he instructed his staff to keep his secret. He mentioned to Gina Smith, one of his staffers, that he loved the Appalachian Trail last week. When he left, it was assumed that he traveled there, but he did not correct his staff about his actual whereabouts in Argentina.

When news first broke about his mysterious disappearance, Jenny Sanford told The Associated Press she did not know where her husband and father of their four sons had gone for the Father's Day weekend. She said he needed time away to write.

Sanford, a former three-term congressman, was elected governor in 2002. He has more than a year remaining in his second term and is barred by state law from running again.

Sanford was elected chairman of the Republican Governors Association this year after he helped raise a record $10.6 million at the group's 2008 annual dinner to help elect GOP governors. The association said Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour would assume the duties as chairman.

###

Click here for more Political News

About YourFINDit

YourFINDit Community is a business, music and social networking community. YourFINDit provides members with a wealth of applications that enable them to create an in depth profile within YourFINDit. Profiles include an About Me, Background and Lifestyle, Videos, Photo sharing, News, Music, Blogs, unique URL and networking with other members inside the YourFINDit community. YourFINDit provides ADit to each member providing them the opportunity to have an exclusive profile (no outside advertising) displaying only banner ads they upload to their pages. Members can run their own ads or give or sell their ad space to advertisers at prices the member sets.

To create your profile sign up and within minutes you too can have your People profile running your ads and building your network with new members daily.  

YourFindit is owned and operated by TransWorldNews, Inc., a news and press release distribution service.