Sanford Admits More Liaisons with Mistress

South Carolina Governor Describes Seven Meetings with Argentine Woman, Including Stays in New York

(AP)  South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford admitted Tuesday that he saw his Argentine mistress more times than previously disclosed, including what was to be a farewell meeting in New York chaperoned by a spiritual adviser soon after his wife found out about the affair.

In a lengthy and emotional interview with The Associated Press in his Statehouse office, the governor described five meetings with Maria Belen Chapur over the past year, including two romantic, multi-night stays with her in New York before they met there again intending to break up.

He said he met her two other times - their first meeting in 2001 at an open-air dance spot in Uruguay and a coffee date in New York in 2004 during the Republican National Convention. He said neither time was romantic.

It was the first disclosure of any liaisons with Chapur in the United States and contradicted a public confession last week during which Sanford admitted to a total of five encounters over their eight-year relationship.

He previously announced he would reimburse the state for money spent during a government trip to Brazil and Argentina in June 2008 when he saw Chapur. He insists no public money was used for any other meetings with her.

He saw Chapur again in mid-June of this year, visiting Argentina without telling his staff he was going to be out of the country. He instead led them to believe he was hiking on the Appalachian Trail.

By the time he returned to a puzzled public, staff and family, his public image and emotional state had unraveled. He admitted the affair at a rambling press conference.

Now Sanford is attempting to salvage his personal and professional lives. He and wife Jenny, parents of four sons, say they are trying to reconcile their 20-year marriage but have not been sharing the same house for several weeks. Jenny Sanford found out about the relationship in January when she discovered a letter the governor had written to his mistress.

The governor said he met Chapur in Punta Del Este, Uruguay, in 2001 after his final term in Congress and before his first term as governor. He said the two struck up an e-mail correspondence after meeting on a dance floor - a chance encounter during which he counseled her into the night about her failing marriage.

"There was some kind of connection from the very beginning," he told The Associated Press.

For the next seven-plus years, Sanford said, the two exchanged messages, sometimes sporadically.

He took a state economic development trip to South America in 2008 and the relationship became physical, after which their e-mails reflected his anguish over what they'd done. "Now I am frightened," he told the AP, describing his state of mind at the time. "It was before safe. But now it's not safe. We gotta put the genie back in the bottle."

The two met in New York two more times in 2008: two nights in Manhattan in September and three nights in the Hamptons in November. Each time, Sanford claims he flew coach, paid for it himself, paid for the hotels in cash and told his staff he was reachable via cell phone.

In early 2009, after Jenny Sanford discovered the affair, the couple went into counseling. She has told The Associated Press that he asked her several times to visit the mistress and she refused.

But the governor claims he wanted to end the affair in person and, with his wife's permission, went to New York with a "trusted spiritual adviser" serving as chaperone. The three went to church and dinner together and parted ways the same night.

But he visited Chapur again in Argentina on June 18, one final trip that brought the whole affair to light.

[Slrman]

perceptions5 and you other neo-con no-brains, the FACTS are (as if any of you cared about facts or would even recognize one) that people will have extra-marital bump and tickles. It matters not if they are dims or repugs. It's the human condition. At least Sanford didn't lie to a federal grand jury like Clinton.

It's amazing how you try to blame everything on Obama and the "liberal media". You were screaming "foul" when the other side was doing that during the liar Bush's administration, but now that the shoe has changed feet, you want to do the same thing. Obviously, you have no ethics as well as no brains.

[actornaught]

I like the part where you can spot the neo-conned. They've been sucked into so many derivations and definitions and lies about the word "liberal", they just dont know the first thing about what the word means.

But then, it's not like they have the foggiest idea what "conservative" really means...

[Joe_NY_15]

Derivation ? Do you mean Deviations ? or Derivatives ?

It's simple, Liberals feel that Government is the solution to all your problems....that's the true definition of Liberalism....unfortunately, you eventually run out of "other people's money" for your social programs

[actornaught]

"...It's simple..."

Gotta have it "simple", dont you. Sorry about the big words, then.

Not...

[formrusmcsgt]

This man has no honor whatsoever.

He's a chronic liar, a philanderer and a thief - all beyond any doubt.

How he presumes to consider himself fit to hold public office is entirely beyond me.

He obviously has no shame.

[Joe_NY_15]

I agree with your comments about Obama.....good to see you are finally getting some sense into your bitter old head.

[Joe_NY_15]

What happened to the Liberals screaming that it was his "personal life" like you did with Slick Willy....and Sanford didn't commit criminality at the same time, like Clinton did.....for Bill it was his personal life, for Sanford, it's hang-em.....

Get your story straight libs, which is it ? public or private....you libs love to have it both ways, in more ways then one...if you get my drift.

[actornaught]

"...you libs..."

Talking to your imaginary "friends"? By the time anybody fits into your extremist straw man definition, there's no "libs" here...

[pvperson3]

"a chance encounter during which he counseled her into the night on her failing marriage"............I wonder if his wife would have called it "counseling"?

[realityzone]

Big deal... politicians have always got some on the side.

[actornaught]

He's a Governor that used vague lies to stay out of touch for

SIX (6) DAYS!

He just happened to be gettin hisself sum.

...

Ma-REEE-uhh... I once, no, 4 times, or 7 or 8 times, had a girl named Maria...

[rjstolba]

This guy past scumbag status a long time ago with the stimulus money for schools that he tried to stop. The affair only adds to that status. With what is reoported in the above article, he now enters the "TOTAL MORON" category. Is he for real??? Why would his wife or, for that matter, the voters of SC want him????

[funslideds]

"But he visited Chapur again in Argentina on June 18, one final trip that brought the whole affair to light."

A favorite of my SO and me:

"... no last goodbye fu-ck for the road!"

From: "The World According to Garp".

[petesis]

This guy is just a big puss. What a ****.

[ThistlePDX]

Fascinating that every comment is about whether Sanford should/should not be judged and or resign because he shtupped a pretty woman who's not his wife (wow, THIS is new for politicians!) No one has mentioned that the man abandoned his duties as governor for nearly a week while none of his staff knew where he was or how to contact him. If that's not dereliction of duty that warrants Sanford's resignation - or impeachment - I don't know what is. Try to make THAT a partisan issue.
And yes, if I were his wife I would dump him in a New York Elliot Spitzer minute. Not for the affair itself (happens in the best of families, folks), but for his absolute clueless presumptuousness in asking me if he could go visit his lover to break up with her. What happened to email or the telephone? What a schmuck.

[docpeter1953]

From the above article, "In early 2009, after Jenny Sanford discovered the affair, the couple went into counseling. She has told The Associated Press that he asked her several times to visit the mistress and she refused."
_________________

Now why wouldn't your wife want to meet your mistress?

Trying to get a three-way going?

[docpeter1953]

From the above article, "We gotta put the genie back in the bottle."

______________________________-

So that is what that means, letting the genie out of the bottle and putting the genie back in the bottle is talking about the old push rod huh?

I never thought that, until now at least.

[South-of-Heaven]

itsjustathought ,

Family Values need to be updated to include not only the Prostitute
or the Mistress, but also the optional Toe Tapping at the Airport Bathroom Stall.
then Pull out the Spiritual Guide get out of Hell Card
and pass go to collect Forgiveness.

[Joe_NY_15]

Throw in running a Prostitution ring (Elliot Spitzer).....what a surprise, Spitzer wasn't even charged.

Now a governor takes a trip to visit a lady in Argentina, and you Libs want to make comparisons to criminality ? I don't think so.

[Joe_NY_15]

Throw in running a Prostitution ring (Elliot Spitzer).....what a surprise, Spitzer wasn't even charged.

Now a governor takes a trip to visit a lady in Argentina, and you Libs want to make comparisons to criminality ? I don't think so.

[staycalm]

I have worked on many campaigns in both parties and have never met a politician who wasn't ready to "play". They love to flirt, are full of themselves and love the adrenaline rush. It seems to be intrinsic to being a politician. It's similar to being a movie or rock star but with (supposedly) more gravitas. You have to have a huge ego to pursue any of these professions and then your adoring public just keeps feeding it until you start to believe that you are godlike. Such is the nature of fame.

[actornaught]

Maria...

I once had a girl named Maria...

Well maybe 4 times...

Or 7... do i hear 8?... let me check the camera... did i say that out loud?...

Ma-REEEE-UHHH !

[riob678]

No end in sight to this man's arrogance or delusions. Anyone near him is in political danger. Anyone near him is also in physical danger from the lightning bolts. Governor Sanford must despise the people of South Carolina.

[sean58z]

Mark and Maria are probably very happy together. They should make that clear to the news media. Romance should be respected.

[jsf14]

Agreed. And he should find a job with less responbsibility.

[zonkzilla]

But the good news is "no state money was used" for his repeated adultery in foreign countries.
HA HA HA HA HA HA HA
Good one.
Notice the EXACT same people (Republicans, Limbaugh, Hannity, etc.) who constantly attacked Bill Clinton for his short affair are now taking up for Sanford and calling people hypocrites who are against misuse of public funds, abandoning office, and repeated adultery including in foreign countries. See the fake values of Republicans?
It takes all kinds as the saying goes.
At least the majority of the country is turning away from the Republican party, that shows there is hope for America.

[rickthomas5]

Keep him in office! Please. This is a lot of fun to watch. This is an absolute scumbag and this is the most enjoyable experience ever. We need more Republicans to support him, maybe that lowlife Newt Gingrich. This is so much fun. The Party of No says no to resigning, the Party that sold everyone on values and morals and religion and God is nothing more than a bunch of hypocritical lowlifes. At least we Democrats admit we're pieces of crap, cheat on our wives and booze at strip clubs.

[riob678]

Wait one darn minute! I don't booze at strip clubs.

[Joe_NY_15]

"At least we Democrats admit we're pieces of crap"

So True....So very true

[fred-mertz]

South Carolina Code of Laws

SECTION 16-15-60. Adultery or fornication.
Any man or woman who shall be guilty of the crime of adultery or fornication shall be liable to indictment and, on conviction, shall be severally punished by a fine of not less than one hundred dollars nor more than five hundred dollars or imprisonment for not less than six months nor more than one year or by both fine and imprisonment, at the discretion of the court.

Why is this "family values" guy who spoke so often about the "necessity" of impeaching Bill Clinton for a b-L0w j0b still in office? He has confessed to a crime! Why hasn't he been indicted?