SC governor's Argentina trip raises questions

[March 19, 2010]  COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) -- The details of South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford's secretive trips to visit his lover in South America aren't just headline fodder or political kryptonite.

They're also being scrutinized by law enforcement officials at the request of some lawmakers and watchdog groups who fear taxpayer money could have been misused on his affair. So far, no criminal investigation has been opened.

On Thursday, Sanford agreed to reimburse the state for part of a more-than $8,000 tab that enabled him to see his mistress on an official economic development trip to Argentina's capital city. At a Cabinet meeting Friday, he told the head of the state Commerce Department he was sorry about the trip.

The department had initially included only Brazil on the official itinerary but added meetings in Buenos Aires at the governor's behest, said Kara Borie, a spokeswoman for the state Commerce Department.

Sanford did conduct business in Buenos Aires, although Borie said there were no specific economic development projects that have come from them.

"I will tell you that visits of this nature are not that uncommon," she said, noting the results aren't always immediately evident.

But the furor over Sanford's trip is mushrooming. Critics called on the State Law Enforcement Division to investigate state spending on the trip and whether Sanford broke laws by leaving on his latest visit to Argentina last Thursday without turning control over to the lieutenant governor. His staff told people who asked that he was hiking on the Appalachian Trail.

"We also have to worry about whether this is the tip of the iceberg. We don't know what else is out there. We don't know what's going to come out tomorrow. We don't know what's going to come out next," said state Sen. Jake Knotts R-West Columbia.

The law enforcement agency said it was reviewing Knotts' request, but hadn't opened a criminal investigation involving Sanford as of Friday.

"To date, given the information we know, we do not believe that there will be a criminal investigation launched," agency spokeswoman Jennifer Timmons said.

Also calling for inquiries were the state chapter of government watchdog Common Cause and the Washington-based nonprofit Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics, which directed its request to the state ethics commission.

Sanford got back to work Friday, meeting with his Cabinet in front of about two dozen reporters and cameramen. Routine business included a discussion of tax revenues and a drunken driving campaign, but Sanford's first public meeting since returning from Argentina Wednesday was hardly ordinary.

Sanford apologized to the agency heads and at one point likened his struggle to that of King David. Sanford said King David "fell mightily, fell in very, very significant ways, but then picked up the pieces and built from there."

Post-meeting, some Cabinet members said Sanford handled himself well.

"We all have things in our personal life that we don't want to shine under the spotlight," said Buck Limehouse, head of the state's transportation department. "There's nothing to be accomplished by rehashing this over and over. The needs of the people of South Carolina are more important than the personal issues."

Not everyone in the capital is being as kind. Knotts encouraged other legislators to call for Sanford's resignation and urged him to "do the right thing" and step down voluntarily.

Joining the calls for resignation was a one-time ally, the head of the group that's pushed Sanford's school choice effort. If Republicans are going to criticize Democrats for moral failings, Sanford has to go, said Randy Page, president of the conservative advocacy group South Carolinians for Responsible Government.

[Associated Press; By JIM DAVENPORT]

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