Publisher nixes Gov Sanford’s book deal

July 3, 2009

Besides his wife and family, the first financial fall out is his publisher. Gov Sanford was writing a book about his policies that was due out March 2010. No more. Sentinel, the conservative division of Penguin publishing had already advertised it as “a manifesto about fiscal conservatism – why the government needs to spend less and fix the deficit ASAP.” One can see why he was rejecting the stimulus.

President, publisher of Sentinel, ADRIAN ZACKHEIM statement:

Sentinel has agreed to release Governor Mark Sanford of South Carolina from his contract to write a book about fiscal conservatism, which was to be called WITHIN OUR MEANS and was scheduled for publication in March 2010. This is a mutual decision. We wish Governor Sanford the best.

How much of an advance did he get?

His emails qualify him for a Harlequin Romance bodice ripper Argentina style.

Gov Sanford to reimburse taxpayers for initial Argentina trip

June 25, 2009

Seems the not so good gov went back for the anniversary of his affair. A year ago he made a trade mission (June 21-28) with the Commerce Department to Argentina and Brazil. He admits on the trip he hooked up with Maria his adultress and that although the trip on the surface looked legit he’s going to reimburse taxpayers for his time in Argentina. Better not be with his joint marriage funds.

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. 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.

Source: CNN

Timeline of absence
Gov Sanford emerges from the woods
Gov Sanford = adulterer
Gov Sanford takes staff off the hook
Gov Sanford’s written mea culpa

Gov Sanford takes staff off the hook

June 24, 2009

Timeline of absence
Gov Sanford emerges from the woods
Gov Sanford = adulterer
Gov Sanford’s written mea culpa

GOV SANFORD:

I want to make absolutely clear that over the past two days at no time did anyuone staff intentionally relay false information to other state officials or the public at large. What they’ve said over the last two days they believed to eb true, and I’m sorry to them for putting them in this position.

Gov Sanford’s written mea culpa

June 24, 2009

Timeline of absence
Gov Sanford emerges from the woods
Gov Sanford = adulterer
Gov Sanford takes staff off the hook

From CNN

Columbia, S.C. – June 24, 2009 – Governor Mark Sanford today issued the following statement:
“First and foremost, I apologize to my wife and my four boys. I have made decisions that have hurt and will continue to hurt them, and for that I’m sincerely sorry. Jenny has stood by me through campaign after campaign, through hard time after hard time, and neither she nor the boys deserve this. Please offer them your prayers.“I apologize to my staff. I misled them about my whereabouts, and as a result the people of South Carolina believed something that wasn’t true. I want to make absolutely clear that over the past two days at no time did anyone on my staff intentionally relay false information to other state officials or the public at large. What they’ve said over the past two days they believed to be true, and I’m sorry to them for putting them in this position.

“I apologize to the people of South Carolina. There are many people out there right now who are hurt, angry and disappointed with me, and rightfully so. Over the time that I have left in office, I’m going to devote my energy to building back the trust the people of this state have placed in me.

“I ask for your forgiveness, and your prayers for everyone who I’ve hurt.

Gov Sanford = adulterer

Timeline of absence
Gov Sanford emerges from the woods
Gov Sanford’s written mea culpa
Gov Sanford takes staff off the hook

June 24, 2009

What can one possibly say about these pigs?

Somehow I was hoping for the sake of his wife and children that the not-Appalachian Trail-hiking governor was in the midst of mania from undiagnosed bipolar disorder and it ends up – as always – to be an itchy sticky wicket – this case needing scratching in Argentina.

Him aside, what do these women think about the politician’s children as they’re getting busy? Do they care at all?

And what about his security staff? They had to have known.

Yes. It was the mea culpa press conference from Gov Sanford sans cheated on wife.

He was a coward and started by talking about the Appalachian Trail and how “one desperately needs a break from the public”. Yes, it’s called home life. That the legislative session “on an emotional level he found it exhausting” and that he “tried to make as agood a stand as he could”. And then he admitted he lied to Gina Smith the reporter from TheState.com who talked to him on his arrival.

Let me first apologize to my wife and my four boys…for letting them down…staff…people of South Carolina…good friends…parents in law…God…people of faith…

One of the primary roles well before being a governor is being a father to those four boy, who are absolute jewels and blessings that I have let down in a profound way and I apologize to them.

And they will remember where he was and what he chose to do on Father’s Day instead of being with them for the rest of their lives.

Bottom line is this: I have been unfaithful to my wife. I developed a relationship which started as a dear, dear friend from Argentina. (eight years ago – “sparked” a year ago 3 times since the sparking – discovered 5 months ago) It began innocently…last year developed in the last year…I hurt her (the adultress) …I apologize.

I would ask for a zone of privacy – if not for me, then for her and the boys.

I’m asking for forgiveness.

I’m resigning as chairman of the Republican Governors Association…appropriate…time.

Did his family know?

Yeah…we’ve been working through this for the last five months.

And then the requisite tears. All that was missing was the “I have sinned!”

First time unfaithful? Yes.

Alone in Argentina? Obviously not.

What I did was wrong. Period. End of story.

Dissertation of faith…and heart and other crap.

This was selfishness on my part, and for that I am most apologetic.

Couldn’t take his staff off the hook.

The staff deducted they went on the original information that I told Mary O’Neil.

Denies having them cover up.

Are you going to resign?

Walked away.

Gov Sanford emerges from the woods

Timeline of absence
Gov Sanford = adulterer
Gov Sanford takes staff off the hook
Gov Sanford’s written mea culpa

June 24, 2009

I’ve heard of new math but it appears they teach new geography down in South Carolina because the Appalachian Trail seems to extend down to Argentina.

According to TheState.com’s GINA SMITH, SC Gov Mark Sanford has reappeared and it (the most recent version of the truth) appears he “wanted to do something exotic” to “get out of the bubble” and that “it was a long session and I needed a break” so he went to Buenos Aires, which he described as a “great city”. A place he has visited two other times – the most recent 18 months ago on a commerce trip.

He returned via Atlanta where he was greeted only by SC media. When asked why his staff said he was on the Appalachian Trail, he initially said he didn’t know and then said “in fairness to his staff” that he told them that’s where he might go.

He didn’t detail anything other than he drove along the coastline and that he was alone. He said he wasn’t planning on returning….until tomorrow – but after talking to his chief of staff, Scott English, he decided to return a day early because of the media uproar. That he doesn’t know “how this thing got blown out of proportion”.

No mention of the fact that his wife, according to CNN, had no idea where he was as of yesterday.

JENNY SANFORD: I am being a mom today. I have not heard from my husband. I am taking care of my children.

His Lt Gov Andre Bauer spoke with CNN yesterday saying he was concerned about Sanford’s safety and that he had a duty to the people and the state to make his whereabouts known. Bauer hadn’t known Sanford was gone until Sunday. Even though they are both Rep – they were not elected together and evidently are not pals and Bauer is looking to run for governor.

BAUER:

Finally last night (Mon, 22) I told his chief-of-staff I want to talk to the governor. And he said, ‘When I talk to him I will let him know of your concerns. They called this morning and said the governor will be back to work tomorrow. He will cut his vacation short and will be back tomorrow, but have not relayed details since.

MON 22nd JOEL SAWYER GOV Sanford spokesman:

Joel Sawyer apologized “for taking so long to send this update,” explaining that he “was waiting to see if a more definitive idea of what part of the Trail he was on before we did so.”

As we said earlier today, it isn’t unusual for the governor to be out of pocket for several days after the legislative session. We knew he would be difficult to reach, and that he would be checking in infrequently. Given the media attention this has generated, we’ll obviously update you once we have some more specifics to pass along.

Non-ally Republican State Sen JAKE KNOTTS:

I found out that he was taking frequent trips at odd times of the night in a SLED car with no security. 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.

TUESDAY 23rd JOEL SAWYER:

Governor Sanford called to check in with his Chief of Staff this morning. It would be fair to say the governor was somewhat taken aback by all of the interest this trip has gotten.

Given the circumstances and the attention this has garnered, the governor communicated to us that he plans on returning to the office tomorrow.

CNN also ran a story about finding Sanford’s vehicle at a SC airport where it preseumably had been parked. Don’t these security vehicles have GPS trackers? So either the gov’s security people are completely clueless or they all knew what was going on and were trying to keep it quiet.

John Heilemann on Morning Joe:

There’s no bigger fan than me of the exotic experience but when the words “exotic” and “Buenos Aires” are put together that tends to involve topless women.

Gov Sanford: timeline of absence

Gov Sanford emerges from the woods
Gov Sanford = adulterer
Gov Sanford takes staff off the hook
Gov Sanford’s written mea culpa

June 24, 2009

Here is the timeline of Gov Sanford’s absence as of this morning — courtesy of THE STATE.COM’s CLIF LEBLANC & JOHN OCONNOR. One wonders what the gov’s security detail was doing. How could they not know where he was or that he went out of the country? And as soon as he was reported as “missing” his name had to have come up on a flight manifest.

Got Gov?

(Rich Glickstein/rglickstein@thes)

Thursday 18th

Sanford leaves the Governor’s Mansion in a black State Law Enforcement Division Suburban assigned to his security detail. A precise time is unavailable.

A mobile telephone tower in Atlanta near Hartsfield airport picks up a signal from Sanford’s phone. It is the last signal before his phones are turned off for days.

Friday 19th

Law enforcement officials get no response to phone and text messages sent to Sanford.

Saturday 20th

The governor’s office reports to police that there is no reason for concern but provides no details.

State Sen. Jake Knotts, R-Lexington, calls SLED chief Reggie Lloyd about rumors that no one knows where Sanford is and no one can reach him. Lloyd confirms that Sanford’s whereabouts are known

Sunday 21st

Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer learns Sanford’s whereabouts are unknown.

Monday 22nd

Monday morning — Reporters hear rumors that Sanford’s location is a mystery.

2:30 p.m. Knotts issues a statement raising questions about Sanford’s absence, asking who is in charge of the executive branch of S.C. government.

2:40 p.m. The State newspaper posts an online article saying Sanford has been out of reach for four days.

2:50 p.m. The governor’s office issues a statement that Sanford “is taking some time away from the office this week to recharge after the stimulus battle. … We are not going to discuss the specifics.”

3 p.m. The Associated Press reports that first lady Jenny Sanford says she does not know where her husband is, but he is taking time away from their four boys, “to write something.” She says she is not worried.

Midafternoon Sanford security officials are told by the governor’s office that he is OK. No details are provided.

3:40 p.m. The lieutenant governor’s office says Sanford’s office says it has spoken to Sanford and knows where he is.

About 5 p.m. Sawyer denies that Sanford staffers told Bauer’s office that someone had spoken with the governor.

5 p.m. As media inquiries escalate to include national news outlets, Sanford spokesman Joel Sawyer issues another statement. It says in part, “Before leaving last week, (Sanford) let staff know his whereabouts and that he’d be difficult to reach.” He declines to elaborate. Sawyer also doesn’t know whether Sanford is still in the country.

10:05 p.m. The governor’s office issues a statement saying Sanford is hiking on the Appalachian Trail. Staff members do not know where Sanford is on the trail and will not say whether he is hiking with anyone.

Tuesday 23rd

9:42 a.m. The governor’s office issues a statement saying staffers have spoken with Sanford and he will return to work today.

Wednesday 24th

Gov. Sanford arrives in the early morning at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport for the drive back to Columbia.