CNN

What a tangle web we weave when we deceive! Did he think that his trips would not be found out? That no one would ask where he was going and who was paying? Scares me to think this guy wanted to be president!

I still remember the holier-than-thou Republican Congress dragging Clinton through the mud because of "that woman" but it turns out the Republicans are sinners......... TOO! Interesting how that works.

No one is perfect.

Love the hypocrisy that this man exudes – just amazing. His state is in debt up to their eyeballs, but he refuses to take stimulus money because of his own personal rethuglican philosophies against the dems...yet here he is, spending his states money so that he can get laid.

All I can say is, I love being a Democrat right now. All you right-wing conservatives look like fools – especially people like Mark Sanford who were elected on "family values." I was ashamed of Clinton when he cheated, because I do think people in those political realms should be held to a higher standard. But, its when you go around preaching to others how moral one should be – and then go out and cheat. Hypocrisy, pure hypocrisy.

This is a guy who was part of the movement to impeach Clinton and drag all the mud into the media. What a HYPOCRITE.

[...] wife. And even more disturbing are the revelations that at least one of his trips to Argentina was taxpayer-funded.  More and more, Sanford is turning out to be just a typical sleazy [...]

You know, you could have just found another woman to please you in the U.S. alone. I don't understand why he had to not only us tax-payers money to travel, but to travel that far? Why didn't she just come to the U.S.? Smart guy...

THIS not the affair should what removes him from office! This IS the states business and if I lived in SC I would be protesting in front of the mansion today demanding he step down STRAIGHT AWAY!

This guy needs to resign!

South Carolina is such a beautiful state. Too bad it's run by such a scum-bag.

For all the Republicans who spout in defense of marriage – why gays should be locked out of this recognition of love – they sure are good at proving they're not valuing it's sanctity. Larry Craig, Ensign, Sandford, even pundits Rush and Bill O'Reilly – heck even the page scandal with Mark Foley last year – the GOP has a hard time maintaining respectable standards.

Pay back the taxpayers for your South American adulterous romp. Resign in disgrace, make your choice, then live in obscurity.

This article is inaccurate. The Governor accompanied the official SCDOC Trade Mission to Sao Paulo where he conducted official business. The group then continued on to Rio de Janeiro for further meetings while the Governor and his private group went their separate way to Argentina. At no time did the mission go to Argentina.

Tell me something I don't know. He shoudl resign.

Now ask me if im surprised.He will still make big money with one of the many companies he took bag money from,like tobacco,foreign cars,etc.

This is the most irrelevant story and a very misleading headline. Please get some respecatble journalist.

Crook.

Sooooo, that's why he didn't want the stimulus money... He was already feeling guilty enough! cheap bum.

Blame it on Rio...

The Republicans now need to, once and for all, completely SHUT UP about "family values" and "ethics"! They have ZERO credibility on these issues!

Find other "talking points" if you can but these topics are now OFF LIMITS!

like Palin he should have to pay the money back and then resign
ANOTHER REPUBLICAN IDIOT

YU BETCHA

Don't Cry For Me Argentina

I find it interesting that Mrs. Sanford has become the hero in this piece. She has a lot of repressed anger. Her telling the media "I have no idea where my husband is" is what set the whole investigation into motion. She had to know it would have this effect (especially over Father's Day weekend), and she also had to have a pretty good idea where he would be if missing. So while he was wrong to have the affair, she set him up to be caught.

Sanford's family may forgive him; maybe not. Can we ever forgive the sniveling Sanford's now-proven hyper-righteousness regarding either the foolish impeachment of Bill Clinton or the Craig affair?

Out of all the photo ops to choose from for this story, Governor Patterson had to be in it. Why wasn't it cropped? Hmmm!

Anyway, I think Mrs. Sanford deserves kudos along with privacy. According to news reports, she helped shape ihs career, working tirelessly on campaign trails. For her to raise and mold four boys in the midst of all of this must be challenging. They have my prayers!

AND, the report today is that Sanford used tax dollars to fund his affair with the Argentinian woman. This is the same guy who refused stimulus money to fix up South Carolina schools in poor neighborhoods.

So cheating on your wife isn't wasteful spending, but rebuilding schools for poor kids is?????

America, if you call yourself conservative, you're either evil or ignorant.

These rich white guys lead such hypocritical lives that they "freak out" in order to keep from going nuts. They are already nuts, but they keep it hidden. They cheat, lie, have gay secret lovers.. Fine.. but they should NOT be given positions of power.

Having been in the same mess myself, I kinda felt sorry for the governnor. He obviously was in pain. Can't people show a little compassion for people that make mistakes anymore? Isn't this really a private matter between him and his wife? ON THE OTHER HAND.........IT'S ALWAYS THE HARDLINE MOST RELIGIOUS ONES THAT FALL THE FARTHEST!!

These are the republicans that say they are the custodians of morale....inside they are really evil.

Oh my gosh...the liberal fanatics will go absolutely nuclear with this one. "Off with his head!" will be the screams from the left. "He better pay back the money" (for a legitimate trip that was actually a trade mission that took him to many more cities in South America than just Buenos Aires).

Kudos to CNN for digging into the juicy stuff, but ignoring any obvious stories that paint the lefty administration in a bad light (see also WH firing of Inspector General...still not reported on CNN).

I don't think Spitzer got this much attention from CNN when he committed a crime of paying for sex. Oh well, whatever works for the Communist News Network.

He should be impeached! He walked out of his job for 5days, I couldnt do that with my job.

Please Cnn.......No more Sanford ....enough Already!!!

And does this really surprise anyone? All of US government is corrupt at every level. Replace this buffoon and another will take his place. This is why Americans are so cynical about our government. Nothing you can do but stay under the radar. Honesty and politics are contradictory.

Governor Sanford has allowed this affair to jeopardize and inhibit not only his ability to be a well functioning father and husband but also governor of a state. He has been morally clouded about the spending of money of taxpayers and kept a hand of secrecy over his whereabouts from his family, friends, and most of his office for days, leaving leadership to the state void... and that's pretty dysfunctional, as in he has a psychiatric disease that's impairing him. And I think the people of South Carolina, whom are suffering from economic hardships deserve more. Quite frankly, if he stays in office it only serves as a further sign of his self-serving, indulging nature, which is a narcissistic borderliner.

Tom
Tucson, AZ

This kind of thing goes on all the time. I'd bet 80% of the politicians in Washington use taxpayer money for SOME personal benefit.

The problem is there is no one looking at their expenses and finding out what they're charging off to the struggling American taxpayer.

They all lie, they all steal to some degree and they all have affairs with others than their spouses. Show me one example where this is NOT true.

Not surprising!!!!

Please do nominate Sanford and Palin for the 2012 GOP ticket. Please!?!

Mark Sanford needs to RESIGN now. He has lost ALL credibility and integrity. It's obviously that this man is seriously incompetent.

Do us all a favor and RESIGN now.

This is just the latest in a string of activities by America’s elected officials that demonstrate that they feel that the rules do not apply to them. Party affiliation makes no difference. Aside from the lies made to get elected, the list is endless and goes way back – Nancy Pelosi and her fancy planes, Chris Dodd and his numerous bribery allegations, Gov. Sanford and Sen. Ensign’s adultery, the Kennedy clan and all their transgressions, etc. Maybe the Iranians shouldn’t be the only ones protesting the actions by their elected officials.

By the way someone needs to tell “Babs” Boxer that respect is earned and does not automatically come with office. In my opinion she was lucky to be called ma’am. What a brat!

The words "moral" and "republican" are starting to become an oxymoron.

All I know is – if I disappear for 5,6,7 days my employer is going to assume I quit, I won't have a job to come back to. I don't care what he (or any other politician including Bill Clinton does in bed), but his behavior in abandoning his state is reckless, immature, unreliable, etc.

If he had spent more time in Brazil getting botox treatment then that would be money well spent.

Come on, CNN, the teaser for this article is misleading. You are better than Fox News, so please don't stoop to their level just to get hits.

"Governors commonly travel out-of-state or abroad to stir up investment in their home states".

Obviously this was not the case in South Carolina, one of the poorest states.

This is getting so old. Another Republican who holds himself out to be morally superior to everyone else bites the dust. I feel sorry for his family, but this unethical individual should resign or be impeached by the taxpayers of the State of South Carolina. To allow him to remain in office is an embarrassment.

After a greuling legislative session, ending last Thursday, where the gov. was forced to accept the Federal stimulus package, he went to Argentina to get HIS package stimulated! Nice. Recently, it appears that the socially conservative party, has some explaining to do about what social conservatism means because we can't look to their leaders to serve as examples of those social values.

Poor guy....I think he was set up..lol

I absolutely LOVE this. The republicans would come out swinging if this was a democrat. They would be screaming about values and wasted tax dollars and demanding a resignation. Palin would be prancing around preaching for what little face time she could get out of this, The RNC- Rush Newt Cheney followed by Hannity and Bill-Bo would all be bashing him around the Fox news circus. BUT- he's is one of THEM so all he has to do is apologize and cry and go to church to ask for forgivieness and *POOF* all is fine in the world of the righteous once again.

The Party of "No" and their plastic participants are apparently legion with "sinners" too. Ooops there goes the family values platform.

As usual, the Politician that gets caught with their Hand-in-the-Cookie-Jar, comes off all Teary-eyed & Repentent – Give me a break, please!
Seems everything is Hunky-Dory as long as nobody is Looking!
I'm getting tired of seeing these people that were elected think they are above the Law & Morals of the everyday Working People! Time for Term Limits so these 'people' don't wrap themselves in a cocoon & alienate themselves from the electorate!

OOPS, this is not good news for Sanford. He might have survived this IF there were no taxpayer funds involved. Maybe he can squeak out of this since the affair (so he says) started on this trip.I think he will need to look for a new job.

Here guys, I'm gonna chill with you a bit until this match of Call of Duty starts, waiting for one friend.

But I gotta say quick, man, that's not right!! Why did he go that far? Yeah, he is thinking way too much, he needs to relax. I think he should resign as Gov, I do, who does he think he is?? He ain't special, he's a politician and...oh hold up guys, I'll finish this after this match quick, LOL!!!

But for real, this is serious...

Obviously the governor's personal issues have been significantly absorbing his time and judgment to the detriment of the United States of America. This international embarrassment could have put US interests at risk for blackmail and extortion. He actually refused money to educate the children of South Carolina, but went on international junkets for personal reasons. He should be sued for malfeasance for not being available in case of emergency. Perhaps he wanted to refuse the federal money because an audit would have revealed additional improprieties.

and take the riches of the kingdom to enjoy for your own

Sanford, you have enjoyed the tax payers money like a king

He has to be investigated for espionage!!!! That's how the majority of the spying cases started, wit a foreign operative making contact, starting a long term relationship then compromising the person who has access to information. I said before the "affair" that it was an affair and I'm telling you that there is more to it. And before anyone says anything about me being paranoid, I work in the area that I am speaking of so don't speak too soon. I can almost GUARANTEE he will be investigated.

I would like to know when you people are going to have enough and get rid of these theives. All of them are stealing OUR money....

What were other delegation members doing with their ALLOTTED daily personal hours? Did the Dept of Commerce state stipulations for members, advising them what they can and cannot due with personal time on this trip? I have yet to see evidence deeming him guilty of misusing taxpayers money for infidelity. Perhaps Americans should be more concerned with Congress and Obama administration misuse of taxpayers money on bailouts, stimulus, earmarks and wastefull social programs. Lets rename the economy Rush Limbaugh, then maybe Obama and his minions would pay some attention to it.

if only Cnn could use their formidable skills to track down bin-laden, imagine how safe we all would be..

As a Republician I am so embarassed by his behavior. Our party has many outstanding leaders, but all it takes is one Bozo to ruin it for the rest of us. Either we have to start taking acting more like Democrats and NEVER take a Moral or Ethical Stance, because DEMOCRATS don't want to be held to higher standards (because failure is inevitable for them) OR Republicians have to not only Talk the Talk, but WALK THE WALK".

So what? People have friends all over the world, and when they're on a business trip to that place, they often meet up. Had this been a non-coital friend and didn't offer an opportunity to sensationalize controversy, this wouldn't even be a story. Unless someone can come up with some evidence that he somehow shirked his responsibilities while on the trip or went out of his way to charge things to SC that he shouldn't have (and no, paying for a dinner like people do on business trips all the time does not count), then this is nothing more than bottom-feeding pseudo-journalism, printed here because CNN is afraid to be left out of the feeding frenzy if it responsibly skips this nonsense, knowing that the rest of the "news" outlets will print this like it's important.

These politicians are clever sorts... it's going to be nearly impossible to find a connection. It's always going to be circumstantial.

However... if there is a connection, he needs to be brought to trial.

Just like they should bring Edwards to trial if they find he skimmed campaign cash to hush his mistress.

He needs to resign and now. He is a disgrace. Not only did he take taxpayer funds for his trip, but he went AWOL from his job and lied about it on top of that. If any of us had done that we would be fired immediately.

Mr. Sanford's comment on the Bill Clinton debacle was that the President should resign. OOOOkay now, should not the Governor resign as well?

If the Tax payer paid for the trip, we deserve to get some of the action. Perhaps the corrupt republicans would imply that it is the fault of the government that enables such trips and in this case it is the Department of Commerce and the funny thing they always make such blames as if they are NOT the government . People lighten up. he went to Brazil on a commerce trip to sell his Semen so he could balance the budget should ge get elected in 2012.

If it turns out to be true that he saw her he should return at least part of the money.

I'm shocked at all the vitriol toward the republican party (not a republican). This situation is not solely a problem of one or the other party. It's a personal failure that both have seen in their prominent people.

How typical, screwing around on his wife and family on his constituent's dime. How typical indeed!

So Sanford didn't want to take taxpayer money to help keep teachers employed, but he had no trouble spending taxpayer money to meet a mistress. Lovely!

Another hypocritical republican bites the dust. Hopefully he will have a residue of integrity left and will resign his post as governor of SC, such as NY governor Spitzer did.

Doesn't this guy have 4 small children? What a jerk!

Considering his past statements about other political leaders who had committed similiar acts of infidelity, he should show some class and resign.
How arrogant have our leaders become that a disgraceful scandal is not enough for them to politely step down. Instead, they hang on enduring attacks from all sides, exposing their families to incridible stress and they become impotent as a leader.

He's in real trouble now. The issue of the affair is of little interest to me. The real issue is that this guy was AOL for five days!!!! That's bad enough if it's me or you, but he's the governor of a state! He didn't even check in.

If I go AOL on my job, they will can me after three days for abandoning my position and take it as a sign of my desire to terminate employment. Shouldn't he be held to an even higher standard?

Not a fan of the guy. But I think the title of this article is particularly loaded. I'm sure he was doing some work down there.

I get to comment on this? What a whackjob this guy is – this keeps getting better and better.

wow....what else did he buy with the tax payer`s money ?...how long it`s been going on for ? and his wife gave him a second chance?..hhuumm....why ?..what is she up to ?

Typical GOP pig. Pass judgement on everybody else's lifestyle, blather a lot of crap about "family values" and the rest of the religio-fascist baloney, and then sneak around, lie and cheat. At taxpayers expense. These bums should be tarred and feathered.

if this guy used tax-payer money to fund his affair then he needs to pay it back to the people of South Carolina.....

as for CNN to imply in the headline for this article that he did this without evidence or proof.... is absurd....

this isn't news until we know he did it..... the liberal slant of this web-site is a joke....

Ok now if this is true has stepped over the line and has become a criminal investigation. Will he be charged? or will he get off with just a resignation like Spitzer? Former governor Spitzer still has yet to be charged with the crimes he commited? Why is it that these people can be held above the law?

A Governor having an affair is disturbing, especially when he says he is a "man of faith" and a family values proponent, but what is more disturbing is his lack of judgement leaving his state without putting someone else in charge...this shows a lack of good sense!!

Still doesn't sound like news. You'll have to try harder than this CNN. If you can't prove that he used taxpayer money to support his extra-marital affair, than the affair is nobody's business but his and his family. Please report back when you have some real news on this.

This is unbelievable...using tax payers money to get his "groove" on. If that lady had an ounce of sense, she would see he didn't care enough to spend his own money to see her. Then he was gonna talk tough about not accepting stimulus money.

He just got caught in his own hole. This is just a shame. These folk with these holier than thou attitude and doing the same thing at the time they are "squawking" at someone else.

This lady should be ashamed as well...there is no way she didn't know he was married. May she be aware that one day she'll probably get married and this maybe done to her.

Maybe now the GOP can quit complaining about President Obama having a date night in the good old USA with his wife. What a bunch of "family value" hypocrites. Sanford should resign due to the fact he seems just a little stupid and not capable of running a state. I wonder if he wants to take back his criticism of former President Bill Clinton? When the shoe is on the other foot...............

Gov. Sanford should resign! He has no credibility and in the past he himself called on politicians in his situation to resign. Sanford is just representative of the pervasive hypocrisy and transparent double-standards in the GOP. They are a bunch of moralizing, self-righteous hypocrites!

Please CNN No more news Regarding Sanford...... He is no Hero!!!

It keeps getting better

You gotta love these clowns that took the "moral highroad" during the Clinton/Lewinsky affair. Be careful throwing those stones! Your tax dollars hard at work

Mark Sanford should immediately resign from Governor of South Carolina. He has not only betrayed his wife and family, but he has lied to the people of South Carolina. How is it possible for South Carolinians to trust a Chief Ececutive who has lied? If he resists resigning, the Legislature should start impeachment proceedings at once.

Having an affair can be forgiving, however turning his back on his
kids on Fathers Day and his State is not forgiving. He needs to resign
and get help.

He voted to impeach Clinton on moral grounds – look at him now.

It makes me so made that these losers took the time to impeach Clinton when they are just as bad, if not worst!

But what makes me really mad is nothing was done to impeach the nightmare George Bush after he trashed our nation.

What has America become? So Sad

another GOP hypocrite!!!!!
All that talk about wasteful spending and now what
at least Obama is trying to fix the economy
while Sanford spend tax dollars on an Argentine "oil change"
pretty lame South Carolina please come and see the light

He's a goner

Truly shocking! Time for impeachment!

Another Repub bites the dust. Now that my home state sees that the GOP is no good we can go blue in 2012. Sanford needs to resign, first ms. South Carolina now this.

The plot thickens..........
So, once again the conservative republicans are caught lying and cheating.... and using taxpayer money for their own personal use.
They make me sick.

How long until he resigns? I give it a week.

Yep, another fine example from the "party of family values" right? Hopefully Americans, and especially those who call themselves Republicans, will now began to look beyond those stupid party labels. It's time to demand accountability, integrity, and honesty from our leaders. Especially since they get paid over $150,000 per year and have great health care insurance, yet seem uncaring about solving national problems in a meaningful way.

You people at CNN are really pathetic, not as bad as some of the other liberal, left leaning media outlets but bad none the less. Your headline that the governor took his trip to Argentina at taxpayer expense clearly implies that the taxpayers paid for his jaunt this past week. Its not until one reads the full article that you explain that this was a trip that he took last year while on a trade mission. Shame on you CNN. Shame on you.

"While the delegation spent much of their time meeting with diplomats and business leaders,....."

Sounds work-related to me. "Personal time" is exactly that. Move on, nothing to see here.