South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford Admits Affair!

Originally posted by Redpillblues
I commend him for comming clean..If all politicians were like him we would live in a better place..

[edit on 24-6-2009 by Redpillblues]

He was outed and had no choice...I suspect his wife or a reporter cornered him. So I afford him no respect for "confessing"

.. He was even continuing to lie when a reporter caught him getting off the flight from Argentina. She was "tipped off" by the way...which tells me someone was cornering him into a public confession.

I would guess the POed wife might have tipped off the reporter after hearing he had gone AWOL on the news and knowing darn well where he was.

Wikipedia has a nice summary of events..

Extramarital affair
On June 24, Sanford arrived at Atlanta Hartsfield Airport, at 5:43 am on Delta Flight 110 from Buenos Aires, Argentina. He was met at the airport by only one reporter, The State's Gina Smith, who had received a tip that the governor was in Argentina and, on a "hunch", went to the Atlanta Airport to meet a flight arriving from Argentina. He gave her a brief sit-down interview, wherein he claimed that he was alone for the entire trip, and did not give any other details than that he drove the coastline. Sanford said that he had considered hiking the Appalachian trail, but at the last minute decided to do something "exotic". When asked why his staff said he was hiking, Sanford replied, "I don't know." He later said "in fairness to his staff," he had told them he might do such hiking. Sanford said he cut his trip short after his chief of staff, Scott English, told him his trip was gaining a lot of media attention and he needed to come back. These events prompted Republican state senator Jake Knotts to comment, "Lies. Lies. Lies. That's all we get from his staff. That's all we get from his people. That's all we get from him." Several hours after arriving back in the US, Sanford held a press conference, where he admitted that he had been unfaithful to his wife. He told reporters that he had developed a relationship with an Argentinian woman that he had met "a little over eight years ago, very innocently," and that the relationship had turned romantic about a year before.Sanford's wife had become aware of his infidelities around five months beforehand, and the two had sought marriage counseling. She said that she requested a trial separation about two weeks before his disappearance.



[edit on 25-6-2009 by maybereal11]

Originally posted by truth/seeker
reply to post by KarlG

 

This is truly the point, politicians have affairs all the time, we are only

human, why drag them through the mud?.... why plaster it all over the

news, what does this accomplish?

Why? Ask Mark Sanford. He believes it should be a public issue. He campaigned on the issue.

He is a stuanch supporter of NO civil unions and defining marriage...and I qoute..as "one man and one woman"...oh the irony.

For that matter lets sum it up..

Other Stuanch supporters of "Defending Marriage" and opposing gay marriage are...

Larry Kraig also feels that marriage should be defended and defined as "one man and one woman" as long as he can get his man love on in Airport restrooms.

Just last week the #4 Republican in the senate John Ensign confessed to an affair.

Republican Govenor Gibbons from Nevada...His divorce papers just showed he also was having an affair.

Rep Mark Foley of Florida flirting with teenage pages (boys by the way)

Or the brass balls award...Vito Fossella (2008): He had a whole second family..

Fossella was the lone Republican congressman from New York City, a rising star in the party, and a potential candidate for mayor. He was also arrested for driving under the influence in Virginia. But then it got worse. He told police he was on his way to seeing his 3-year-old daughter, who was ill. Puzzled, journalists began digging and learned that the child in question was the one he had with his mistress, Laura Fay, a retired Air Force officer. Fay, in fact, was the person who put up bail to have him released from jail. Fossella, who also had a wife and family back home on Staten Island, then announced he would not seek re-election.

It's not just Republicans..there is of course Elliot Spitzer..

My point being...

Marriage does not need to be defended from gay people...it needs to be defended from these idiots! Ya know, the ones loudly supporting the defense of marriage act...."one man, one woman" LOL





[edit on 25-6-2009 by maybereal11]

[edit on 25-6-2009 by maybereal11]

[edit on 25-6-2009 by maybereal11]

Here are some links in regards to this situation. The man should resign. Period

When this first came out, I said to my husband, the man is either off with a mistress, or off committing suicide.

He was forced to come clean, yesterday morning a reporter met him at the airport as he came in. He said he was driving around Argentina "clearing his head". Later that day emails between his mistress were being released to the public, so he then decided to come clean. If these emails had not been released, he would still be lying.

www.inquisitr.com...

A member of the House of Representatives during the heyday of the Clinton-Lewinsky affair, he was often a harsh critic of the president for his marital misconduct. This is "very damaging stuff," Sanford declared at one point, when details of Clinton's conduct became known. "I think it would be much better for the country and for him personally (to resign)... I come from the business side," he said. "If you had a chairman or president in the business world facing these allegations, he'd be gone."

He should follow his own advise.

And yes, he has taken at least 3 trips to Argentina on tax dollars, it is still being researched as to if these were legitimate trips.

He met this woman 8 year ago. Emails between the governor and his mistress have been released to the public.

When asked if he and his wife were separated, Sanford, would not say directly Wednesday whether he and Jenny Sanford are separated officially.

“I don’t know how you want to define that,” the governor said. “I’m here and she’s there. I guess in a formal sense we are not.”

His wife later released a written statement saying yes they were separated, she asked him to leave two weeks ago.

www.wspa.com...

“I believe wholeheartedly in the sanctity, dignity and importance of the institution of marriage. I believe that has been consistently reflected in my actions. When I found out about my husband’s infidelity I worked immediately to first seek reconciliation through forgiveness, and then to work diligently to repair our marriage. We reached a point where I felt it was important to look my sons in the eyes and maintain my dignity, self-respect, and my basic sense of right and wrong. I therefore asked my husband to leave two weeks ago.“

www.nydailynews.com...

If you watch any video of his press release, you will notice, that he apologizes to his mistress first, before he apologizes to his family.

www.youtube.com... ogizes%2520to%2520mistress%26sa%3DN%26tab%3Dwv%26um%3D1&feature=player_embedded

As a consequence I hurt her, I hurt you all, I hurt my wife, I hurt my boys, I hurt a lot of different folks.

The man needs to resign. My husband and I were discussing this situation, and both of us realize that sadly, people have affairs, we don't agree with it, we think it is horrible, but we know it can happen. What is the difference here? The hypocrisy of the Republican party, touting family values, bashing on others who may have affairs, and in secret, doing the same thing themselves, ignoring family values.

Everyone makes mistakes, own up to it, and quit being hypocritical. If you feel someone should resign for any reason, but you are as well doing the same thing but not resigning yourself, you are hypocritical.

Harm None
Peace

reply to post by burntheships

Aside from all of that, I could ask these questions. Did the wife release the emails? Who else could have traced them if they were sent from his house? Maybe someone set out to assignate his character...but he gave them all the ammunition they would ever need!

I seriously doubt that his wife released the emails to the press. I don't think anyone traced them either.

My money's on the mistress. She would have both the emails that she received and sent. She probably got tired of waiting for him to leave his wife and figured that she'd help him out a little, anonymously of course. She sends the emails to the press, who of course contacts the wife which is how she found out, about five months ago (Dec. Jan.).

E-mails, obtained by The State newspaper in December, between Gov. Mark Sanford and Maria, a woman in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

At the time, efforts to authenticate the e-mails were unsuccessful. However, Sanford’s office Wednesday did not dispute their authenticity.

www.thestate.com...

The one big remaining mystery is who sent Sanford's private emails - and his lover's replies - to the newspaper?

The State said it received the missives in December from an anonymous emailer who never replied to requests for follow up information.

He implied he had gone to end things with Shapur and appeared very emotional about the loss, praising her repeatedly.

www.nydailynews.com...

Emails anonymously sent to a news source, an anonymous tip to that same news source that the Gov was really in Argentina. Hmmm sounds like maybe he did end it with her and a scorned woman got her revenge by tipping off a reporter.

The name of the mistress:

Maria Belen Shapur

www.foxnews.com...

and by the way, Shapur is an Iranian surname.

None of this sounds right.

Buenos Aires province is in the midst of a severe H1N1 outbreak, 18 people have died, hospitals are overwhelmed and a state of national emergency has been declared. Not exactly my idea of a vacation spot.

reply to post by MikeboydUS


She speaks three languages, one of them Chinese and works for an international agri-business. Three letters come to mind: S-P-Y.

I dunno. Supposedly he has known her for eight years, but still, very fishy.

reply to post by MikeboydUS


Humm...ok you have my attention now.


reply to post by kosmicjack


You know one thing that seems odd about the e-mails is he seems more smitten than she. I do not think this was "love" .

Edit to add maybe "spy" love?


Any one else read those emails and come to that conclusion?





[edit on 25-6-2009 by burntheships]

Originally posted by kosmicjack
reply to post by MikeboydUS

 

She speaks three languages, one of them Chinese and works for an international agri-business. Three letters come to mind: S-P-Y.

I dunno. Supposedly he has known her for eight years, but still, very fishy.

It can take quite some time to build rapport in clandestine HUMINT.

This whole thing just sounds crazy.

Most politicians have scandals with staff and interns, not beautiful Argentinan women with Iranian surnames that speak three languages.

[edit on 25/6/09 by MikeboydUS]

reply to post by MikeboydUS


I would like to know more about their 8 year friendship, and how they met? I think that might explain more....

[edit on 25-6-2009 by burntheships]

reply to post by MikeboydUS


Well, They just said he met her on a trade mission.

When I was in college, I worked for a state commerce department, international trade division. We had this guy who was on contract, also a economics professor of mine, who was widely believed - by everyone up and down the food chain - to be a spy. He was married but he "saw" a Chinese woman on the side who was a trade rep for them.

Soooo...what I'm saying is, it happens in those circles.

[edit on 25/6/2009 by kosmicjack]

Let us not miss another subtle point.
This woman is said to be a true beauty.

Sanford's Mistress Identified as Professional, Passionate and Beautiful Brunette...The athletic brunette at the center of a media firestorm....A witness who works in the building described her to Buenos Aires Continental Radio as a beautiful brunette with big eyes who plays tennis on a nearby lawn and runs every morning in her neighborhood...Reports said she devotes much of her time to working out and that she ran in two 10-kilometer races this past year.

foxnews.com

The Gov aint no spring chicken.
Do you think maybe the man has been suckered?

Supposedly, this is the mistress:

rawstory.com...

Originally posted by kosmicjack
Supposedly, this is the mistress:

rawstory.com...

That doesn't look like a agribusiness executive and that reporter's name is spelled Chapur instead of Shapur.

and the 9-11 reporting, this just keeps getting weirder and weirder.

........ I dont see the big deal, .... he broke an imaginary rule.

... let us try to look at this from a different view.

Perhaps he fell out of love with his wife long ago but couldn't leave her for political/social reasons. He meets this woman then falls in love with her. .... by following his heart he has betrayed his family and morals.

Which is worse, .... betraying your family by way of imaginary boundary's ....... or betraying yourself ???

reply to post by IntastellaBurst


He betrayed himself when he betrayed his children. He betrayed himself the minute he stayed in a relationship that he was no longer happy in, he should have left when he knew it was over, before he betrayed anybody and drug his children into this mess.

Back on topic. The big deal is that he was neglegent in his duties. He used tax dollars to run off and have an affair, leaving his responsibilities unattended when he lied to his staff about where he really was.

I'm gonna go off on a far limb here, .... and say your a woman. haha, and all of the sudden he's a baaaad man for misusing tax dollars ??

...... they all misuse tax dollars ! the president himself took kickbacks.

.... I'm just saying, their should be a seperation between an elected leaders personal, .... and professional life. .... really now, does what he did with that women really affect you ??

..... If anything ..... he probably gave a few tax breaks due to all the friendly action .

Well a blog has popped up as well.

mariabelenshapuraffair.blogspot.com...

Calls for the Governor to resign...

Former South Carolina GOP Chairman Katon Dawson predicted that there will be a demand for Gov. Mark Sanford to resign in the wake of admitting he carried on an affair with an Argentine woman.

"That call will come at a fevered pitch shortly," Dawson said in an interview.....

....Dawson, one of the architects of South Carolina's GOP resurgence this decade and runner-up in the race to become RNC chairman earlier this year, said "character and integrity matter to our party."

"It's important to hold our leaders accountable, and Gov. Sanford has flunked that test."

As for the governor's 2012 presidential prospects, Dawson said, "he was a contender, and that’s over with."

www.politico.com...

reply to post by IntastellaBurst

I'm gonna go off on a far limb here, .... and say your a woman.haha, and all of the sudden he's a baaaad man for misusing tax dollars ??

Is my sex really relavent ? And yes i am a woman, why do you have a problem with women ?

There is no all of the sudden, i have always had a problem with politicians that misuse tax dollars. I believe in my first post i stated that i had a problem with him using tax dollars to pay for his fun, if it was true.

No he's a bad Governor for misusing tax dollars, leaving his duties, and lying to his staff about his whereabouts.

...... they all misuse tax dollars ! the president himself took kickbacks.

Yes a lot of them do, and i have a problem with any politicians that misuse other people's money.

Yes he did, and if you care to take the time to look through the endless threads on him as election time drew near to find the few i posted in, you will see that one of the reasons that i listed as to why i wouldn't vote for him was his acceptance of kickback money.

.... I'm just saying, their should be a seperation between an elected leaders personal, .... and professional life. .... really now, does what he did with that women really affect you ??

Yes there should be, however if he misused tax dollars for his personal life, and neglected his duties for his personal life, then he is the one that combined the two, not the public. The minute he combined the two he lost the right to be entitled to the seperation.

I have already previously stated that i don't care what he did with that woman.......

I don't care what that man and his mistress did, or said to each other.

From this post......

www.abovetopsecret.com...

..... If anything ..... he probably gave a few tax breaks due to all the friendly action .

And maybe he gave out some privilaged information due to all the "friendly action".

Originally posted by chise61
reply to post by IntastellaBurst

 

.... I'm just saying, their should be a seperation between an elected leaders personal, .... and professional life. .... really now, does what he did with that women really affect you ??

Yes there should be, however if he misused tax dollars for his personal life, and neglected his duties for his personal life, then he is the one that combined the two, not the public. The minute he combined the two he lost the right to be entitled to the seperation.

Exactly! The mess is all in his own lap.



I am counfpounded at the thought of any one trying to defend this man.
He is an adult (or was supposed to be)...not a child. He knows right from wrong...there is just no defending a two timeing liar.