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Published on 7/1/2009

It was a mind-bending day of confessions and subsequent political jockeying by gubernatorial hopefuls. It began with a bombshell lobbed by the governor himself.

In an interview with The Associated Press, Sanford said he took more trips to see his mistress than he had said during his emotional public confession last week, and that he had "physical contact" with other women but didn't cross the sex line with them.

These admissions, in turn, prompted Attorney General Henry McMaster to ask SLED to review Sanford's travel records to determine whether any laws had been broken.

At day's end, SLED's director hinted that a preliminary examination of the government's records had uncovered no criminal wrongdoing. By then, new political brushfires were burning across the state.

The South Carolina Democratic Party released a video called "No Laughing Matter," highlighting how the Sanford saga had turned the Palmetto State into a national punchline. Republican Party stalwarts were organizing anti-Sanford protests later this week at the Statehouse.

Even some of Sanford's staunchest allies said they felt betrayed by a man who had long touted the importance of virtue and principles, and some were circulating a letter calling for his resignation.

Until the explosive AP interview, McMaster, one of many candidates running for governor, had resisted calls for a criminal investigation into whether Sanford misused public money or broke other laws during his trysts with his Argentine mistress, Maria Belen Chapur.

But as news of Sanford's latest revelations spread Tuesday, McMaster shifted course:

"In light of the governor's disclosure of additional travel today," McMaster said in a statement, "I have requested that SLED conduct a preliminary review of all Governor Sanford's travel records to determine if any laws have been broken or any state funds misused."

The governor's office responded immediately with its own statement: "We're pleased that SLED will look into this matter. There's been a lot of speculation and innuendo on whether or not public moneys were used to advance my admitted unfaithfulness.

"To be very clear: no public money was ever used in connection with this. We believe the best way to put those questions to rest once and for all is for SLED to ask these questions, and we plan on cooperating fully."

Later, Sanford wrote a check for $2,969.58 to cover money spent on the Argentine leg of an economic development trip he took last year that included a liaison with his mistress. "He is very much committed to remaining on as governor," said Joel Sawyer, the governor's press secretary.

But the drumbeats calling for Sanford's head grew louder, particularly from those who want his job in 2010.

One of the biggest defections from the Sanford camp was Republican Larry Grooms of Bonneau, also a gubernatorial candidate. Grooms said he told the governor last week that he had lost the "moral integrity to lead this state. ... If the GOP is not the party of personal responsibility, then what are we?"

Grooms joined other longtime Sanford backers, Sen. Kevin Bryant, R-Anderson, and Sen. Larry Martin, R-Pickens, in calling for Sanford's resignation. Senate Majority Leader Harvey Peeler of Gaffney also said Sanford should step down.

Sensing an opening, Democrats issued their own resignation demands. Sen. Vincent Sheheen of Camden, who is running for governor, issued a statement saying "his failure in his public office and the repercussions affect us all."

Others were more forgiving. Powerful state Sen. Glenn McConnell, R-Charleston, said, "Whether he's had a girlfriend or had other relationships in his private life, that's his business. I don't think the Legislature should try to be a moral police force."

If Sanford does quit, Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer, yet another gubernatorial candidate, would get his job.

Speaking from his office in the Statehouse, Bauer said Tuesday he didn't want to become governor through another's misfortune, but that he's "concerned about how our state looks, not only in our (country) but around the world. This story's not going away."

He said he didn't believe it was his place to say whether Sanford should resign.

"The problem with the situation we have now is, there are so many people wanting to run for governor that are concerned more about their political future than moving forward," Bauer said, adding that bloggers for other candidates were fanning the Sanford-should-resign flames.

State Sen. Jake Knotts, a Republican from West Columbia who first raised questions about Sanford's whereabouts, said he wants a grand jury to determine whether Sanford's actions constitute "misconduct in public office."

Knotts noted that McMaster last year prosecuted Lenneau Berry, the former mayor of Latta, on such a charge. Berry pleaded guilty last year to misusing town funds. A judge sentenced him to probation and ordered him to pay $2,757.51 in restitution. Sanford ordered Berry be stripped of his mayoral powers.

"I want to exhaust all remedies to find out what happened," Knotts said after a television appearance in Charleston, adding that he wasn't running for governor.

He said his agency's look into the issue didn't technically qualify as a criminal investigation, and that Sanford had fully cooperated when agents requested public and private documents.

Lloyd said he met Monday with officials with the State Ethics Commission and the attorney general's office over the governor's economic development mission last June to South America, and that he had formed a personal opinion about whether the governor had broken any laws.

Noting that Sanford appointed him, Lloyd said he didn't think it was a conflict of interest for SLED to review the governor's records, and that he wouldn't let SLED be politicized. "As long as I'm here, I'll guarantee that I'll quit before I let that happen."