La Nacion newspaper in Buenos Aires has identified the woman in Agentina with whom Governor Mark Sanford has been having an affair.  43-year-old Maria Belen Chapeur is described as a mother of two sons from a previous marriage.  A neighbor described her to the newpaper as a beautiful brunette who plays tennis, goes jogging and has large eyes.

Meanwhile, a number of Internet rumors say the governor will resign between Friday and Monday.   Many have been pure speculation, beginning with the one that promised a 5:00 p.m. Thursday announcement.  But Sanford was with his family in Sullivan’s Island Thursday. 

But he will be in Columbia Friday.  Sanford has called a cabinet meeting for 12:30 p.m. Friday.   Lexington County Republican Senator Jake Knotts has called a press conference for 1:00 p.m. Friday at the Statehouse. 

In a press release Thursday, Sanford said that he attended a trade mission with the Department of Commerce last June in Argentina with government and private business officials in both Brazil and Argentina. He says the purpose of that trip was an entirely professional and appropriate business development trip, but he also says he made the mistake of meeting with the woman at that time with whom he was having a relationship. Because of that, Sanford says he will reimburse the state for the full cost of the Argentina leg of that trip.

And how does Sanford’s behavior look compared to his criticism of former President Bill Clinton’s affair more than a decade ago?

The Charleston quoted Sanford in 1998 saying this about Clinton, “I think it would be much better for the country and for him personally (to resign). I come from the business side. If you had a chairman or president in the business world facing these allegations, he’d be gone.”

CNN quoted Sanford five months later, saying, “The issue of lying is probably the biggest harm, if you will, to the system of Democratic government, representatives government, because it undermines trust. And if you undermine trust in our system, you undermine everything.”

Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour(barber) says he doesn’t think South Carolina’s governor should resign. Governor Mark Sanford admitted to having an affair with a woman from Argentina, but Barbour – a Republican — isn’t among those calling for Sanford’s resignation.

“In my career, I’ve made it a point that I don’t talk about people’s personal problems. I don’t think it’s polite. I don’t think it’s appropriate and I don’t think it advances the ball down the field,” Barbour says.  “The people of South Carolina have got to decide and he’s got to decide whether he ever wants to run for anything and I don’t want to prejudge that based on what I think is a personal tragedy for his family.”

Barbour was in Iowa Thursday to headline an Iowa G-O-P fundraiser and taped a show for Iowa Public Television. Barbour is the new chairman of the Republican Governors Association after Sanford stepped down Tuesday. Barbour was hesitant to address complaints about Sanford’s erratic behavior and the lies told his staff.

Governor Barbour hestitated to comment on the accusation that Sanford lied.  

“I don’t know what he said to different people. He didn’t say anything to me, so I’m not going to prejudge that,” Barbour said. “But look, the Sanfords have got something they’ve got to work through. I think they’re trying work through it and what that means politically right now, for them, is probably a whole lot less important than what it means for their family.”

Nevada Senator John Ensign (EN-sihn) was the first and Sandford is the second Republican among those considered potential presidential candidates to admit to an affair this month. Barbour maintains neither admission will have any impact at the ballot box. And Barbour says the chances of him(Barbour) running for President are slim, but he never says never.

(Thanks to Kay Henderson, Radio Iowa)

The governor’s office release this late this afternoon. Spokesman Joel Sawyer has not released any details.
STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA
OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR
MARK SANFORD, GOVERNOR

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Governor Sanford to Hold Cabinet Meeting Tomorrow

Columbia, S.C. – June 25, 2009 – Governor Mark Sanford will hold a Cabinet meeting tomorrow (Friday, June 26, 2009) at 12:30 p.m. The Cabinet meeting will take place in the Governor’s Conference Room in the Wade Hampton Building at the S.C. Statehouse complex.

One of Governor Mark Sanford’s staunchest critics in the General Assembly has been Richland County Democratic Representative Joe Neal. A seasoned South Carolina politician, Neal is also an ordained Baptist minister. Neal says he was shocked by the news of Sanford’s affair with a woman from Argentina. Neal says no matter what your political persuasion may be, this is about a hurting family having to deal with a very personal ordeal in the public eye.

“I think it’s important that all of us realize that we are still dealing with human beings and human lives. I think the media and those of us in the public need to be mindful of that and give this family an opportunity to deal with theses issues without undo intrusion and Unkindness on the part of the public.”Neal says in a situation like this he would hope that people of all persuasions would show there humanity and for a time strip off their political labels and push aside any negative feelings you may harbor against the Governor.

“All too often i think the impulse is the exact opposite, “close in for the kill.” I hope that will not be the impulse here. I think the politics of this will take care of itself in due time. My concern right now is obviously for his family and the state itself.”

Neal says Whether you agree or disagree with his politics, Mark Sanford is the Governor of South Carolina and when the state’s chief executive office is hit with a major problem or scandal, the whole state feels the hurt, the shame.

“We have been through a lot as a state recently, and this simply makes it more painful. I’d like to see this state finished with this period of suffering that we’ve gone through both economically and politically, and now what the Governor is going through. I’d like to see it all behind us.”

Neal says no matter what happens with Sanford’s situation, the state must move on. It must move forward.

Thou The Constitution of the state of South Carolina gives the House of Representatives and the Senate the power to impeach the Governor and remove him from office by a two-thirds vote, Neal says only one person can truly decide if Governor Sanford can still govern effectively.

“I think that is something that he will have to decide whether or not he has enough in the way of authority and credibility and influence to be effective and I think he is the only one who is in a position to mke that call. I don’t think we can in the legislature, I don’t think I can as an individual. I think that is a choice he’ll have to make.”