Thursday, Jun. 25, 2009

Timeline: How the story unfolded

Last week, Gov. Mark Sanford confessed to having an extramarital affair. How the story unfolded.

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Thursday

Sanford leaves the Governor’s Mansion about 1:45 p.m. in a black State Law Enforcement Division Suburban assigned to his security detail. He leaves the Suburban at Columbia Metropolitan Airport.

A mobile telephone tower in Atlanta, near Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, picks up a signal from Sanford’s phone at about 5:40 p.m. It is the last signal before his phones are turned off for days. Sanford later said he had been at the airport that day and boarded a flight to Buenos Aires, Argentina.

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Friday

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

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Saturday

The governor’s office reports to state police 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 Sanford’s whereabouts are unknown.

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Sunday

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

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Monday

Monday morning. Reporters hear rumors 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 first lady Jenny Sanford says she does not know where her husband is but that he is taking time away from their four boys “to write something.” She says she is not worried.

Midafternoon. Sanford’s security officials are told by the governor’s office 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. Sanford spokesman Joel Sawyer denies the governor’s staffers told Bauer’s office someone had spoken with Sanford. Sawyer will not say whether the governor is in the United States.

5 p.m. As media inquiries escalate to include national news outlets, 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.

10:05 p.m. The governor’s office issues a statement saying Sanford is hiking on the Appalachian Trail. Staff members say they do not know where Sanford is on the trail.Tuesday

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

8 p.m. An anonymous caller tells The State that Sanford was seen on a flight last week from Atlanta to Buenos Aires. The newspaper, months before, had received e-mails that purported to be romantic exchanges between Sanford and an Argentine woman. The e-mails could not be authenticated at the time.

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Wednesday

6:15 a.m. A reporter for The State finds Sanford at the Atlanta airport getting off a flight from Buenos Aires. The governor admits he had not, as his staff had reported, been on the Appalachian Trial. Sanford said he had been driving the Argentinian coast and had been alone.

About 11 a.m. The State informs the governor’s office it has the e-mails that detail an extramarital relationship. Sanford already had called a 2 p.m. news conference.

2:20 p.m. A tearful Sanford admits he had been having an affair with a woman from Argentina. He apologizes to his wife and the public and said he is resigning his chairmanship of the Republican Governor’s Association. He later said he would not step down as governor.

— Clif LeBlanc and John O’Connor

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