Sanford to pay costs for 2008 taxpayer-funded trip

South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford (R) maintained Thursday that his trip to Argentina last June was for professional purposes, but said he would reimburse the state for the costs of the trip.

“As noted by the Department of Commerce, I attended a trade mission with the Department of Commerce last June,” Sanford said in a statement. “This trip was handled very professionally by the Department of Commerce, and I’m proud of their work there.”

“However, while the purpose of this trip was an entirely professional and appropriate business development trip, I made a mistake while I was there in meeting with the woman who I was unfaithful to my wife with,” he added. “That has raised some very legitimate concerns and questions, and as such I am going to reimburse the state for the full cost of the Argentina leg of this trip.”

Sanford admitted Wednesday to conducting an extramarital affair with Maria Belen Chapur, a 43-year-old Argentinian woman, after disappearing mysteriously from his state.

Questions had been raised about taxpayer funding for Sanford’s trip last June after he revealed in a press conference that that was around the time he started the affair.