SC governor’s whereabouts unknown, even to wife

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Where is South Carolina’s governor?

The lieutenant governor doesn’t know, and neither does a state senator who’s a close confidante. Even Gov. Mark Sanford’s wife is in the dark.

And while his staff said they knew where he was, a spokesman said he wasn’t aware that any of them had spoken with the governor since Thursday. Sanford’s wife said she hasn’t heard from him in several days, including Father’s Day.

“He was writing something and wanted some space to get away from the kids,” Jenny Sanford told The Associated Press while vacationing with the couple’s four sons at their Sullivans Island beach house. She said she didn’t know where he was, but wasn’t concerned.

Sanford, who’s also chairman of the Republican Governors Association, earned a reputation as the nation’s most vocal anti-bailout governor by refusing $700 million in federal stimulus money for schools until he lost a court battle earlier this month.

His spokesman Joel Sawyer said the governor was taking a break after losing the fight.

“Gov. Sanford is taking some time away from the office this week to recharge after the stimulus battle and the legislative session and to work on a couple of projects that have fallen by the wayside,” Sawyer said.

Sawyer told The Associated Press that he hadn’t spoken with Sanford since Thursday and wasn’t aware that any other member of the governor’s staff had, either. The governor told his staff where he was going last week and planned to check in.

“If an emergency arose and we were unable to immediately reach him, we would obviously consult with other state officials before making any decisions,” including Bauer, Sawyer said.

Sawyer wouldn’t say where the Sanford was, but said it was an area with limited communication.

A post-session wind-down isn’t uncommon and he goes “out of pocket for a few days at a time to clear his head,” Sawyer said. “Obviously, that’s going to be somewhat out of the question this time given the attention this particular absence has gotten.”

Asked how he knew the governor was OK, Sawyer referred a reporter to his prepared statements. “Again, this is not unusual. We are not at all concerned,” Sawyer said. He expected Sanford would return later this week.

Law enforcement officials who handle his security declined to comment and Sawyer wouldn’t say whether Sanford had a security detail with him. Sanford is known for taking walks and runs without security, but flight logs show he seldom leaves the state without it.

Sanford typically is open about his whereabouts, and his office makes no secret of time spent on vacation or out of state.

But politicians, including the lieutenant governor, said they did not know Sanford was taking time away from his office.

State Sen. Tom Davis, a Beaufort Republican, Sanford confidante and former chief of staff, said his calls to Sanford were going straight to voice mail. Calls from The Associated Press to the governor’s cell phone also went to voice mail.

Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer said he didn’t know where Sanford was but said he had not been put in charge.

Sanford’s critics were quick to criticize the governor.

“It’s one thing for the boys to go off by themselves, but on Fathers Day to leave your family behind? That’s erratic,” said Senate Minority Leader John Land, D-Manning.

Sanford’s unannounced absence was a cause for concern because the National Guard and the state’s top law enforcement agencies report to him, Land said.

“And when those officials can’t get in touch with the commander, it’s really weird. That’s not responsible,” he said.

Sen. Jake Knotts, a Lexington Republican and a persistent Sanford critic, said the state needs to know where its governor is.

“The way things are in the world today and homeland security, we need the governor to be fingertips away,” Knotts said. “Somebody’s got to be in charge.”

Associated Press Writer Bruce Smith in Sullivans Island contributed to this report.