SC gov resurfaces after mystery trip to Argentina

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford is resurfacing after a mystery five-day absence and plans to speak to reporters for the first time.

Sanford scheduled a news conference for 2 p.m. Wednesday at his office in Columbia. This comes hours after he told a newspaper he had traveled to Argentina — contradicting his staff’s explanations that he had been hiking the Appalachian Trail since last Thursday.

The State reported that Sanford arrived Wednesday morning at Atlanta’s international airport on a flight from Buenos Aires.

Sanford’s spokesman Joel Sawyer declined to comment Wednesday morning to The Associated Press. The governor did not return cell phone messages seeking comment. Sanford’s critics are slamming his administration for lying to the public.

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press.