SC governor, family to leave on long-planned European vacation Thursday

SC gov., family go on European vacation Thursday

COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford and his family are heading to Europe for a long-planned family vacation.

Sanford would not say Wednesday exactly where his family will go on the trip. But he says the State Law Enforcement Division knows his plans and he will be in touch with his office daily.

Sanford leaves Thursday and will be back Aug. 5.

The last time he left the country was a secret trip to Argentina to see his mistress in June. He told his staff he was hiking the Appalachian Trail and publicly confessed his yearlong affair when he returned.

The governor says he and his wife, Jenny, had planned the trip to Europe with their four sons for some time. They returned Monday from several days away as they work on their marriage.