JENNY SANFORD STATEMENT: Wife Says She Told Him To Leave "To Maintain My Dignity"

South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford's wife, Jenny, issued a statement in which she says that she told him to leave their home two weeks ago "to maintain my dignity, self-respect and my basic sense of right and wrong."

Read the statement:

I would like to start by saying I love my husband and I believe I have put forth every effort possible to be the best wife I can be during our almost twenty years of marriage. As well, for the last fifteen years my husband has been fully engaged in public service to the citizens and taxpayers of this state and I have faithfully supported him in those efforts to the best of my ability. I have been and remain proud of his accomplishments and his service to this state.

I personally believe that the greatest legacy I will leave behind in this world is not the job I held on Wall Street, or the campaigns I managed for Mark, or the work I have done as First Lady or even the philanthropic activities in which I have been routinely engaged. Instead, the greatest legacy I will leave in this world is the character of the children I, or we, leave behind. It is for that reason that I deeply regret the recent actions of my husband Mark, and their potential damage to our children.

I believe wholeheartedly in the sanctity, dignity and importance of the institution of marriage. I believe that has been consistently reflected in my actions. When I found out about my husband's infidelity I worked immediately to first seek reconciliation through forgiveness, and then to work diligently to repair our marriage. We reached a point where I felt it was important to look my sons in the eyes and maintain my dignity, self-respect, and my basic sense of right and wrong. I therefore asked my husband to leave two weeks ago.

This trial separation was agreed to with the goal of ultimately strengthening our marriage. During this short separation it was agreed that Mark would not contact us. I kept this separation quiet out of respect of his public office and reputation, and in hopes of keeping our children from just this type of public exposure. Because of this separation, I did not know where he was in the past week.

I believe enduring love is primarily a commitment and an act of will, and for a marriage to be successful, that commitment must be reciprocal. I believe Mark has earned a chance to resurrect our marriage.

Psalm 127 states that sons are a gift from the Lord and children a reward from Him. I will continue to pour my energy into raising our sons to be honorable young men. I remain willing to forgive Mark completely for his indiscretions and to welcome him back, in time, if he continues to work toward reconciliation with a true spirit of humility and repentance.

This is a very painful time for us and I would humbly request now that members of the media respect the privacy of my boys and me as we struggle together to continue on with our lives and as I seek the wisdom of Solomon, the strength and patience of Job and the grace of God in helping to heal my family.

Comments

[constantcomments]

I think this is payback for Republicans harrassing gays who want to get married and all the other ways they demonstrate their narrow-mindedness and hatred of anything they don't agree with. The hypocrasy is so heavy their cup runneth over. Also what about him using a state vehicle under false pretenses, I am sure there is a rule against that. is he exempt because he is the Govenor? And to all those people who say they need their privacy Hillary Clinton didn't get any privacy?

[loria]

I noticed she had to slip in the comment about the sanctity of marriage. I still feel bad for her, but she lost a bit of my sympathy with that comment.

[roshni]

agree.

[whataretheysmoking]

so true.

[roshni]

He has been traveling to Argentina using public funds. Nail him!

[loria]

Absolutely!

[Harold Love]

Another holier than thou Republican protecting the institution of marriage through faith and family values. Way to go.

[rossitheaussi]

Holier Than Thou, GOP Hypocrisy at its best, is he going to resign? bet not.

[FRobert]

She evokes Solomon who, it is written, had hundreds of sexual partners.
She evokes Job whose wife and children were killed and then spent a lot of time railing against the unfairness of it all.
If the Governor would really be interested in reconciliation, he wouldn't have gone to Argentina to be with his mistress.

[biotechwoman]

He has no interest in reconciliation, unless it saves him from divorce lawyers. I hope this woman castrates this man financially.

[Know-some-secrets]

but Bill and HIllary have reconciled and reconciled and reconciled for 30 years. All Mrs. Sanford has to do is learn to look the other way, and concentrate on her own career.

[placpje]

Fixated much?

[canadiansoccermom]

They separate to help the marriage so he runs to Argentina, and she will take him back?
He made his choice. While it is wonderful to be forgiving, it takes two to be married.

[Know-some-secrets]

in your model for marriage, how do you interrpret Bill Clinton's serial adultery, and Hillary's acceptance of it?

[placpje]

Others aren't obsessed with the Clinton marriage.

[thepoliticalcat]

Bill and Hill aren't bible-thumpers proclaiming the sanctity of (het er os ex. u. al) marriage. That means what they do with their pants is their own business.

[samjer]

Thats thier business, not yours.

[moonbay]

I think Portia has already apologized for this. Unfortunately, gay marriage can't be defended from. All the while it wreaks havoc on straight marriage. ;-)

[thaneb]

Having been expelled from the marital home for a trial separation one would have thought the governor would have been more circumspect and empathic than to go off to his lover over Father's day, no less.

[slarabee]

Exactly. He sounds like a self serving self involved jerk. Perfect GOP man.

[moonwatcher]

She did what she had to do. It was up to him to announce the separation. He wouldn't have been in the position he is today if he had been more up front. His real problem is he left his office without any notification of where he was and who was in charge. How many more times has he done this. Who paid for his travels.

[TheShadow]

This "man" is repulsive, and is bnakrupt both morally, and ethically.­...So bring on the next "Best and Brightest" Republican presidential candidate.

(I guess we'll just have to wait and see as they are falling like the dead leaves from the political heights of the trees in the Fall season).

Couldn't of happen to a nicer joke of a man of "family values", Religious Right, hypocrite. Oh I forgot...H­e isn't "perfect".­..Just "forgiven". Yeah right!

[JustJoy7]

I appreciate that she didn't do the customary stroll in front of the cameras with him. One should suffer that kind of humiliation on their own because the wife didn't crawl between the sheets with them. You did it, you face it...ALONE­.

[thrugreeneyez]

I second that sentiment!

[roshni]

absolutely.

[Know-some-secrets]

exactly, no Hillary Clinton stand by you man act for her.

[JustJoy7]

She might stand by him in the end. She said they may get back together, but since we went off to the MISTRESS to reconcile the marriage, I wouldn't look back at him.

As for Hillary Clinton, she never did stroll on the media stage with him. Ultimately, she stood by him but that's because she's no fool. She did what most women would have done if they were the first lady of these United States of America. Try not to forget that there is a whole lot of infidelity going on and most don't leave, so why should these people leave because they are public figures. Just saying.

[JustJoy7]

Now that statement was a CLASS ACT!!! Whew!!! Gave me chills.

She is trying to allow space for reconciliation and forgiveness, and he hikes off to the other woman who, together with her husband, is the cause of her broken faith and devotion.

I think that marriage has run its course. Money, sex, and drugs are they most powerful and destructive force in our unrealistic society.

[IAM4CLINTON]

Wow- what a gracious statement in what must be the most troubling time in her life. Never have heard of this lady before- but she seems like a class act. May God be with her to give her the strength to work through this.

[richmc]

How disappointingly banal. Yeah, she's gonna keep him close, so she can spend the rest of their lives butchering him emotionally.

[Hans Meiser]

Wow, that's damning. Is there evidence that she is of such character?
I admit, I haven't heard about the lady until now.

It sounds to me that she wants him to repair whatever can be repaired in the relationships with their kids. And there is a lot of repair work to be done.

[Know-some-secrets]

yep, Bill and HIlary have a perpetual soap opera, but what about the Sanfords?

[lbicomber]

Obsessed, jealous Clinton-h8ers shouldn't try to do humor.

It's embarassing.

[yellowdogdemocratic]

Jenny, he went straight to Argentina after you kicked him out. Wake up!!

[Know-some-secrets]

yes, wake up. Just ask the Clintons how to incorporate serial infidelity into a happy marriage, and move on. Stop with the concern for your sons' character development and living your values already.

[yellowdogdemocratic]

You are right! These two should be vilified for adultry just as the Clintons were.

[lbicomber]

You know nothing about the Clinton's elationship, ...

.... except what you fantasize about.

[Polichick66]

Very well said. While no fan of the Governor, we should all leave them alone right now. She and the 4 kids, and should be left to work this out privately.

[sheikwil4]

well he wasn,t this generous to bill clinton. he should resign and then go work on his marriage.

[roshni]

every one who picked on Bill Clinton deserves to be attacked relentlessly for their hypocrisy.