Former SC Governor Mark Sanford Ends Engagement In Bizarre Facebook Post
Mark Sanford, the infamous former South Carolina governor, revealed via Facebook that he has called off his engagement to Maria Belen Chapur. Maria was Sanford’s mistress for a time before the GOP Rep. revealed his affair and split from his wife to be with Chapur.
Sanford made national headlines five years ago after he disappeared for several days and resurfaced soon after, admitting in tearful press conference that he’d traveled to Argentina to visit Chapur. Before revealing his whereabouts and coming clean about his relationship with Chapur, an aide had told the press that Mark was hiking the Appalachian Trail. After announcing his affair, Sanford revealed that he had used taxpayer money to pay for a trip to Argentina to be with his now ex-fiancee. Mark and his ex-wife had been estranged when news of the scandal broke.
Mark announced the end of his relationship with Chapur, whom he refers to as Belen, on Friday in a lengthy post to his Facebook page. The 2,000-plus word, highly personal post criticized Sanford’s ex-wife Jenny, who he outwardly blamed for the demise of his engagement due to an ongoing custody battle.
“No relationship can stand forever this tension of being forced to pick between the one you love and your own son or daughter, and for this reason Belen and I have decided to call off the engagement,” Mark said in the post. “Maybe there will be another chapter when waters calm with Jenny, but at this point the environment is not conducive to building anything given no one would want to be caught in the middle of what’s now happening.”
Post by Congressman Mark Sanford.
Sanford’s post also addressed his ex-wife’s criticism of him, going into great detail to clarify specific terms of the custody arrangement which Sanford apparently claims to paint him in a negative light. One supposed claim, that Jenny’s lawyers forbid him from consuming alcohol or illegal drugs in the presence of his children, was described by Mark as “really crazy.”
“Why would one throw out the need for restraint if it were not a problem — or if one did not want to raise the specter of a problem? On this one all I can ask is that you talk to anyone who has seen or known me over my entire 54 years in the Low Country,” Sanford wrote. “I have never taken any illegal drug in my life. I did not drink in high school or college and though I do drink now, my consumption is so limited that my friends give me a hard time about it. I will have but one beer or two when out at a social occasion.”
In his statement, Mark did make a point to recognize and appreciate Jenny as a mother, despite calling her out for various aspects of the custody battle and blaming her for his recent split.
“I believe these boys have a mom who loves them and cares about them. I will never attempt to detract from her or all the positive things she has done in her life, but having to go frequently to ask a former spouse when you can have time with a son is a recipe for conflict,” Sanford said. “I hope and believe Jenny and I can find a new way.”
Mark’s rambling statement concluded with the congressman acknowledging the personal nature of the post and asking for privacy and prayers.
“This posting has been most personal, but again given the gravity of what has been alleged I felt compelled to address it and the larger context of where our family is and where we are headed. I ask for both your prayers and consideration in this process.”
Sanford, whose reputation and credibility was thought to have been all but destroyed in the eyes of South Carolinians, surprised many last year when he won the bid to become the next representative of South Carolina’s first congressional district. Mark was, at the time, facing trespassing charges from his ex-wife.
Mark Sanford currently lives in Charleston, South Carolina.
[Image via Google]
