South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford met with his lover on a trip funded by taxpayer money to Brazil and Argentina last year, according to documents released by the state's Department of Commerce and e-mails exchanged between the Governor and the woman in question.

The South Carolina Department of Commerce paid more than $8,000 for the trips, according to documents.
Sanford acknowledged the trips and said that he would reimburse the state.

"... While the purpose of this trip was an entirely professional and appropriate business development trip, I made a mistake while I was there in meeting with the woman who I was unfaithful to my wife with," Sanford said.
"That has raised some very legitimate concerns and questions, and as such I am going to reimburse the state for the full cost of the Argentina leg of this trip."

South Carolina Senator Jake Knotts said that he would call for an investigation of the matter by the State Law Enforcement Division into Sanford's activities at a press conference.

Knotts said that he wanted to know what went on in several situations, including how much state money was used for the visits and how many times the visits were carried out.

• E-mails between Sanford, lover revealed