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Gov. Sanford will not face criminal charges

http://66.225.205.104/JR20100503.mp3

South Carolina Attorney General Henry McMaster says Governor Mark Sanford will not face criminal charges for his conduct and travel surrounding his now-infamous love affair. It's just shy of one year since Governor Sanford stood in the rotunda of the South Carolina state capitol building and confessed. "I um, I've been unfaithful to my wife," he said, haltingly on the afternoon of June 24, 2009. "I developed a relationship with what started as a dear, dear friend from Argentina." Sanford had been essentially missing for five days prior to that press conference while secretly visiting his Argentine mistress. The absence prompted multiple investigations into his travel and use of state resources. State lawmakers attempted to impeach Sanford but ultimately settled for censure. Last month, Sanford paid $74,000 in fines to settle ethics charges. Now South Carolina Attorney General Henry McMaster says he will not press criminal charges against Sanford. McMaster says the "evidence does not support beyond a reasonable doubt that the governor intentionally set out to break state law." The announcement officially ends a saga that has made South Carolina fodder for late-night comedians. Sanford will leave office at the end of this year because of term-limits.