S.C. Gov. Sanford away on secret trip

COLUMBIA, S.C., June 22 (UPI) -- South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford, who had been out of contact with state officials for four days, was hiking on the Appalachian Trail, aides said Monday.

Sanford's office staff and security personnel had not heard from him since Thursday when he left the governor's mansion in a sport utility vehicle assigned to his security detail, The (Columbia, S.C.) State reported Monday, citing state Sen. Jake Knotts, as well as other sources who did not want to be named.

The governor's office issued a statement Monday saying Sanford was "taking some time away from the office this week to recharge" following a dispute with South Carolina lawmakers over whether to accept federal stimulus funds and working on "a couple of projects that have fallen by the wayside."

"We are not going to discuss the specifics of his travel arrangements or his security arrangements," the statement said.

A spokesman for Sanford, Joel Sawyer, declined Monday to tell The State where the governor was hiking or whether he was hiking alone, or whether he was even in the United States.

"Before leaving last week, he let staff know his whereabouts and that he'd be difficult to reach," he said.

A mobile telephone tower near Atlanta picked up a signal from Sanford's cell phone late last week, but since then there has been no trace of his whereabouts, a source familiar with the situation told The State. Sanford's state-issued and personal phones have been turned off and he has not replied to messages, a source said.

Sanford often goes on trips with his security detail, the newspaper said.