SC Gov. Mark Sanford's Wife Hits The (Non-Appalachian) Trail

The wife of South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford has filed for divorce in the wake her public humiliation when her husband was caught with his Argentine mistress.

Sanford said in a written statement Friday that the decision to file for divorce came after "many unsuccessful efforts at reconciliation," but that she's committed to keeping the process "peaceful for our family." "As so many of us know, the dissolution of any marriage is a sad and painful process. It is also a very personal and private one. Because Mark and I are public figures, we have naturally had less privacy with which to deal with our difficulties than do other couples," she said. "Indeed, I know it will soon become known so I choose to release this brief notice that I am now filing for divorce."

Earlier this week the South Carolina legislature decided not to pursue removing Gov. Sanford from office, saying they couldn't act on another person's personal immorality. They were singing a different song in 2007 when they ratified a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage.