‘Love Guv’ Mark Sanford|Settles Trespassing Case

CHARLESTON, S.C. (CN) - Congressman-elect Mark Sanford on Wednesday settled the trespassing complaint his ex-wife Jenny filed in April.

Sanford was scheduled to appear in filed in Charleston County Family Court this morning, two days winning a special election in the state's 1st Congressional District.

The settlement was confirmed by a Sanford spokesman.

Sanford admitted being in contempt of the couple's divorce decree and agreed to pay $5,000 to defray his ex-wife's court costs, the spokesman said.

Sanford also agreed to stay away from her property or face up to a year in prison, a $1,500 fine and as many as 300 hours of community service.

Family Court Judge Jocelyn Cate held off on sentencing Sanford for contempt, based upon his compliance, according to the Charleston Post and Courier.

Sanford appeared to be coasting toward an easy victory in the race to replace former 1st District Congressman Tim Scott, when the trespassing charge came to light and for a time appeared to knock his campaign back on its heels.

In her complaint, Jenny Sanford said she discovered the former governor leaving her home the night of Feb. 3, using his cell phone as a flashlight. He claimed he had gone to her home to watch the Super Bowl with his youngest son, and had been unable to reach her beforehand.

Sanford's Democratic challenger Elizabeth Colbert-Busch surged in the polls, but her momentum flagged during the final weekend of the campaign.

On Tuesday, Sanford defeated Colbert-Busch, sister of Comedy Central star Stephen Colbert, by a margin of 54-45 percent.

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