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Why Palin Quit (Death by a Thousand FOIA's)
Wall St Journal ^ | 7/7/2009 | John Fund

Posted on 07/08/2009 11:38:25 AM PDT by SonOfDarkSkies

People close to Sarah Palin say national political reporters and pundits have missed the real reasons for her surprising decision to resign as Alaska governor. The national media have dismissed or downplayed her real motives, which had little to do with any plans to run for president in 2012.

Contrary to most reports, her decision had been in the works for months, accelerating recently as it became clear that controversies and endless ethics investigations were threatening to overshadow her legislative agenda. "Attacks inside Alaska and largely invisible to the national media had paralyzed her administration," someone close to the governor told me. "She was fully aware she would be branded a 'quitter.' She did not want to disappoint her constituents, but she was no longer able to do the job she had been elected to do. Essentially, the taxpayers were paying for Sarah to go to work every day and defend herself."

This situation developed because Alaska's transparency laws allow anyone to file Freedom of Information Act requests. While normally useful, in the hands of political opponents FOIA requests can become a means to bog down a target in a bureaucratic quagmire, thanks to the need to comb through records and respond by a strict timetable. Similarly, ethics investigations are easily triggered and can drag on for months even if the initial complaint is flimsy. Since Ms. Palin returned to Alaska after the 2008 campaign, some 150 FOIA requests have been filed and her office has been targeted for investigation by everyone from the FBI to the Alaska legislature...

(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events; US: Alaska
KEYWORDS: johnfund; palinresignation; waronsarah
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1 posted on 07/08/2009 11:38:25 AM PDT by SonOfDarkSkies
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To: SonOfDarkSkies
"This situation developed because Alaska's transparency laws allow anyone to file Freedom of Information Act requests. While normally useful, in the hands of political opponents FOIA requests can become a means to bog down a target in a bureaucratic quagmire, thanks to the need to comb through records and respond by a strict timetable. Similarly, ethics investigations are easily triggered and can drag on for months even if the initial complaint is flimsy."

Obama's political operatives discovered this when they went to Alaska last year before the election.

2 posted on 07/08/2009 11:41:24 AM PDT by SonOfDarkSkies (Obama: "Enough about me, let's talk about you...what do you think of me?")
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To: SonOfDarkSkies

Not much different from NK’s cyber attack. Perhaps as a parting act, Sarah will declare the MSM domestic terrorists.


3 posted on 07/08/2009 11:42:50 AM PDT by NonValueAdded ("I've conquered my goddam willpower." Don Marquis)
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To: SonOfDarkSkies

‘”This situation developed because Alaska’s transparency laws allow anyone to file Freedom of Information Act requests. While normally useful, in the hands of political opponents FOIA requests can become a means to bog down a target in a bureaucratic quagmire, thanks to the need to comb through records and respond by a strict timetable. Similarly, ethics investigations are easily triggered and can drag on for months even if the initial complaint is flimsy.”’

Ebb and flow.

Soon, Alaska wont have a Gov. of Palin’s character.


4 posted on 07/08/2009 11:43:52 AM PDT by BGHater (Insanity is voting for Republicans and expecting Conservatism.)
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To: SonOfDarkSkies

Sarah Palin didn’t quit. The governorship of Alaska had become a box that the Democrats and leftist smear machine had trapped her in. She realized that so long as she was governor, she couldn’t travel outside of the state, say certain things, or do certain things without being attacked. She decided to step out of the trap. Sarah Palin didn’t quit. She escaped a trap.


5 posted on 07/08/2009 11:45:25 AM PDT by Question_Assumptions
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To: SonOfDarkSkies
she was no longer able to do the job she had been elected to do

Good thing she was only a governor.
6 posted on 07/08/2009 11:46:23 AM PDT by LearsFool ("Thou shouldst not have been old, till thou hadst been wise.")
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To: SonOfDarkSkies

I guess there is no difference to the media between ‘resign’ and quit’.


7 posted on 07/08/2009 11:46:49 AM PDT by Leg Olam (TOP SECRET! Os plan, 1 invade Poland 2 annex Sudetenland...)
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To: SonOfDarkSkies

I think I heard her say in her first news conference that this ‘resignation’ decision had been in the works for a long time.


8 posted on 07/08/2009 11:47:17 AM PDT by Matchett-PI (Obama has entered the "cracking stage" of his presidency. ~ Gagdad)
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To: SonOfDarkSkies

Bookmark.


9 posted on 07/08/2009 11:48:34 AM PDT by ravingnutter
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Winning ticket for 2012: Palin / Cheney (Liz, that is).


10 posted on 07/08/2009 11:48:46 AM PDT by Matchett-PI (Obama has entered the "cracking stage" of his presidency. ~ Gagdad)
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To: SonOfDarkSkies

Yep. And as a private citizen, she can contact who she wants. And tell these cows to stuff it.


11 posted on 07/08/2009 11:52:39 AM PDT by SueRae
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To: SonOfDarkSkies

Saul Alinsky rule....use your enemy’s rules AGAINST them. Republicans voted for a CLEAN, TRANSPARENT government, and the LEFT took ADVANTAGE of this to CRIPPLE Sarah and Alaska!!


12 posted on 07/08/2009 11:53:01 AM PDT by Ann Archy (Abortion....the Human Sacrifice to the god of Convenience.)
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To: Question_Assumptions

She couldn’t even go to the Republican GOVERNOR’S meeting, IIRC.


13 posted on 07/08/2009 11:53:54 AM PDT by Ann Archy (Abortion....the Human Sacrifice to the god of Convenience.)
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To: Matchett-PI

My sentiment, too. IF not 2012, then 2016. Either way, those two are here to stay.


14 posted on 07/08/2009 11:53:58 AM PDT by SueRae
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To: Matchett-PI
Winning ticket for 2012: Palin / Cheney (Liz, that is).

Yeah, cuz one's political opponents throw in the towel and go home once you make it to the White House. So then you don't have to deal with the same attacks a governor would...and would resign because of.

/sarc
15 posted on 07/08/2009 11:54:09 AM PDT by LearsFool ("Thou shouldst not have been old, till thou hadst been wise.")
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To: Matchett-PI

oooohhhhh, I would go with that ticket!! Sarah needs to get to know some really GOOD Republicans for her administration...ASAP!!


16 posted on 07/08/2009 11:55:32 AM PDT by Ann Archy (Abortion....the Human Sacrifice to the god of Convenience.)
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To: neverdem; narses; SonOfDarkSkies
150 FOIA “requests” by democrat operators - and the “press” ignores them.

While the “press” can't even find time to report that Pelosi has passed legislation giving ALL federally employed males a 40 day PAID paternity leave ...

Which amounts to a next salary gain of some 14%.

17 posted on 07/08/2009 12:03:54 PM PDT by Robert A Cook PE (I can only donate monthly, but socialists' ABBCNNBCBS continue to lie every day!)
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To: SonOfDarkSkies

Someone should put up a web site with the full contact information of those making these bogus ethics complaints.

Just for the record.


18 posted on 07/08/2009 12:04:19 PM PDT by FreedomPoster (No Representation without Taxation!)
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To: SonOfDarkSkies

Not news - she already told us she was resigning to mitigate costs to Alaskan taxpayers.


19 posted on 07/08/2009 12:05:59 PM PDT by anniegetyourgun
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To: LearsFool
Yeah, cuz one's political opponents throw in the towel and go home once you make it to the White House. So then you don't have to deal with the same attacks a governor would...and would resign because of.

Since the Alaska laws allowing anyone to file any kind of ethics complaint at little or no cost do not apply to the Presidency, the tactics that were used by Soros-sponsored activists in Alaska to cripple her administration would not be an issue. But don't let facts get in the way of your sarcasm.

20 posted on 07/08/2009 12:08:02 PM PDT by VRWCmember
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