Posted on 06/26/2010 9:37:58 AM PDT by Bob J
One of the most flogged excuses by both Palin and her supporters for her resignation as Governor of Alaska was that ethics complaints were "bankrupting" her. But the Independent Council Report issued in conjunction with the decision on her Legal Defense Fund says otherwise.
Not only does it show the State of Alaska offered to make payments for her legal costs it shows that even bfore the election the Palin campaign was making alternate plans to not only get the McCain campaign to pay for them but to hit up the Rnc AND set up a legal defense fund.
When confronted with Palin's legal bills in relation to the ethics violations charged against her, the State of Alaska offerred to pay begin paying bills to the tune of 100k. Now this was just the start and 100k was a round number they picked. Once they made the precedent of funding her legal expenses there would have been an obligation to continue...in for a penny, in for a pound.
But Palin and her legal advisors rejected the offer based IMO in a flimsy "accounting problem". It is clear the Palin's had bigger plans for much more money and the Alaskan offer was only going to get in the way of that.
Before you start reading these snippets from the report you must be aware that the first plan of attack from the Palinistas will be to portray the Independent Investigaror as partisan, compromised and corrupt. But you must also be aware that this is the very same IC that ruled in Paln's favor over the much more serious "Troopergate" allegations.
This report is full of eye opening relevations and I will be posting reports on several of them as time goes on. Here is the relevant section on this issue from the report.
"C. Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law.
1. Certain ethics complaints and legislative inquiries were conducted involving Governor Palin during the national presidential and vice presidential campaign when Governor Palin was a candidate for Vice President of the United States.
2. A contract for legal services was issued by the State of Alaska to the law firm of Clapp, Peterson, Van Flein, Tiemesson & Thorsness to represent Governor Palin, and others, in connection with these matters, for up to $ 100,000 at public expense.
3. No invoices were submitted to the State by Mr. Van Flein's law firm, pursuant to this state contract, due to the decision by Governor Palin and her attorneys that it would be too difficult to separate the functions of representing Governor Palin in her official capacity in the pending state-related matters, and representing her in other related campaign or partisan matters beyond the scope of the state contract. Thus, to avoid an appearance of impropriety or any allegation that legal fees were being paid for legal services beyond the scope of the state contract, Van Flein's law firm and Governor Palin agreed that funding for these services would be sought from sources other than state funding.
4. Among the sources of funding discussed were the Republican National Committee and the McCain campaign. However, after the conclusion of the presidential campaign, it became apparent that funding from the McCain campaign would not be forthcoming. Governor Palin and her advisors discussed alternative sources of funding to defray the continuing costs of defending past and future Ethics Act complaints, as well as other claims that may be brought as a consequence of serving in the Governor's Office. Among the sources discussed were the Republican Governor's Association and the creation of a trust. The trust would solicit private funding to pay for the past and future defense costs of Governor Palin, and potentially her family, her aides in the Governor's Office, and potentially, future governors and state officials.
Bob J tossed the grenade and left as soon as he tossed it. Never bothered to ‘answer’ anything. We should call him Hit and Run Bob.....
Do you have some sort of reading comprehension problem or is your PDS obsession blinding you to the words that you yourself posted?
3. No invoices were submitted to the State by Mr. Van Flein's law firm, pursuant to this state contract, due to the decision by Governor Palin and her attorneys that it would be too difficult to separate the functions of representing Governor Palin in her official capacity in the pending state-related matters, and representing her in other related campaign or partisan matters beyond the scope of the state contract. Thus, to avoid an appearance of impropriety or any allegation that legal fees were being paid for legal services beyond the scope of the state contract, Van Flein's law firm and Governor Palin agreed that funding for these services would be sought from sources other than state funding.
So, what are you and Kathy Griffin doing for dinner tonight? Or is it Sandra Bernhard?
Sir Humpsalot just finds anything with the word Palin in it and mounts away. He doesn’t even realize this was a Conservative move by her not to use taxpayer’s money to pay these bills.
Still going to hit the girls eh?
What a man.
Meaning those with the big bucks have a huge advantage in overwhelming their competition, not necessarily because they are the best candidate.
PAY NO ATTENTION TO THIS PIECE OF BS
This is a HIT PIECE INDEED!
Political operatives descended on Alaska last August, digging for dirt. The ethics law I championed became their weapon of choice. Over the past nine months I've been accused of all sorts of frivolous ethics violations - such as holding a fish in a photograph, wearing a jacket with a logo on it, and answering reporters' questions.
Every one - all 15 of the ethics complaints have been dismissed. We've won! But it hasn't been cheap - the State has wasted THOUSANDS of hours of YOUR time and shelled out some two million of YOUR dollars to respond to "opposition research" - that's money NOT going to fund teachers or troopers - or safer roads. And this political absurdity, the "politics of personal destruction" ... Todd and I are looking at more than half a million dollars in legal bills in order to set the record straight. And what about the people who offer up these silly accusations? It doesn't cost them a dime so they're not going to stop draining public resources - spending other peoples' money in their game.
It's pretty insane - my staff and I spend most of our day dealing with THIS instead of progressing our state now. I know I promised no more "politics as usual," but THIS isn't what anyone had in mind for ALASKA.
I've added the bold to highlight the exactly one sentence in that entire snippet which speaks about their personal legal bills.
Yeah, they probably could have gotten Alaska's taxpayers to foot the bill. But it is clear from the speech this isn't even an overriding concern-- the concern is the futility of wasting Alaskan taxpayer money to keep fighting these bullsh*t charges.
Read the entire speech if you still don't believe it!
The only ones caught lying here is the Palin haters who are apparently building their entire argument around a single statement which plays a decidedly secondary role in the entire context.
This is worse than the libtards parading out the Spanish Inquisition as their "proof" of the intolerance of Christianity while ignoring current, far more recent and far worse atrocities committed by their Marxist Fascist operatives.
By constantly trying to discredit Sarah Palin, the one person with the courage to constantly attack Obama, Bob J is working to protect his hero.
Is this Michelle? Dod odumbo put her up to this?
You're fast becoming the pet FR Palin troll...Hahahaha
she hopes for a speedy recovery on your part.
Seriously you need to get a life because this obsession of yours isn’t healthy. You don’t like her. We get it. But you can’t just post a bunch of crap without proof, it makes you look like a blithering idiot. And then to run away and not answer any of the criticisms is intellectually dishonest and downright nuts. Besides, I really don’t understand why you keep doing this. Mrs. Palin is a private citizen. She makes speeches and helps conservatives campaign and win elections. Certainly you can’t argue that most of her endorsements are spot on, even if you don’t approve of them all. If I were you, I’d spend some time finding evidence to support your conclusions (most of us learn in high school English to draw conclusions from facts and not the other way around) so that IF she does decide to run you can make your best case. OTOH, you could post about possible candidates you DO like. That whole “you draw more flies with honey” thing.
Cindie
she didn’t want the state paying for this, and she has said so.
Just call him Pinocchio. I've heard of some pics indicating a very troubled mind, around some blogs..
You know the same people calling her a "quitter" would have been screaming for her to resign as she would have clung to office while the lawsuits continue to take their toll.
The "quitter" meme is a desperate Plan B cooked up because Sarah completely out-maneuvered her enemies by resigning.
and if she accepted that offer, think of the chitstorm that would have erupted. Morton’s Fork.
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