You overlook a very basic factor. Upon assuming the office was able to get passed a very strict ethics law to correct the corruption that existed. The flaw in the law is that those filing the charge is not held accountable while the person charged must hire private lawyer to defend as well as the state conducts the investigation. Under Federal law, all but one or two of these charges would not get past the door. Also, they finally began going after the staff who have no opportunity to pay for a lawyer. When they began resigning for financial reasons was the point she resigned. This flaw is being addressed by the state now.
For the sake of argument (and because you seem nice), I'll agree with your argument. But that won't stop the Dems from hitting her over the head with her decision to resign throughout the campaign. You know the GOP would do it to any Democrat who resigned the way Palin did. No matter how much she tries to explain it, it won't play well in a campaign. Spinning the facts can only do so much to fix this problem.