Posted on 09/08/2008 9:06:31 PM PDT by kristinn
Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin has billed taxpayers for 312 nights spent in her own home during her first 19 months in office, charging a "per diem" allowance intended to cover meals and incidental expenses while traveling on state business.
The governor also has charged the state for travel expenses to take her children on official out-of-town missions. And her husband, Todd, has billed the state for expenses and a daily allowance for trips he makes on official business for his wife.
Palin, who earns $125,000 a year, claimed and received $16,951 as her allowance, which officials say was permitted because her official "duty station" is Juneau, according to an analysis of her travel documents by The Washington Post.
The governor's daughters and husband charged the state $43,490 to travel and many of the trips were to and from their house in Wasilla and Juneau, the capital city 600 miles away, the documents show.
SNIP
In separate filings, the state was billed about $25,000 for Palin's daughters' expenses and $19,000 for her husband, Todd Palin.
Flights topped the list for the most expensive items, and the daughter whose bill was the highest was Piper, 7, whose flights cost nearly $11,000, while Willow, 14, claimed about $6,000 and Bristol, 17, accounted for about $3,400.
SNIP
Gov. Palin has spent far less on her personal travel than her predecessor: $93,000 on airfare in 2007, compared with $463,000 spent the year before by her predecessor, Frank Murkowski. He traveled often in an executive jet that Palin called an extravagance during her campaign. She sold it after she was sworn into office.
SNIP
Leighow said that the governor's staff has tallied the travel expenses charged by Murkowski's wife: $35,675 in 2006, $43,659 in 2005, $13,607 in 2004 and $29,608 in 2003.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
When did McCain drop out and Palin become the candidate?
From what I can get from the story about $270,000 a year over the old Gov. with his privet jet.
“The question is, what are the rules on this in Alaska? “
And there it is!
I thought I was getting too sleepy to figure out where the big “gotcha” moment was in the latest anti-Palin article (after awhile they all make me dizzy)
But your post had the point that was missing from the article.
Did she break any rules?
What is spelled out in her contract?
Palin should be praised for all the money she saved the taxpayers in Alaska, but this is being spun into a hit piece.
When are they gonna accuse the new baby of being the Imperial Wizard of the AK Kleagle??
Seems like legit expenses, made up to sound as if they aren’t.
that reminds me of all those official overseas trips the clinton family went on especially around spring break.
It should be fun to see the expressions on some faces when they learn a little about Alaska. Like the fact that Juneau is 500 miles from a major highway. Or that the Alaska Marine Highway is built on ferry vessels, not roads.
These attacks just show their ignorance.
I am sure the Washington Post has not problem with any of Obama’s taxpayer-funded expenses since, after all, it takes a lot of money to run a 19-MONTH CAMPAIGN!
OK, so this difference dwarfs the stuff they are complaining about in the head line?
"Journalism" is such an interesting "profession".
The MSM has spent more in ‘journalists’ traveling to Alaska in the past ten days than the entire Palin family has spent on travel since she’s been in office.
America's media people and "journalists" continue to hit a new low each day, and they just keep getting nastier.
The media people are evil and hatred personified.
and an almost fanatical devotion to the Pope!
Damn straight!
And has Obama reimbursed the US for time away from the job? How many ‘personal days’ does a Senator get anyway?
I think I read in the last few days that the only way in and out of Junea is by plane. No roads. That would explain the flight travel.
Yea, Chief of State visits I guess. The President and VP’s families act as our own royalty in the US.
MAKE THAT $370,000 a year. My bad.
Maybe these DNC Hatchetmen will let us see their expense reports?? Bet they are hypocrites.
Pray for W, McCuda and Our Troopa
These people will never tire of digging up negative stories about Palin, will they? The “news media” stinks!
I had no idea Sarah Palin was so interesting that the entire
Democrat Ticket has ceased to exist.
No news there. No scandals there. No family ties to illegal Hedge Fund activities there. No history of wrong decisions that would have crippled our country if they were implemented there.
And now I'm watching Alan Colmes on the rerun of H&C trying to undermine Governor Palin one more time with innuendo that would never be applied to Obami.
I'M GETTING REALLY PISSED OFF. Now I have to send the McCain Campaign even more money so I can calm down.
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