Posted on 09/09/2008 3:42:29 AM PDT by Raycpa
Palin Billed State for Nights Spent at Home Taxpayers Also Funded Family's Travel By James V. Grimaldi and Karl Vick Washington Post Staff Writers Tuesday, September 9, 2008; Page A01
ANCHORAGE, Sept. 8 -- 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.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
Total Estimated Time: 20 hours 9 minutes Total Estimated Distance: 816.02 miles
http://www.mapquest.com/mq/5-*LzR1Lly
Who is responsible for this idiocy?
Total Estimated Time: 20 hours 9 minutes Total Estimated Distance: 816.02 miles
http://www.mapquest.com/mq/5-*LzR1Lly
Who is responsible for this idiocy?
Correction: she listed it on Ebay. Three times in fact. But it did not sell on Ebay. Source.
Not only that, but Sarah has taught her youngest child to clean up the baby’s appearance with spit! You saw what happened at the convention...I saw it with my own eyes! /s
This is one more non-story created by the left shill media. If I were Palin I would put out a press release debunking the BS. Then, when people like Gibson or Onada disciples, challenge her about it simply refer them to the press release. Then, I would suggest to them that they ask appropriate and relevant questions about her positions. Republicans must learn how to gain control of interviews and press confernces. Ari Fleisher knows how to do it. McCain ought to sign him up.
She also sold the governor’s jet and fired the governor’s chef.
I am sure the state enjoyed spending that profit.
312 per diem days? I wonder how much those days would have cost the state if she had been in the mansion? Living in and maintaining the mansion must be costly.
Juneau is 823 miles from Wasilla using the Marine Highway and roads. Flying miles (straight line distance)are 596.
Gee, I wonder how much we pay for Nancy Pelosi’s jet and her other expenses?
Congressman (Reps& Senators) Get their airfare paid from DC to home. I don’t know about perdiem.
The hosts said “what’s that about Bob?” And he said... per diem? That’s a daily charge for food and lodging” they said, no what about the charges, he said, heck I don’t know I was just saying it was fair game.
Are we supposed to believe a chief wouldn't have made more than the $16,951 allowance she received?
From the Post article:
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.
“She flies coach and encourages her cabinet to fly coach as well,” said Garnero, whose job is equivalent to state controller. “Some do, some don’t.”
The biased headlines, highlights, blurbs and news ticker items will have the most impact in this election. The MSM knows it, too.
Unfortunately, these bits of information are under the control of the behind-the-scenes liberals within the news organizations. The average voter won’t be taking time to read the articles. The idea is for multiple impressions of negative news to have an impact over time, just like advertising.
It’s going to get worse. It will be difficult to overcome.
To put 600 miles in perspective. That is as far as where I live in Indiana to Philadelphia.
End of story. This is a pure hit piece. The WaPo sent a score of reporters up to Alaska to dig for dirt, and this is the best they can do.
They are beyond pathetic.
The NY Post stated that they are supporting M/P, so maybe they can do a followup/counter article regarding O/B.
That might actually be an interesting read.
the libs called Reagan teflon... we called Bill Clinton Slick Willy...
Alaska's enormous size requires any person living in Anchorage and doing business in Juneau, whether for the government or for business reasons, to undertake enormous amounts of travel and stay "overnight" at one end or the other.
Even locally Joe Biden manages to commute via an Amtrak commuter run from Delaware to his office on Capitol Hill for over $100 each day ~ which means he doesn't need to maintain an apartment or other home in or near DC. This arrangement saves him tens of thousands of dollars every year (while costing the rest of us millions of dollars in AMTRAK subsidies).
I wonder if she stays in the Governers mansion or if she stays in her home town. Is it required to move into the governers mansion?
A candidate needs to be teflon when they are truly dirty like Clinton.
It doesn’t appear this moniker is a compliment or that it applies to Palin.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.