Another day, another ethics challenge for the Palin administration. This one involves (brace yourselves) failure to disclose free gifts on her financial disclosure forms! Does this sound familiar? If you answered “no”, I invite you to use the search feature located in the sidebar and type the words “Ted Stevens”. You’ll have enough reading material on the subject to keep you busy for a week.
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – Gov. Sarah Palin has added to her financial disclosure forms two free trips that she took nearly two years ago but failed to report. Palin, who was Republican presidential candidate John McCain’s running mate, made the disclosures last month, but after Election Day when she and McCain lost to Barack Obama and Joe Biden. The trips were first revealed in a story by The Associated Press in October.
The free trips were taken in April and May of 2007 and should have been reported within 30 days under state ethics law. The Nov. 17 disclosure forms note that the reports were “not filed timely due to administrative error.”
Bill McAllister, the governor’s spokesman, said this week that the mistakes were made by travel support staff. He said he could not explain the timing of when and how they were caught, but that it was irrelevant because the error was corrected.
Palin, who has criticized state lawmakers for gifts they take, is not facing any sanctions for the late filings, according to Linda Perez, state administrative director. Perez said she was alerted to the matter by McCain’s presidential campaign before the Oct. 14 AP story.
“It wasn’t necessarily the governor’s oversight, nor was she trying to hide anything,” Perez said. “It was a staff oversight.”
In one of the trips, the James B. Hunt Jr. Institute of North Carolina — a nonprofit education policy group — paid the $2,827 cost of Palin’s April 2007 flight and hotel in Scottsdale, Ariz., to attend a four-day conference, according to her report. The group has said it also paid for other governors attending the annual event in recent years.
In May 2007, Palin accepted lodging for herself and her three daughters at Mt. Chilkoot Lodge in the Southeast Alaska town of Skagway. The lodging, valued at $300, was paid for by the owners, including Palin friend and former deputy campaign treasurer Kathy Hosford.
The reports were among recent disclosures released to the AP after a public records request.
Among other gifts Palin reported last month is a June 30 flight valued at $1,187.50 that was paid by the North Slope Borough for Palin and her 7-year-old daughter, Piper, to attend various functions, including a whaling festival in the town of Barrow.
Palin and husband Todd also received travel, food and lodging valued at $4,620.12 to attend a Republican Governors Association event in Texas, in April — gifts that were not reported until August, according to disclosure forms. Palin and the other governors attending the event also received $1,000 Rocky Carroll cowboy boots.
So, in case you missed it, here’s the timeline:
April 2007 – Trip #1
May 2007 – Deadline for reporting Trip #1
June 2007 – Trip #2
July 2007 – Deadline for reporting Trip #2
September or October 2008 – McCain post-nomination vetting process discovers violation.
October 14, 2008 – Associated Press reports on the trips and Palin’s failure to disclose them.
November 2008 – Palin amends her forms to include the gifts, and blames support staff.
And Bill McAllister, Alaska’s own Dana Perrino, has assured us that none of this matters because once the Associated Press blew the lid off it, she went back and fixed it. So, move along everyone, nothing to see here.
Fascinating.
So, does this mean when the IRS finds out you haven’t disclosed certain things on your tax forms, and you find out that they know, and then you go back with a bottle of white out, that means everything is OK?
And I suppose, Mr. McAllister would say that if you rob a bank, and the police show up at your house, everything is OK as long as you give it back?
Can we assume, then, that since Linda Perez tells us that Palin will not be facing sanctions that there is precedent for overlooking these little mistakes? Maybe others have been allowed to slide with nothing more than a “tsk tsk” from the overseeing financial watchdog agency APOC (the Alaskan Public Offices Commission)?
In an interesting little piece of irony, Democratic Senator Elect Mark Begich recently got in to hot water for….wait for it….failure to properly fill out his financial disclosure forms. A complaint was filed against him by the Republican Party, because…well…they can’t stand people who don’t fill out their financial disclosure forms properly.
Mark Begich, the Democratic challenger for U.S. Senate, will pay a $1,420 fine for failing to properly fill out state financial disclosure forms, a campaign spokeswoman said Monday.
A Begich spokeswoman says he corrected all errors and will pay the fine that reflects $10 a day for each day the report was deemed incomplete. [snip]
“We are pleased to have this matter over,” said campaign spokeswoman Julie Hasquet. “We’ll be paying the fine immediately.”
McHugh Pierre [a spokesman for the Alaska Republican Party] said in a statement that he was pleased with the outcome.
“I am very happy that the commission is holding Mayor Begich accountable for his actions,” Pierre said.
Yes, by all means, McHugh Pierre, APOC should hold people accountable for their actions. Mark Begich did something wrong, APOC sanctioned him, he admitted it and immediately paid a fine of $10 a day. So (getting out calculator) that means that give or take $100…Sarah Palin owes about $8720 in fines according to my calculations. Right? I mean, surely we’re not going to fail to hold someone accountable for their actions, are we??
So, why is state administrative director Linda Perez telling us that the Governor is facing no sanctions? Did she get this information from APOC? Did they decide to give her a free pass? Or is this a bit of wishful thinking on the part of the Governor’s office? Is this a bit of Bill McAllister logic that says if you have a library book out past the due date and you accrue a big fine, that as long as you bring the book back, and as long as you are a Republican, you don’t have to pay? I’d be interested to find that out.
And in the meantime, Alaskans for Truth can add something else to their growing list of things for which to hold Sarah Palin accountable.
Mudflats 
Grifter Spice is at it again.
I cannot believe the crap she gets away with. It’s un real!
Didn’t she learn about politics at the feet of ConvicTed?
Also, didn’t I see in the legal vetting that she has an IQ of 80-something? Does she think everyone else is as dumb as she is?
Alaska, a B A C K B O N E, please.
Please show us what one looks like; it’s enough already.
Another several days with Piper out of school?
Have been looking around your site, like the layout, love the content.
Would you like to trade links with a bipartisan politics blog offering a uniquely youth perspective.
ThePurpleYouth
http://www.thepurpleyouth.com
Or just let me know at Quash100 [at] gmail.com
Akm
Do you have the May trip in the list with a June deadline?
So, in addition to the two trips, there are FIVE other unreported gifts. If she had forgot to disclose one, I can see that it might be an oversight. But the list is too long to call it anything other than deceit. If she had not been caught, it would certainly never have been disclosed at this late date. Unlike several other “gates,” this one is black-and-white. How can she run a State budget if she cannot even fill out her own tax reurns correctly? Get her out of government!
It is no wonder Sarah’s kids drop out of school, they can’t catch up!!!!
What’s good for the goose, is good for the turkey.
She’s off doin’ that fancy pagent walkin’ for the GOP and on SNL and in front of Greta Van PlasticSurgery,
and meanwhile:
*you have people in your state that are likely to freeze to near death this winter,
*you have a budget that is soon to be upside down,
*you have clearly incompetent executive behavior by someone who supposedly had more executive experience than any of the Senetors on the national ticket.
If I thought about it for more than a second, I know I’d come up with more for that list.
I know the last governor of yours set the bar so low you would trip on it, but with this gov, I think the bar is part of the floor.
Oh there should be sanctions and should be held accountable! Period. If they can’t produce the original paperwork supposedly from the clerical error (yeah right) then she should have to pay the fines.
I am darn tired of these people and their illegal shenanigans! Go Alaskans For Truth!
AKM,
You are really doing a great job of keeping the pressure up on Palin. For the sake of the all the citizens of Alaska, she must be held responsible for her political antics. She is slowly but surely digging her own political grave. I am waiting patiently with my shovel in hand to start filling up the hole.
Ahem – she is also wearing post Neiman Marcus suits again, when are those gifts going to be disclosed? Or is this still a part of the ‘sorting and boxing’ process?
MonaLisa (in CT) (17:36:21) :
What’s good for the goose, is good for the turkey.
***********************************************************************You got it backwards. What’s good for the turkey is good for the goose
The Alaska Daily News ran the story and the comments are scathing. People are furious. Barely a Palin supporter in sight after this latest breaking news!
http://www.adn.com/palin/story/610529.html
Round up the volunteers, gather the clipboards, distribute the recall petitions, and cast her away, to the hinterland. Alaska, we have a problem.
How many times have we heard that “It was a staff oversight” or the equivalent??
Does this gal EVER take personal responsibility for anything??
Furthermore, she’s making a habit of amending official documents after the fact. That’s illegal in itself….
She’s running her office like she has no clue about ethical guidelines. Is she that stupid? Or just arrogantly waiving ethical considerations as beneath her? Or both?
And, in the mean time, there is a cholera epidemic in Zimbabwe. They don’t even have any water…
http://girldujour.wordpress.com/2008/12/03/cholera-has-killed-at-least-565-people-in-zimbabwe-since-august/
Politicians aren’t born, they’re excreted…….Cicero.
And, Georgia, bless her heart, just excreted Chambliss once again. Pray for us.
Off topice. I apologize.
How do I get all those names on The Alaskans For Truth website copied and pasted?
I have tried the conventional way and it is not possible…. I am missing something here.
Obviously, I am not high tech !
Thanks in advance!
Back on topic, I feel strongly that she has to held accountable. Chambliss is gushing perversely on Greta right now.
topic*
Lee323
She has told a past council member in Wasilla that she will try anything until she is told flat out it is illegal.
So please somebody smack her with illegal!
McAllister, chalks it up as nothing more than a little Palin hoodoo. Off topic, but those waves, of her’s, they remind me of Univ of Texas. Hook um Horns.
Here’s an idea: have someone take pictures of suffering Alaskans that she’s doing nothing about with all this gallivanting around the country she’s enjoying. Then show them to her and demand to know why she’s ignored them. Heck, show her a starving child, huddled in rags and struggling to keep warm. Ask her to imagine that was Piper. If she don’t cry, she ain’t got a lick of empathy.
I’d weep for you guys, but I’m far too infuriated that such a person could make it to governorship.
If she is not facing sanctions it must be because no one has filed a complaint yet, right? Is it like a traffic violation in that it isn’t illegal until you get caught and get a ticket? Who will file a complaint?
Begich cannot be held accountable while the Governess is not. This surely will stick if pressed, perhaps in her craw.
Who has the final authority though? APOC? Who oversees APOC?
Didn’t some lobbyist or pipeline person take Piper on a trip alone?
THIS is why she gets away with things like this….
Ahem – she is also wearing post Neiman Marcus suits again, when are those gifts going to be disclosed? Or is this still a part of the ’sorting and boxing’ process
I was wondering about this also…she was so blatant to wear them at her last 3 treks in the lower 48.
This woman has something much bigger she is hiding….and I truly believe it’s a diagnosed mental illness. Her behavior is manic and irratic, and downright dishonest.
A classic, you can’t judge a book by it’s cover!!!!!!!
And regarding her attitude about education, Shannyn Moore said she vetoed $497,000 from the budget to research the high school drop-out problem after she attended the free “How to improve education” meetings.
I really agree with this blogger’s statement regarding Palin and education.
FormerAlaskanFemale
December 2nd, 2008 6:24 pm ET
Sarah Palin is living proof that America has had failing school system for over forty years now.
Education really is a national security issue.
I’ve been reading you blog for a while and stand amazed at what Alaska allows Palin to get away with. In most any other state, Palin would have been forced to resign over any one of a dozen gates that she has been inboiled in. Troopergate alone would have brought down almost any elected official in the lower 48. I stand amazed at how forgiving Alaskans seems to be.
South Side Chicago
Wikipedia translates the phrase ‘Al-Quaeda’ as’The Base.’ Amazing! It is so sad that a Sarah Palin is a crafty stupid crook AND that she appeals to the base.
Is this the definition of a conservative Republican? Bible toting, character assassinating, dishonest, double standard, dirty dealing; a person who believes that ‘God helps those who help themselves’ even when that particular sentiment is antithetical to Christianity and it’s not even scriptural?
Is there such a thing as progressive Republican? I need to know.
Palin and husband Todd also received travel, food and lodging valued at $4,620.12 to attend a Republican Governors Association event in Texas, in April…
Is that the same event where she was leaking amniotic fluid into her boots?
Same event, different year. AKM
Not long after Palin was picked by McCain for Veep, an investigative story came out (I believe it was the NYT, but possibly the AP) on the Palins regarding the running of the Governor’s office. The phrase that stands out in my memory from that story is that “they are running the office like a bunch of amateurs.”
Furthermore….the article said that Palin really only has one close advisor….Todd Palin. Yep….the high school grad with seven years of the AIP under his belt.
So, you take a Mayor of a small town and put her in the Guv’s office with a high school grad as her only close advisor…..and “amateurish” becomes a likely outcome.
Throw in some grandiosity and fundamental religiosity…..you now have the recipe for the Palin administration. And Alaska apparently loves it….at least 61% do, by the latest polls.
Does “amateurish” account for all these mistakes? How much does willful waiving (criminality) of the rules contribute?
re clothes – the champagne colored jacket is hers;
so is the Turkeygate scarf that Letterman jokingly called Burberry – she is shown wearing that in the Gov Mansion Xmas video (like she appreciated everything people did to welcome them).
apparently she had a Thrilla red jacket of her own; old pics of her in that
ought to be easy to pull up stills from the campaign however – look for Piper and Todd – that may be much less obvious. Where’d that kid get that chef’s jacket she was wearing on Greta? Or maybe she’s just on the payroll.
What hypocrisy!! What is good for the goose (Begich) should be good for the gander (SP)… I know these are reversed, but you get the idea…
Is there no recourse for the common everyday citizen to call this into question and demand that SP pay the fine.. fairs fair…
keep reporting AKM. It is vital.
annie (18:51:26) :
Ahem – she is also wearing post Neiman Marcus suits again, when are those gifts going to be disclosed? Or is this still a part of the ’sorting and boxing’ process
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I have written CREW about this, as well as she should be investigated ever since she was Mayor, housegate,dairygate,$50K redecorating gate (I can do anything b/c I’m the Mayor and will until the courts tell me different)
Yes I have written CREW sent links etc. here is what I received from them last night:
Thank you for taking the time to contact CREW and bringing this matter to our attention. We remain vigilant on the Sarah Palin front, stay tuned to our website for any further action we take.
Best,
CREW Staff
So EYES are upon her…. 😉
Nice of her to blame the error on somebody else. But isn’t she ultimately responsible for reviewing and signing off on the documents? Aren’t these things also on your tax returns? Passing the buck so to speak just does not cut it. She knew then it was not stated on the proper paperwork.
Libertylover:
The leaking fluid was April 2008 not 2007
In the ADN interview when she came back, she was wearing the blk snazzy jacket she wore for Joe Biden’s debate.
She didn’t give those clothes back. She already said “no lawyers were coming up to Wasilla to account for the clothes” she thinks she so above it. Grifter Spice, enjoy while you can….
Eyes are on you 8)
crystalwolf a.k.a. caligrl (19:10:59) :
What is Crew?
oo dowl – I never caught al qaeda and the base. Wickedly funny. I just call them the base base.
God’s Own Party double speak. Since they are pro-life (as opposed to anti-life), pro-gun (that Constitution God gave us), believe in the literal inerrancy of the Good Book, how could you possibly question what they tell you?
They care only for this great nation of ours.
… you are getting sleepy ….
…. you are getting slee..
Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington
http://www.citizensforethics.org/node/35702
She’ll work it off once she returns to the state capital…whenever that is???? I hope someone is keeping a running total to throw in her face the next time she talks about conservative spending, earmarks, and putting an end to all the corruption on Capitol Hill.
mmboucher – citizens for responsibility and ethics in washington
http://www.citizensforethics.org/
Citizens for responsible Ethics in Washington
I know really Barbie isn’t always there, but campaign? And the governors thing she just atteneded?
They are watching her….
😀
lyin’ and blamin’ are just Sarah’s economic development effort — she’s creating jobs for future investigators, lawyers, journalists, bloggers, TV news program hosts, make-up artists, wardrobe-keepers, Rove-disciples, and right-wing political hacks. she’s also setting a fine example for children (especially her own) who haven’t mastered the fine art of blaming others for their misdeeds.
When I default on my mortgage, can I just tell my banker that it was an oversight but shouldn’t matter because I’ll make this month’s payment but what’s in the past doesn’t count?
taupe – yes! – the Governess will run in ’12 on the platform that she saved America’s economy:
how she employed hundreds if not thousands – Larry the lawyer, Joanie the journalist, Bobby the blogger, Nancy the newscaster, et al. down to Joe the Lumberjack to cut down trees for paper mills.
Newspaper, book, magazine sales will sour. Computer sales will go up. People will buy new eyeglasses (so chic!) to read the latest installments of the Governess Goes for Government.
soar not sour. me freudian slip is showing.
I think Palin owes you more than $8720. I think she owes you her resignation.
One would think that at some point she would realize that all that fudging on her expenses would be a problem that she couldn’t continue to blame on her staff. Wouldn’t you hate to be on SP’s staff, knowing that you’d be expected to take the blame for all her goofiness?
She’s starting to sound like Nixon when he said that if the President did it, it wasn’t illegal. Someone should tell her that it was that view that led Nixon to finally resign – maybe she’ll take the hint and finally do the right thing, and Alaskans could be rid of her without a recall.
Well, no, not likely – but we can all hope.
It is barely a month since the election: she delayed returning to AK, had the absurd airport welcome.
Got home, checked her messages. Had Piper change Trig’s diaper.
Checked her email. Had Piper fix Trig’s bottle.
Watched programs of her performances. Had Piper put Trig to bed.
Made plans to go toFlorida. Had Piper cook dinner.
Made plans to go to Philly. Had Piper clean up kitchen.
Made note to Bill to file late disclosure. Had Piper to draw her bubble bath.
Florida Gov Conference. Got prescrip for anti-depressant.
Went to Philly. Got second prescrip for anti-depressant.
annie (18:51:26) :
Ahem – she is also wearing post Neiman Marcus suits again, when are those gifts going to be disclosed? Or is this still a part of the ’sorting and boxing’ process
The RNC files their report tomorrow, on the end of the election period filing date. Huffington Post suggests there is $30,000 more in clothing costs- although the RNC spokesperson says some weren’t worn, and all have been sent to charity.
Does SP’s closet fit the definition of “charity”? Just wondering…
Oh CO thanks for the head’s up on the RNC filing.
Now I can take the cat, go to bed and have sweet dreams.
The cat is wearing her own pajamas.
Dragon Lady (20:01:06) :
heh heh heh…very funny:)
It’s sickening how justice always allow this woman to get away with every lie and every law that she breaks as though she’s GOD! What the hell is wrong with Alaskan lawmakers and what the hell is wrong with this country? Just because Republicans worship this airhead as their mega-star doesn’t mean she can get away with everything as long as she doesn’t kill anyone. Matter of fact, if she did kill a person I wouldn’t be surprise if her loyal fellows would go out of their limb and take the blame for her killing.
Vena – I agree. Whenever Bush would do something horrendous and break the law, I would shout: “He could shoot Laura in the head and no one would make him pay!” So now I say it about Palin “She can shoot Laura in the head and no one will make her pay!” It is a joke in my house.
Lori- u r avsolutely right! It’s disgusting that how lawmakers would allow these pple to get away with things just because they think they’re above the law. No wonder why this country is so corrupt!
oops, excuse my typo!
Of course if AK had an independently elected AG, instead of one appointed by the Governor, there might be more of a chance that she would actually be held accountable. As it is, who has the incentive to bring charges against her without risking losing their job? Can a local DA do this? Maybe the IRS??
Democrats should be up in arms and complain loudly as to why a Democrat has to pay a fine and a Republican does not.
It is very interesting that she gets a free pass from everyone. Again one should question why.
It may be the only way to hold her accountable, to make sure that the people watch and make sure that the newspapers and radios are informed every time a discrepancy like this occurs.
We need a paper trail in the lower 48 in case she comes back in ’10 or ’12
If Begich pays and Palin doesn’t, Mark comes across looking like a chump. Heat has to be applied to Palin and the GOP to hold everyone to the same standard.
The danger is that honest public servants like Begich get tired of being taken advantage of and then gradually start down the long road that ends up in Uncle Ted’s neighborhood.
I realize that I am jumping back one entry but –
I saw the not pregnant Sarah photo a couple of weeks ago, I’m pretty sure on Margart and Helen, or a link from it.
Also in the same series of photos is one of Palin on stage near a speaker’s podium with the 7 year old (forgot name already) looking very angry and flipping a bird to someone out of the frame. (wonder who taught her that Conservative Christian gesture of greeting??) Kiddo was standing in front of Mom a few feet. But of course Mom was not paying attention to her child.
I feel great sympathy and saddness for Palin’s children – on the other hand I hope I never have to share any space with them, they are all horrors. Except Trig, who will never know better.
snopes.com shows the ‘finger’ picture is a doctored version of an original photo where Piper was holding up two fingers.
AKM,
Are you sure the Republican Governors’ meeting she just claimed for wasn’t this year’s? Are they always in Texas, or do they rotate them? I would have assumed that they rotated them around, and we know that the one in APril 2008 was in Texas, as that is where she gave the speech while leaking…
@Marnie (21:37:43) :
That photo of Piper flipping the bird has been shown to have been Photoshopped. In the original, she had two fingers up.
Not sure. The story said April 2007 in Texas. And we know the 2008 one was in Texas. Maybe those Republican Governors just like it down there… 😉 If I hear anything different, I’ll post it. AKM
Clerical error, schmerical error …..
I used to work for another state and did handled travel expenses. Every employee, right up to the very top of the chain, had to sign the reimbursement request. And when they signed it, they took responsibility for it! She is liable.
oops – “and handled”
I worked in a casual relief position with a very large company. There were times when I was not working that I was eligible for Unemployment Insurance benefits throughout the 5 year period that I worked. It was honestly tough making sure that while I was on U.I. benefits that my hours matched that of the time office. I was audited twice in the 5 year period because the govt. found fault in what I was reporting vs. what the time office was reporting. The first time I got lucky and was able to show that my records were correct and the time office had made a mistake. The 2nd time, I wasn’t so lucky, I messed up on one week that I thought I had worked but hadn’t. It was a $600 dollar error on my part to which the govt. penalized me over double. I paid back a check of approx. $1500 dollars. It is an extreme Federal Offence to lie on your income tax returns. There is no way with the govt. of Canada that you can plead that you made an error, you were ignorant, and apoligize for it, and feel that an honest mistake should be forgiven. It IS NOT an argument! NO way, NO how, and you will be penalized DOUBLE, or more for your mistake. And payment is demanded immediatly or you may face getting your ass chucked in jail. My mistake (and literally my crime) wasn’t omitted by the govt. of Canada with a tiny container of whiteout.
I hope the govt. penalizes the shit out of her and gives her the maximum penalty.
AKM,
Thanks. The way I read the article, it was the trip to Scottsdale, AZ, paid for by the James B. Hunt Jr. Institute of North Carolina, that was in April 2007, and the trip to Skagway was in May 2007. Then she also filed the info on the June trip to Barrow (on which Piper accompanied her) and the April Texas trip for the Repub. Govs’ meeting. SInce they didn’t mention the year on those two trips, it sounded like they were both recent and therefore in 2008.
I believe you’re right. I had to reread that a couple times, but that second April trip may be 2008. So many ethics violations, so little time to untangle the web! Thanks. AKM
If the Alaska Legislature does not take action against Palin at this point then they should ALL be recalled. Every stinking one of them.
Les Gara, were you just grabbing spotlights when you confronted Meg Stapleton on camera, or are you going to step up now and lead the charge?
Lyda Green, are you going gently into that good night, or are you going to rage, rage against the dying of the light? After all Sarah has done I would think you’d choose to rage on and push the door that slaps The Sarah on the ass once and for all.
Hollis French, are you finally gonna grow a real pair?
OR ARE YOU ALL HIDING THINGS FROM THE I.R.S. ?????????
The fundamental difference between Mark’s disclosure issue and Sarah’s is that Mark’s was actually a mistake. You know how McHugh Pierre found out about the omissions on Mark’s state disclosure forms? From reading about the items in question on Mark’s federal disclosure forms, which were posted on his campaign website. APOC also found that most of Pierre’s allegations were based on his own inability to understand disclosure rules.
I do believe, since it’s very doubtful that the AK AG is going to take the Gov to task for any of her or her staff’s “mistakes” “unethical actions” or “illegal” behind the scene deals, it is time to start looking for some liberal Harvard Lawyers and their Interns. I’m sure there are some young men and women in law schools across the land that would love to do the research needed to build a brief against the Gov to send to the IRS. It would look very good on their resume’ to bring hold this woman accountable for her actions. Put out the word and a few low 48 Community Organizers will be keeping records and combing through her “open disclosure” financial reports.
Waouh !
The big lady.
http://www.agoravox.fr/article.php3?id_article=48251
If she claims it was a staff oversight, (multiple times) then she should fire them.
OH wait a min. That won’t work! They know too much.
Home Depot must be making a fortune on all the shovels they have been selling to her office too also. You betcha……..
SP is a frog is hot water. it will start to boil and she’ll cook before she blinks.
Just in case the comparison has not been made. Mc Callister reminds me of Bagdahd Bob. Just keep telling people to move on, there’s no story (war) here, Yeah we beleive you, really.
If it does turn out that the travel expenses to the TX Gov’s meeting was 08 not 07, it is further proof that the “burdens” of Motherhood, distracted her from her Gov. dutiues ( filing her expenses on her tax forms) giving lie to the myth that one can hold high office and be an efficient Mother at the same time!
Gosh, even my little local yokel radio station had this news story on this AM! The radio station that is famous for its creative descriptions of the earth shattering school lunch menus (hot dog on a bunster, e.g.). Good for them!!
Remember when she said that she would do whatever until the law told her that she can’t? (For example, they had to pass a law to get her to stop charging for rape kits) – Well, what about the laws that are already IN EXISTENCE??? Why does she get to ignore those, too? Do they have to pass a law once for the general public and then again so that it applies to her? I don’t understand how she was raised if laws are to be ignored? If I were her parents I would be ashamed of myself to see her out there in public thumbing her nose at things other people have to abide by . . .
@BigSlick YES WE CAN! Clamp Noodle Palin (23:39:32) :
If the Alaska Legislature does not take action against Palin at this point then they should ALL be recalled. Every stinking one of them.
Les Gara, were you just grabbing spotlights when you confronted Meg Stapleton on camera, or are you going to step up now and lead the charge?
Lyda Green, are you going gently into that good night, or are you going to rage, rage against the dying of the light? After all Sarah has done I would think you’d choose to rage on and push the door that slaps The Sarah on the ass once and for all.
Hollis French, are you finally gonna grow a real pair?
OR ARE YOU ALL HIDING THINGS FROM THE I.R.S. ?????????
—
I’ve not posted in quite a while, but I could not let the above go without
saying AMEN! If Gara and Green drop this, letting “bygones by bygones” as Gara said after the election, then they all need to be thrown out of office.
Can’t APOC follow through w/ fines or whatever w/o legislative approval? I thought they were an independent agency? Who runs it, maybe we should send some emails?
I just returned from the ADN site. Civility is not their forte.
Frank LI,NY (04:43:09) :
I just returned from the ADN site. Civility is not their forte.
*****
I agree, the comments in there are rude and irrelevant for the most part – I gave up after page 2.
11, 16, 39, 9
OOk I couldn’t figure out where to vote for the photos and i didn’t want to forget the numbers I picked so I stuck them here so I can go to bed and tomorrow I’ll sort it out 🙂
(pay no attention to the moron typing in her sleep)
OzMud
aka Lynn-in-Australia
Nothing like a nice, juicy double standard.
Perhaps someone from AFT, someone with standing, should gather up a filling fee and submit a writ of mandamus to the relevant court requesting the appropriate jurisdictional office apply the same standards to Sarah Palin as they have to Mark Begich.
Seems only fair.
Now, down here in the hinterlands, failing to properly and timely submit required filings gets people removed from ballots. Happens all the time for financial disclosure forms down here in pennsyltucky.
I’m not versed in Alaska’s reporting requirements, but isn’t the candidate, e.g., Sarah Palin, ultimately responsible for what’s on her filings? Isn’t she required to sign the forms? And, if so, isn’t her signature placed upon the signing sheet under the pains and penalties of perjury? If there is no perjury signing clause, then your legislators need to close the loophole. But bottomline, it’s her report and her responsibility to make sure the things contained therein are accurate and truthful.
sauerkraut
I agree – why are “staff” being blamed? The APOC report is supposed to be done by the office holder – the disclosures in this case are for personal gifts, etc – how would her staff know what to put down, she’s the one who knows who gave her what . . . blaming the staff is b.s. – why should they be held accountable for forms that she should’ve filled out herself? Also, is the “staff” a state employee – if so, it is even more unreasonable that that person is doing the governor’s personal business.
Wow…better late than never reporting…. Say it Ain’t So, Sarah, Another 30K?
The Republican National Committee is scheduled to file a campaign report with the Federal Election Commission Thursday disclosing that the committee spent additional funds to clothe and accessorize vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin
This is a pretty good read…but don’t forget to check the comments…some people are just soooo creative!
The “staff” is made up of her posse of minions/fawning sycophants……..I’m sure she has told them to lie and/or cover-up and that she will “protect” them…….she might be able to do that at the state level -BUT – if the feds get involved……its over!! Just lying to any federal agent is a crime !!
I just love it when you are “somebody” you get away with things us normal everyday people would be buried under the jail if caught.
My step mom had to pay thousands of dollars in fines because the bank failed to send a report to her and the IRS about her interest paid on investments and the poor woman is 83 years old. She honestly thought everything was on the forms for income taxes.
So, it was the banks fault, but my step mom had to pay, it was Palin’s administrations fault but Palin gets away with nothing????
Gee, I wish my step mom could have just said, oops, let me correct this by rewriting it all.
Nice to be untouchable because you are somebody.
I stopped by that TeamSarah.org place. Yuck. People talk a lot about the pervy guys drooling over palin, but the brain dead women bother me more. I guess I just WANT the women to recognize that palin is a poor choice for their “savior.” Maybe these religious women should compare her to that Jesus dude. He seemed like a pretty cool guy, what with all his talk about love and stuff.
Oh, and the ongoing bs about Obama’s birth certificate is starting to get on my nerves. I’m in a grumpy mood this morning (having to do with my mother “expecting” me to make cookies every xmas, not politics for a change), and I’m really tired of anti-Obama stupidity. If you are pro-Obama, let him do his job. If you are anti-Obama, then give him enough rope to hang himself. If you are just a stupid moron, then go make some moose chili and stop pretending to think.
And of course these comments to anti-Obama/pro-palin folks are just a rant in the air, not directed at mudflatters. I think I’m going to go kick my palin head around the living room for a while (I’m getting ready to re-do her halloween hair into her standard beehive before putting her head on a pike in my garage).
I don’t understand why somebody won’t stand up and DO something about this creature and her minions. What’s going on?
On this episode of “Slope”….Sarah travels back in time on the states dime, Todd is pinned under his snow machine while following Trooper Wooten moose hunting, Bristol is still at an undisclosed location, Willow is studying mixed martial arts and Piper is back in school learning to be a community organizer much to Sarah’s chagrin, and everyone wants to know who is getting Trigs frequent flyer miles for Christmas….
Stay tuned…….
I’m beginning to get the felling that the Alaskan Governor Lady is not the most truthful person for being so religious.
yikes. Feeling*
I don’t get it, just b’cuz her mouthpieces say, never mind, let’s move on, does that mean APOC totally OK’s this conduct? If they don’t push it w/ her, how will they enforce any other politico’s fudging on their forms? Eventually, they might as well disband the APOC as a worthless entity w/ no power. How stupid is that?
sjk: When Bristol returns from that “undisclosed location,” make sure you tell us all what she’s been doing all this time! Ha, I really enjoy your Slope episodes … (Piper a community organizer – I can just see that.)
After reading the latest SWWNBN news, I’ve had visions of (no, not sugar plums) the flashback variety, remembering the Nixon tapes and Clinton/Lewinsky. Missing tapes, papers being frantically shredded ….. somehow I can just hear SWWNBN ordering her staff to drop everything and get that durned paperwork straightened out. Bet they haven’t gotten much ‘real’ work done in weeks.
I’ve not been on the Mudflats sites since the election, when I was traveling through Canada. I spent election night in Whitehorse at a small wayside bungalow complex where, in my room, the television did not work. I called the front desk to complain that I was missing the crucial moment in our election history, and the nightclerk told me he could bring me a new tv at MIDNIGHT, when he got off shift. Two minutes later I had rerouted the extension cord from the fridge to the television, plugged into an outlet that worked, and tuned in just in time to see the victory numbers. I missed McCain’s concession speech, but I enjoyed Obama’s message of acceptance so all was well. Minutes after the network announced that Obama had won, the night clerk called my room to let me know, wanting to be sure I didn’t miss the historic event. We laughed over the extension cord incident and he said that most of Canada had been hoping for an Obama win.
Now, a month later, I’ve traveled from Alaska through Canada, Washington, Idaho, Montana and Colorado and when folks see my license plate or my drivers license the exclamation is always the same: You’re from Alaska! You’re from Wasilla!? Why, you’re from…. I say, yes, I’m from Alaska and, yes, Sarah Palin is from Wasilla but WE DON’T CLAIM HER!! We don’t want her BACK! In a Colorado grocery store I presented my license for no-tax purchase and the clerk gushed over Palin, telling me she voted for her because she wanted God in government. In Washington, I did the same thing at a second-hand store and the clerk smirked and said Wasilla, huh? Are you trying to escape? I chuckled and said, no, but it’s getting mighty crowded with all the cameras and publicity folks. She suggested that perhaps our lowly governor was out of her league. Sweet words from a woman who’d obviously been around the block a few times, wasn’t interested in what kind of make-up and clothes sat behind the desk, and certainly had a better command of English than some. I left, thinking to myself that even though I’m not home in Alaska at the moment, maybe there is hope yet that when I return in a month or two my kinsfolk will have demanded full disclosure from the woman we elected to operate our affairs, a coming clean of her intentions, her tactics, her ambitions and cold-blooded spirit so that we may fully and finally have vetted the person we vote OUT of the office of Governer of Alaska. We can only hope she’ll just go away.
yukonbushgrma,
Thanks!
We are waiting for Bristol and the new baby and or the spin in lieu of said event!
APOC website:
http://www.state.ak.us/local/akpages/ADMIN/apoc/home.html
How do you register to be a “national or local charity” I wonder? Scarah and I are about the same size and I would welcome being “dispersed” to…although a thorough cleaning of the garments would be mandatory…
minor “Slope” update, “Sarah travels back in time and demands per diem reimbursment for 6,000 years.”
The APOC commissioners:
http://www.state.ak.us/local/akpages/ADMIN/apoc/commissi.shtml
Interesting that Ms. Frederick “splits her time between Wasilla and Juneau” – another Palin school pal?
Would emailing the Dems on the board do any good??
nice closing statements tidelines.. I so agree with you!!
please visit our blog about dog abuse and why its bad at http://maxie911.wordpress.com/
Tidelines – I feel your pain…..the Dixie Chicks were right……..
@ maxie911 (08:29:53) :
please visit our blog about dog abuse and why its bad at http://maxie911.wordpress.com/
——————————————————
Spam much, maxie?
WV Democrat (08:35:41) :
What was on Maxie’s link?
Why is there spam about dog abuse here? Since I saw nothing there related to Palin beating any dog – especially mushers – I took it off my blog, too.
Will point out here two things:
1. To add to Maia’s comment, I’d heard that Mark Begich’s omission was on one set of forms, but not the other. I.e., he’d reported said expenses on state forms, but not federal, or vice versa, so actually the reporting had been done, but not on both forms. Certainly no amended info or info that was’t reported at all anywhere, as with the lame-o Gov.
2. Lyda Green did not run for re-election, so she is no longer a legislator. She may do some prodding behind the scenes, or she may just be so glad to get out of all of this that she won’t. I wouldn’t look for her to be front & center because of all of the animosity between her & SP. Given that, even though it is a legit cause any action that she takes could be construed as sour grapes or something like that. It’s best to let others deal with it, in my opinion.
On a side note, I did get a response to my (weekly) email to the legislators from Les Gara, and he said that he will continue to push for the issues to be addressed.
Haven’t heard a bit from any of the other slackers.
In reading the various docs on the APOC site, I note that contributors must submit filings. And that there is nothing readily evident to suggest that anyone other than the actual candidate can file the reports. Am I reading things correctly?
Kamerun Scoop’s comment at 1:30:03 appears also to be spam.
I am wondering…..does VICARIOUS LIABILITY come into play here? As a Police Lieutenant I did not socialize with the Patrol Officers after work because if they did some unethical acts….I would be held responsible..if I was there and did nothing to stop it…just wondering…
SMR is right. Mark disclosed the information on his federal forms, which are more thorough/probing than state forms. He then posted those forms on his campaign website. Pierre checked the federal forms against the state forms and used Mark’s disclosures to accuse mark of not disclosing. It was a legitimate error. And, like I said, APOC dismissed most of Pierre’s accusations as baseless (surprise, surprise; we’re talking about the same guy who tried to get a Democratic state legislator DQed from the race because he was “misleading the public” by having taken his stepfather’s last name as a teenager).
@ Grammy in PA (08:39:48)
Just some animal rights activism. Personally I’m tired of reps from HSUS telling me how to tether my dog humanely.
WV Democrat (09:56:04) :
Oh, OK – they have their place but really, they do get extreme sometimes – I get barrels of emails asking for donations almost every day from one of them and once I give something, I think I should be left alone but nooooooo itjust increases the requests.
Keep her in Alaska. Does she govern, or travel around looking for things to do?
I have a hard time understanding how this poor excuse of a woman gets away with soooo much. Makes me wonder just exactly WHAT she has on everybody up there, that they let her continue to get away with her lies and deceit and double standards. Maybe her witch doctor is putting voodoo hexes on all of them.
nearlynormalized (10:10:22) :
Keep her in Alaska. Does she govern, or travel around looking for things to do?
*******
She travels around looking for admiring morons.
@ Grammy in PA
Please don’t give to HSUS. They are animal rights not animal welfare and there is a big difference. It is my opinion that you should give to your local shelter.
WV Democrat (10:14:38) :
I’ll remember that – I do give to our shelter as I like to help the locals – but I have also given to the Defenders of Wildlife b’cuz I am soooo opposed to that wolf kill that Palin has going in AK. Anyway, OT, sorry!
Wow! After the repeated “errors”, “oversights”, and “misunderstsndings” (all corrected, of course) of SWMNBN, the whole thing brings to mind a comment made by Auric Goldfinger in one of the old Bond flicks of the same name…”Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. The third time is enemy action”, which I shall snarkily misquote as, “Once is an accident. Twice is coincidence. Three times is an MO”.
I cannot find any info about a 2007 Republican Governors Convention held in April in Texas. Only one held in New Orleans in March of 2007. Anyone else able to find this conference?
These blogs show me the hate that explodes from the liberal heart when someone is successful. Palin has already gave Alaska more than what she deserves, by bringing her into the 21st. century. The only thing she is guilty of is fighting for Alaska. Also you folks don’t understand what it means to be under one party control. Power corrupts; Absolute power corrupts absolutely. You may want to surrender your freedoms, I don’t. Lord give us people who doesn’t vote ignorantly. Voting for a person because he is (black?) is stupid. That means you would vote for Hitler because he is German. Palin, Steele (who I might add is black) are the best that has happened to America in a long time. (Since voting Jimmy Carter out of office).
Thank you for your amusing comment! 🙂 I can’t resist responding. So, Alaska doesn’t deserve to be brought into the 21st century? And how did Palin do that exactly? Ask the people in rural Alaska who don’t have money for heat, and don’t have indoor plumbing, or adequate medical care, or schools. And…um…yes, we do understand one party rule in Alaska, because until November 4th, we’ve had a one-party congressional delegation for almost 40 years. “We folks” are fairly used to being Republican, and we see what it has brought to our state. And the last time I checked, Sarah Palin was a Republican. So, you just want to vote against “liberals” because they’re liberal? And how is that different than just voting for someone because they are Republican, or Black, or Christian?
And lastly, I cannot think of anyone who has had a more successful political run than Barack Obama. So, if “these blogs” are full of exploding hate for successful people, then….where’s the Obama hate? That would probably be on right-wing conservative blogs.
Your comment officially wins the Mudflats Swiss Cheese Award, for being so delicious and so full of holes!
AKM
faithworksfellowship,
she fights for HER interests. WHat has she really done for AK?
Name ONE real substantial thing? Pipeline? Not built. Reform? She is doing the same stuff that got the old boys kicked out of office. using her mayors office to run for Lt Gov. Charging the state to work from home. Using her office for personal revenge using Yahoo mail to conduct and hide state business,.
she exaggerates, lies, spends, uses her children as props, she has tax issues, ethics issues, family issues and problems forming a coherent sentence.
Other than that she is a total zero!
http://community.adn.com/adn/node/130178
What’s the McCain campaign say? Nothing so far. I’ve called and e-mailed for an on-the-record response, but haven’t heard back.
What’s Palin’s in-state spokesman, Bill McAllister say?
That it’s not true. “The answer to that is no,” he said.
“But beyond that, I don’t know, why should we even have to say anything,” he said.
McAllister was an Anchorage TV reporter before working for Palin. He said Palin once approached him – before people knew she was pregnant – assuming he’d been hearing rumors.
“She said it’s not true about Bristol,” McAllister said.
At the time, the rumor would have been that Palin’s daughter was pregnant.
How does McAllister know it’s not true?
“The governor’s not a liar. That’s the main reason. But also this would have to involve some sort of conspiracy with the hospital of Wasilla. They said she gave birth there. Is the doctor, the nurses … are they all lying?” he said.
______
Is she’s still lying? Or never stopped?
Actually, faithworksfellowship, we have already had that pleasure. From 2000 until 1996 our government was under total republican control-or did you forget that little fact? Republicans had control of the White House, the Senate and the House of Representatives, not to mention the Supreme court is decided right of center at this particular time. In fact, Republicans had control of the Congress since 1994.
And voting for Governor Palin just because she is Christian is just as stupid as voting for someone because they are “black” which you make the assumption (false) that many people did.
I should think, though, that you might just be in favor of holding all of your representatives to a higher ethical standard (particularly the Christian ones, to practice what they preach) than just the Democratic ones that get caught with their pants down.
Peace.
My my, reverse that what I said upthread. I meant to say from 2000 until 2006 we were under Republican one party rule. Didn’t like it, that’s why we voted the Dems in in 2006.
@Faithworks…whatever.
Power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely. That’s how McAllister can claim that the failure to be ethical and report gifts is “irrelevant”. That’s how we’ve seen over 8 years a budget surplus transferred to private parties to give us a budget deficit. That’s how we’ve seen the plethora of SWWNBN’s “gates” with her reminder that she can do what she wants until a court tells her she can’t. That’s a exercise of absolute, corrupted power. Now, Faithworks, go get a bank loan.
Re: “Your comment officially wins the Mudflats Swiss Cheese Award, for being so delicious and so full of holes!”
I love it, I love it, I love it, I LOVE IT!!!
(and yes, that was a Molly Shannon Moment, complete with kicking the leg high in the air while sit/standing on the couch!)
Oops…sorry for the bold! I didn’t mean it for the whole comment, really!
<:o
SP is not a Christian; she just claims she is. She is a church goer. A church goer is not necessarily a Christian. A true Christian embodies attributes like love, honesty, compassion; she is the complete opposite of these things. I have no doubt that she would not hesitate to convert to atheism if she thought it would be better for her politically.
People like her give my religion a bad name and I’m sick of it. Corrupt dishonest politicians who use God’s name to advance their political interests are NOT Christians.
Did anyone see that segment on the Colbert Report where the supposedly Christian “bringing God into government” congressman from Georgia who cosponsered a bill to put the ten commandments in public buildings couldn’t even say what the ten commandments are? No wonder the GOP is so corrupt.
lisaree (17:53:22
That Congressman would be Lynn Westmoreland….the same person from Georgia that called Barack and Michele Obama: “Uppity”.
A fine Christian he is, too.
The best part of that Colbert interview was when Stephen kept trying to get Westmoreland to name another kind of building where it would be more appropriate to post the Ten Commandments.
“Lord give us people who doesn’t vote ignorantly.” What? What does this sentence even mean? Is this sentence representative of Palin supporters?
[…] Hey, Alaskans! Sarah Palin Owes Us $8720. Another day, another ethics challenge for the Palin administration. This one involves (brace yourselves) failure to […] […]
Alaskans, Please make her answer for her “indiscretions” and face the penalties so she will not be put onto the National political stage for the sheep minded people of this country. How devastating would it have been to have had someone this inept put into the White House. McCain should be ashamed of himself for raising her to this level. She is little more than a spoiled brat charlatan and needs to be removed from office where she can do no harm to the great state of Alaska or the nation. (I love the moniker of Grifter Spice.) As for faithworks, I am really dismayed at people who fall hook, line and sinker for someone because they “say” they are Christian. I would think that people of faith might look at their works as well, which are very telling of their beliefs. Remember, even the devil can quote scripture.