New Doubts About Palin’s Stated Reason For Quitting

Posted by | July 8, 2009 18:43 | Filed under: Top Stories


Even though she is not a quitter, Sarah Palin’s primary stated reason for quitting has been cast in a new light. Taxpayers, it turns out, are not spending millions to defend her with dollars that would otherwise go to cops, firefighters and other good Alaska services.  Amanda Erickson at Plumline got the scoop.


David Murrow, a spokesperson for the Governor, said in an interview that much of this money was budgeted to the lawyers in advance and would have gone to them anyway, even if state lawyers hadn’t been defending against these ethics complaints.

 

In response to our questions, the Governor’s office provided us with a detailed breakdown of the millions Palin has claimed has gone to defending against ethics complaints. It does list roughly $1.9 million in expenditures.

 

But Murrow, the spokesperson, acknowledged to our reporter, Amanda Erickson, that this total was arrived at by adding up attorney hours spent on fending off complaints — based on the fixed salaries of lawyers in the governor’s office and the Department of Law. The money would have gone to the lawyers no matter what they were doing. The complaints are “just distracting them from other duties,” Murrow said.

 

Here is the line-by-line breakdown, which lists $1.9 million in expenses, but that is money that went to lawyers already on payroll as part of their regular jobs.


TPM has the three complaints still outstanding against Palin, not ones you’d think would result in a gubernatorial resignation.


Jan. 26: Two complaints filed by McLeod alleged two of Palin’s top aides misused their official positions for Palin’s personal and political gain. The complaints said then-press secretary Bill McAllister and Kris Perry — director of the governor’s Anchorage office — worked on state time to benefit Palin’s interests during and after her vice presidential quest.

April 27: Contends Palin is misusing the governor’s office for personal gain by securing unwarranted benefits and receiving improper gifts through the Alaska Fund Trust. The fund was recently established by supporters to help Palin pay off more than $500,000 in legal debts stemming from other ethics complaints, including troopergate. Complaint filed by Eagle River resident, Kim Chatman.

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By: Alan

Alan Colmes is the publisher of Liberaland.

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