Sarah Palin, Ethics Charges | 07/22/2009 9:35 am

Sarah Palin Fights Back Against More 'Bull Crap' Ethics Violations

Just days away from leaving the governor’s office for good, Palin slapped with more ethics complaints about alleged misuse of legal defense fund.

By The Staff at wowOwow.com

Ever the spunky one, Sarah Palin is fighting back today against new ethics charges that say she used donated money from a legal defense set up for her to pay for her own legal bills.

"I am informed that this fund was created by experienced attorneys in DC and was modeled after other similar funds established for senators and others. The fund itself was not created by me nor is it controlled by me," the Alaska governor said in a statement. "Neither I nor my lawyer has received a penny from this fund, and I am informed the Trustee was withholding any action or payment pending final resolution with the Personnel Board. This is the hallmark of legal compliance and prudent conduct."

Palin also took to Twitter to blast her critics.

In one tweet, she wrote: "In violation of Ethics Act more allegations were filed today by serial complainer;gave to press be4 we could respond;ridiculous, wasteful … Some ask why not sue abusers of Ethics Act bc state wastes 1000’s hrs/millions of tax dollars to fight (and win!) frivolous charges, tho … it costs political critics NOTHING to file/play their wasteful game;They should debate policy in political arena,not hide w/process abuse."

Palin’s lawyers say the funds haven’t been distributed at all yet and Palin had no role in the creation of the Alaska Fund Trust, adding that the accusations consist of a "grossly unfair portrayal of her."

The new report, written by an investigator for the state personnel board, came in response to an ethics complaint filed after the fund was established. First reported by the AP, the report says the legal defense fund was trading on Palin’s status as a public official to solicit donations, which could amount to improper gifts under Alaska law. It recommended that she refuse to accept money from the fund and ask the state for reimbursement instead.

"There is little doubt that the Alaska Fund Trust will provide ‘personal gain’ to Governor Palin because the trust will provide a benefit to the governor’s financial interest," Anchorage lawyer Thomas M. Daniel wrote in the report.

This is just the latest in a string of ethics charges levied against Palin, most of which have been dismissed. But still, Palin has been forced to pay big money to defend herself against them. She says she owes $500,000 in legal bills, and that the continuing "bull crap" charges are one big reason she decided to resign from office this month. She will leave the governor’s office this weekend.

You can read the ethics report here.

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The WashPo writers note with wistful rue that if one runs as an ethics reformer, one invariably sets oneself up to be knocked down. Well, actually, no, not necessarily. Not in a world without Alinsky.

Alinsky and his followers are the ones who will target you if you run as a reformer. Never forget Rule #4 of Alinsky’s “Rules for Radicals”:

Make the enemy live up to its own book of rules. You can kill them with this, for they can no more obey their own rules than the Christian church can live up to Christianity.

They made her live up to an impossible and nonsensical standard. They even changed the standard on her so as to keep her off balance. In the words of that great internet epigrammarian Jim Treacher, "They shot at her feet and then arrested her for violating the no dancing ordinance."

http://www.conservatives4palin.com/2009/07/addressing-critics-palin-is-honest.html

By S.J. Morgan on 07/25/2009 9:27 pm

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Excuses for failure of Sarah Palin. President Obama campaigned on ethics reform. I guess that is why he is being bashed and shot at.

By starry Nite on 07/25/2009 9:50 pm

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July 24, 2009, Anchorage, Alaska – The Personnel Board has announced that another ethics complaint against Governor Sarah Palin has been dismissed.

The complaint, the sixth filed by Anchorage resident Andree McLeod, accused the governor of violating the Ethics Act by receiving her salary while campaigning for vice president. The accusation, lodged Monday, was dismissed as legally flawed and factually devoid of merit.

Governor Palin remained on duty, conducted state business, and communicated with her staff and her constituents. “Andree McLeod has failed to prevail on any of the ethics complaints she has filed against the governor,” said Mike Nizich, Palin’s chief of staff. “It appears her agenda is clear – she’s abusing the ethics laws to harass public officials

By S.J. Morgan on 07/25/2009 10:52 pm

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S.J.

Thanks for the post and yeah Andree McLeod is abusing the ethics laws to harass public officials. Do you have any suggestions on what can be done?

By T P on 07/25/2009 11:25 pm

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How can we miss her if she won’t go away?

Celia Rivenbanks’ column called "Ready for the Sarah Palin, LaToya Jackson Ticket?" is worth hunting up…..Sunday funnies….

By georgia fatwood on 07/26/2009 2:05 pm

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Sorry…Celia RivenbaRk http://www.thesunnews.com/news/columnists/celia_rivenbark/story/987145.html

By georgia fatwood on 07/26/2009 2:11 pm

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Never mind

By georgia fatwood on 07/26/2009 2:11 pm

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Beautiful Picture..

http://www.adn.com/sarah-palin/v-gallery/story/876536.html?/1521/gallery/876741-a876721-t3.html

By S.J. Morgan on 07/26/2009 6:08 pm

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another good one

http://www.adn.com/sarah-palin/v-gallery/story/876536.html?/1521/gallery/876741-a876738-t3.html

By S.J. Morgan on 07/26/2009 6:14 pm

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Beautiful SJ! Apparently the walkway was lined with roses! What a wonderful idea ‘someone’ had dontcha think? News to pass around -

There is word that Obama is going to pull a fast one …. make sure you are on the phone - e-mailing and faxing - I just received the following:

Hello CIA member, I am Ron Austin, creator of the Fax Center and I really need your help. Between CIA and Bootem we have over 400 members, but yet only a handfull take advantage of the Free Fax Center. Obama and the liberals are at it again. After saying they are going to postpone the vote until the vacation, we now learn that they are going to skip the committees and go to a vote on July 29. THE HEALTH CARE BILL MUST NOT PASS.

We need to respond immediately. There is no time to set up a fax page for this. Instead, all we need is all of you to reply to this email, give your name, state and district and say SEND THE HEALTH CARE FAX.

Here is what we are sending:
=================================================
Dear EMPLOYEE, (Yes, you work for ME!)

If you are planning to vote NO on the healthcare bill, bravo for you! You have our undying thanks.

If you are planning to vote YES, you are a traitor and an idiot. By an overwhelming majority, the American people have said that they do not want a government health care plan. Rest assured that you will be NOT re-elected if you vote for this. This is our goal in life, to eliminate all RINOS from congress and to eliminate anyone who votes contrary to the will of the people.

So go ahead and vote for the bill if you want to commit political suicide, but before you do,

1. READ THE DAMN BILL

2. SIGN A PLEDGE THAT YOU WILL DROP YOUR CUSHY CONGRESSIONAL HEALTH PLAN AND AGREE THAT YOU AND YOUR FAMILY BE COVERED UNDER OBAMA’S PLAN.

3. WHILE YOU ARE AT IT, DROP YOUR CUSHY RETIREMENT PLAN AND AGREE THAT YOU WILL BE COVERED BY SOCIAL SECURITY LIKE EVERYONE ELSE.

WE ARE MAD AND WE ARE NOT GOING TO TAKE IT ANY MORE. DO THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE OR GET OUT OF THE WAY!

[THIS IS NOT THE WHOLE FAX, IT WILL NOT FIT IN THE SPACE ALLOWED, BUT IF YOU REQUEST IT, I WILL EMAIL YOU THE ENTIRE DOCUMENT]. PLEASE TAKE A MINUTE AND REQUEST THIS FAX BY REPLYING WITH YOUR NAME, STATE AND DISTRICT.

Visit Citizens in Action at: http://citizensinaction.ning.com

By canuck canuck on 07/27/2009 12:10 am

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Thanks, Canuck-

Numerous friends have turned away from their beloved pres over the last few months-AND THEY HAVEN’T EATEN CROW AS MUCH AS THEY JUST ARE FED UP AND SAID-"ENOUGH OF THE BAIL OUT INSANITY AND COMMUNIST TAKE OVER"-not what we expected. Here’s the bottom line. Both sides of the political fence have had betrayals as these gluttonous leaders have not served their constituents. WE THE PEOPLE are not being represented as we have asked and are beginning to UNITE in many circles against the rule of a few. My Dad ran Hospitals from the early 50’s thru the late 90’s. he told m, "Watch out honey, as the dangerous, power hungry Governments we sought to discard around the world will sneak in and trick every American through Healthcare to control your every move". He said this with more elaboration before dying in 2001. Prophetic.

TAXED TO THE MAXED is insanity-and never happened on personal items until we gave away our lives to BIG BROTHER in America. Again-I’m seeing the largest merging of left and right develop as a sleeping giant in the US by a LIBERTY LOVING PEOPLE-even if some of our politics differ. WHAT WE HAVE IN COMMON IS A DESIRE FOR FREEDOM which we are rapidly seeing be removed by cunning individuals who want to dictate our lives—-yes we will live under a DICTATORSHIP IF WE DON’T WAKE UP FAST, PICK OUR one ISSUE TO FIGHT FOR (simplify) and go after this Rabid Socialism that will destroy the only free nation on God’s green earth. My Chinese neighbor told me yesterday she has watched her country’s cons (China) slither in like a charming snake to a place she came (US) to leaves horrible despots. It scares her to death how naive’ American’s are with their eyes wide shut. I hear this from all my neighbors that came from COMMUNISM. Oh dear friends on the left-fight for your country, not for a bail out & take that compassion and look deeply at the EMPEROR’S BACKSIDE. IT IS very stinky.

By Mary Courtney on 07/27/2009 11:15 am

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Scatalogical comment is just a big word for potty talk…If the shoe fits….

By georgia fatwood on 07/27/2009 1:24 pm

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What’s with all the copy and pasting? How about citing sources and summarizing?

By darcus grey on 07/29/2009 4:40 am

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by Dewey Whetsell The last 45 of my 66 years I’ve spent in a commercial fishing town in Alaska. I understand Alaska politics but never understood national politics well until this last year. Here’s the breaking point: Neither side of the Palin controversy gets it…It’s not about persona, style, rhetoric, it’s about doing things. Even Palin supporters never mention the things that I’m about to mention here. 1- Democrats forget when Palin was the Darling of the Democrats, because as soon as Palin took the Governor’s office away from a fellow Republican and tough SOB, Frank Murkowski, she tore into the Republican’s “Corrupt Bastards Club” (CBC) and sent them packing. Many of them are now residing in State housing and wearing orange jump suits. The Democrats reacted by skipping around the yard, throwing confetti and singing “la la la la” (well, you know how they are). Name another governor in this country that has ever done anything similar. But while you’re thinking, I’ll continue. 2- Now with the CBC gone, there were fewer Alaskan politicians to protect the huge, giant oil companies here. So, she constructed and enacted a new system of splitting the oil profits called “ACES”. Exxon (the biggest corporation in the world) protested and Sarah told them “don’t let the door hit you in the stern on your way out.” They stayed, and Alaska residents went from being merely wealthy to being filthy rich. Of course the other huge international oil companies meekly fell in line. Again, give me the name of any other governor in the country that has done anything similar. 3- The other thing she did when she walked into the governor’s office is she got the list of State requests for federal funding for projects, known as “pork”. She went through the list, took 85% of them and placed them in the “when-hell-freezes-over” stack. She let locals know that if we need something built, we’ll pay for it ourselves. Maybe she figured she could use the money she got from selling the previous governor’s jet because it was extravagant. Maybe she could use the money she saved by dismissing the governor’s cook (remarking that she could cook for her own family), giving back the State vehicle issued to her, maintaining that she already had a car, and dismissing her State provided security force (never mentioning—I imagine—that she’s packing heat herself). I’m still waiting to hear the names of those other governors. 4- Now, even with her much-ridiculed “gosh and golly” mannerism, she also managed to put together a totally new approach to getting a natural gas pipeline built which will be the biggest private construction project in the history of North America. No one else could do it although they tried. If that doesn’t impress you, then you’re trying too hard to be unimpressed while watching her do things like this while baking up a batch of brownies with her other hand. 5- For 30 years, Exxon held a lease to do exploratory drilling at a place called Point Thompson. They made excuses the entire time why they couldn’t start drilling. In truth they were holding it like an investment. No governor for 30 years could make them get started. This summer, she told them she was revoking their lease and kicking them out. They protested and threatened court action. She shrugged and reminded them that she knew the way to the court house. Alaska won again. 6- President Obama wants the nation to be on 25% renewable resources for electricity by 2025. Sarah went to the legislature and submitted her plan for Alaska to be at 50% renewables by 2025. We are already at 25%. I can give you more specifics about things done, as opposed to style and persona . Everybody wants to be cool, sound cool, look cool. But that’s just a cover-up. I’m still waiting to hear from liberals the names of other governors who can match what mine has done in two and a half years. I won’t be holding my breath. By the way, she was content to to return to AK after the national election and go to work, but the haters wouldn’t let her. Now these adolescent screechers are obviously not scuba divers. And no one ever told them what happens when you continually jab and pester a barracuda. Without warning, it will spin around and tear your face off. Shoulda known better.

By canuck canuck on 08/02/2009 3:38 am

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We can all talk the talk-but when it comes down to it-we each have our own part in turning this thing around. No one else can do what every individual is called to do in their own little world to bring real change. No politician is squeaky clean just like none of us are-the point:

Self sufficiency and a return to honesty-a high call for grown up Americans ready to leave adolescence and not rely on the govt anymore.

By Mary Courtney on 08/04/2009 12:07 am