Politics | 02/25/2009 9:15 am

Palin to Pay Alaska for Kid-Accompanied Trips

By The Staff at wowOwow.com

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin has agreed to pay her state back for business trips on which she took her kids. But she still says she did nothing wrong. You betcha!

Palin will write a check for about $6,800 to cover the cost of nine trips in 2007 and 2008, including airfare and one meal when daughter Bristol accompanied her to New York City for a women’s leadership conference. The deal’s meant to pacify a state ethics investigation.

Also this week, Palin turned in her Chevy Suburban after finding out she would owe income taxes on it if she used it for personal use. Last week, she also found out that she owed back taxes on thousands of dollars paid in state meal allowances used while she was staying at home in Wasilla, not in the governor’s official residence near Anchorage.

Palin’s attorney says the governor is happily complying with ethics standards that don’t even exist. There’s actually no law saying kids can’t travel with their state-official parents. Now the state is going to create new regulations for future trips paid for with Alaska taxpayer money.

Palin’s staff went even further, saying this week that Palin is living more frugally than her two immediate predecessors, Govs. Frank Murkowski and Tony Knowles. Even so, isn’t it sort of a "no-duh" question of whether taxpayer money should fund a trip to see "Beauty and the Beast?"

167 Reader Comments (so far…) Sign In or Register to comment

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By EKA - on 02/25/2009 9:22 am

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yea right! That is why you took the time to post and were the FIRST to jump on it no less!!!!!…(lol)

By S.J. Morgan on 02/25/2009 10:04 am

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It was an editorial comment, the fact that it was the first was totally by chance.

By EKA - on 02/25/2009 11:19 am

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Oh well, with Ted Stevens as exemplar, what more can one expect from that corrupt individual and state.

By f p on 02/25/2009 9:22 am

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Here we go with Gov. Palin, again. No governor of any state has had as much scrutiny as this one has.

If she’s willing to pay back to the state of Alaska the cost of her kid’s sandwiches, well good for her. She should. Return the Chevy Suburban — she should. Compared to the broke-and-down-and-out status of so many other states, Alaska is doing well by its people.

I hope we don’t have to discuss Bristol’s love life again.

By Marjorie C. on 02/25/2009 9:30 am

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Here we go again….why not she has broken the law and it should be put out there everybody else has to deal with it. Sarah brings all this scrutiny on herself as she is quick to open her mouth on other people and their misdeeds but we are supposed to give her a free ride, I think not!!! I find that the most amazing bit of her remark…"she’s willing to pay it back"….who does she think she is that she even has a choice. Who cares how well Alaska is doing does that make her above reproach for some reason and what she has done is nothing to scold her for?? When it comes to Sarah we are all supposed to give her a break why? She is a public figure and is no better than anyone else who has done these kind of things and should be held accountable.

By caj p on 02/25/2009 9:50 am

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caj: …it should be put out there everybody else has to deal with it.

Fair enough. I’ve dealt with it. Now what?

By Marjorie C. on 02/25/2009 11:33 am

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In fact I put that response incorrectly…I should have said that others in a situation like her, not paying taxes etc have to deal with it being out in the open and Sarah is no exception. So that was my mistake and not that you/others have to deal with it.

By caj p on 02/25/2009 1:10 pm

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I don’t think a difference of opinion on covered expenses amounts to breaking the law. They reviewed it, said some things were questionable as to whether they are covered in her per diem, she disagrees, but paid it anyway. Obviously, you’ve never dealt with corporate travel expense reports.

By Steve Douglass on 02/25/2009 4:14 pm

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Yes my husband and I have dealt with corporate expenses and we knew exactly was covered and not covered…so this Gov who should have known better and did know better said she disagrees, she disagrees with everything she is called out on. You really think eating out of her own home should be paid by the state and you say some things are questionable…I would say so.

By caj p on 02/25/2009 5:33 pm

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Well, if she has to be in the capital city some of the time, but in Anchorage another part of the time, and the Alaskan laws allow for that and have been shown in the past to allow for expenses like that. I, myself have had problems and arguments with what a company would or would not cover in expenses, as have a lot of other people, and have had to pay back. Criminal is an idiotic overreaction. She repaid $6300.00. But, perhaps we should look at Nancy Pelosi and her private jet and those people who get those perks of plane rides with her. That seems a lot more expensive and abusive.

By Steve Douglass on 02/25/2009 7:01 pm

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How about the Clinton’s going to China ? Bill and Chelsea were there w/Mamma Clinton in her capacity as Sec of State….did she pay for her husband and grown daughter? or did I? and how’d they split the hotel and meal bills?? did I pay for their room service? makes ya go hummmmmm…!

By Debbie Learman on 02/26/2009 2:07 am