Palin Talking the Talk

Sarah Palin the Reformer. The Maverick. The Tireless Fighter Against Corruption and Waste.

Here's how that's working out. Before she became McCain's running mate,

Gov. Sarah Palin charged the state for her children to travel with her, including to events where they were not invited, and later amended expense reports to specify that they were on official business. The charges included costs for hotel and commercial flights for three daughters to join Palin to watch their father in a snowmobile race, and a trip to New York, where the governor attended a five-hour conference and stayed with 17-year-old Bristol for five days and four nights in a luxury hotel. ...

On Aug. 6, three weeks before Republican presidential nominee Sen. John McCain chose Palin his running mate, and after Alaska reporters asked for the records, Palin ordered changes to previously filed expense reports for her daughters' travel.

The Palins stayed in hotel rooms costing upwards of $700 a night. Of course, Michelle Obama probably spent at least as much for the same thing, especially factoring in the caviar and lobster she ordered up to her Waldorf Astoria roo— oh wait, that was just a lie to try to dust off the "Obama's an elitist" meme, as the New York Post has now acknowledged. (And if she had ordered pricey, fancy foods, so what? What do Limbaugh and Hannity and their army of disaffected, bitter henchmen want her to order — a bucket of fried chicken and some watermelon perhaps?)

Back to Palin. Remember this?

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. ...

She wrote some form of "Lodging — own residence" or "Lodging — Wasilla residence" more than 30 times at the same time she took a per diem, according to the reports. In two dozen undated amendments to the reports, the governor deleted the reference to staying in her home but still charged the per diem.

I don't know if that qualifies as repeatedly falsifying expenses reports, but the post hoc amendments and deletions — done, in some cases, after reporters started asking question — sure make it seem like she's trying desperately not to get caught with her hand in the cookie jar.

Comments

[Martin Owens]

Padding expense accounts? airbrushing the record?

Well, then, how can they possibly say she hasn't got political skills and experience?

[Phelps]

This has been debunked already. When she is governor, her residence is the governor's mansion. When she goes back to her hometown, she is traveling. When she did that, she wrote "Lodging — own residence" on the report with a claim of ZERO DOLLARS. You know, to explain why she wasn't claiming any lodging fees.

You really are beclowning yourself with this.

[George]

And she calls Obama a "socialist". She's spreading the wealth, to herself.

[Rogier]

>>When she did that, she wrote "Lodging — own residence" on the report with a claim of ZERO DOLLARS.<<

The only "confirmation" I've been able to find of that view has been on some rightwing blogs like Hot Air. And even the unabashed partisans who write for Hot Air confess that they really don't know what's going on with Palin's expenses reports and per diems. They write:

"We can’t know unless/until someone produces the other expense reports; presumably Team Maverick is already checking this and will humiliate them publicly forthwith if it’s warranted."

That was a month and a half ago. Has "Team Maverick" produced the other reports, and a solid explanation that proves Palin did NOT in fact take the per diem when she slept under her own roof? If so, I withdraw my comment and apologize. If not, I expect you to.

And what of the fact that she took her kids to see daddy racing his snowmobile and then charged the entire trip to Alaskan taxpayers? Nothing to say about that?

[hermesten]

"The only "confirmation" I've been able to find of that view has been on some rightwing blogs like Hot Air."

An aptly named blog from the sound of it. And we can just imagine the winger take if Palin was a Democrat, or running say, with Ron Paul.

What I find amusing is the latest drivel she's peddling about her $150,000 wardrobe. It's not her "property," she's just wearing it on "loan" from the Republican party, and hey, she's going to give it back when the campaign is over. Ya see, it's like renting a $150,000 Tux for the prom. Maybe the GOP will loan out the Palin wardrobe to a candidate for the Senate. She, or he (if they're really progressive) can return it and then it can be loaned out to a candidate for governor....then maybe to a candidate for a State comptroller or something. By the time it get's down to the mayoral level I imagine it will need a good cleaning.

Even better, maybe they can turn a profit by selling it to Rich Lowry, so he can use it whenever he's jacking-off.

Is there anything these neo-Publicans won't say, ANYTHING, no matter how ridiculous, that won't be uttered to rationalize more sbsurdity?