New Palin scandal: She billed the state for stuff she was allowed to bill
posted at 4:36 pm on September 9, 2008 by Allahpundit
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We’re late to this but let’s flag it now because it’s such a worthy complement to the last post. After 10 days of digging through her and her kids’ trash, here are the media’s big scoops: (a) she supported the bridge to nowhere before killing it, unlike the two tools on the other ticket who supported it consistently; (b) she sought earmarks as mayor of Wasilla, the grand total of which was a fraction of what the “Change” duo has requested in its combined 40 years in Washington; and (c) she billed Alaska for per diem expenses to which she was perfectly entitled, including travel expenses that were roughly 75% less than the previous governor racked up, and actually declined to be reimbursed for some expenses she could have claimed. If you’re wondering why the left is so heavily invested in smears, it’s because the actual “dirt” on her is an inch thin. Better to photoshop her into a picture of a woman with a rifle in a bikini and send that around than take your chances with trying to explain why the state can’t afford to cover occasional airfare for the small children of a governor who doesn’t have a team of nannies to watch them while she’s on business trips.
There’s a second reason to flag this, though. The main gripe here is that she billed the state for “lodging” while staying at her own home in Wasilla; the governor’s official home is in Juneau, so technically any nights spent away from there while working entitled her to a hotel per diem. WaPo supplies us with only one sample expense report which includes an item for “lodging - own residence”, but as Jonah Goldberg and David Bernstein note, there’s no amount listed on that line. She simply noted it, almost as if to say “I’m not charging anything because I stayed at my own residence.” The only amount on the line, $60, is for meals and incidentals (M&IE). The money question, then: Did WaPo simply misread her reports, treating amounts for M&IE as though they were amounts for lodging? Remember, they’ve already egregiously misread one financial report of hers, generating a smear that still hasn’t been fully scrubbed away.
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. In the meantime, via Bill Amos, here’s Captain Earmark weaving a tapestry of exquisite hypocrisy in chiding Palin for her pork-loving ways. Note the response from the crowd when he insists he’s not perfect.
Update: Believe it or not, the AP’s version of this is even worse than WaPo’s, wondering aloud why her kids were allowed to travel on the state dole when even WaPo notes that they’re covered if they’re part of the event to which the governor’s traveling.
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This is awesome. Continue to pile it on. PLEASE.
YellowDawg on September 9, 2008 at 4:38 PM
As Governor, Palin once took home a ballpoint pen and a handful of paper clips from her office.
I’m voting Obama.
Bishop on September 9, 2008 at 4:39 PM
I read this on red state great ain’t it lmao
tee866 on September 9, 2008 at 4:40 PM
10 days. Just think, word on the street was that some people thought she was inadequately vetted!
Spirit of 1776 on September 9, 2008 at 4:40 PM
The answer is, of course, YES.
NoFanofLibs on September 9, 2008 at 4:42 PM
Gawd Almighty, that video is brutal. Can Baracky speak normally without a teleprompter and a script? The last twenty seconds he sounds like an idiot.
“Uhhh…ya see…they uhhh…and like you know…this is, these are…but…they…ok hold on now…”
Bishop on September 9, 2008 at 4:42 PM
The OBama camp is REALLY weak…
originalpechanga on September 9, 2008 at 4:42 PM
I would love to see an audit of the Washington Post’s personnel expense reports going back, oh, 40 years or so.
BigD on September 9, 2008 at 4:42 PM
But… but… she took my red stapel…
Romeo13 on September 9, 2008 at 4:43 PM
New synonym for words like meltdown and choke: O-Biden.
AubieJon on September 9, 2008 at 4:43 PM
GGGGGrRRRRRRR
But… but… she took my Red STAPLER…
Romeo13 on September 9, 2008 at 4:43 PM
I can’t believe this is all they can come up with.
anniekc on September 9, 2008 at 4:44 PM
You’re not late to this. Hot Air got it earlier this morning in the headlines.
At the time I explained how shocked I was that Beckle would say something like that (when he briefly touched on it this morning on Fox) without explaining anything about the scandal, obviously hoping voters wouldn’t look into it and thus believe it to be legitimate.
Esthier on September 9, 2008 at 4:44 PM
20$ say the person who said ” yeah you are ” was a plant .
Mojack420 on September 9, 2008 at 4:44 PM
She took a kleenex of mine!
lorien1973 on September 9, 2008 at 4:45 PM
How did you and Biden vote on that bridge barry?
Les in NC on September 9, 2008 at 4:45 PM
I remember how The One decided to earmark his wife’s hospital for $1 mil.
leetpriest on September 9, 2008 at 4:45 PM
OMG. Anyone who has done an expense report knows that AP is exactly right here. If you use your own car, you write “transportation - POV” (privately owned vehicle); if you stay in your own home or a family members’ you write “lodging - own residence.” You have to put something in the blank on the form even if you provided the item or service yourself. This is an absolute DUH mistake by the Post. Amazing.
rockmom on September 9, 2008 at 4:45 PM
Well, if they want to go there, we need to know how much taxpayer money Joe Biden spends commuting to D.C. on Amtrak every day. This would include being in the first class car and the police protection he receives.
BigD on September 9, 2008 at 4:46 PM
Pathetic.
CP on September 9, 2008 at 4:47 PM
Any chance we could get a revote on that whole, um, “articulate” thing?
Typhoon on September 9, 2008 at 4:48 PM
The MSM is so utterly despicable it is beyond disgusting.
In addition to cancelling all newspaper and magazine subscriptions and not watching the MSM on TV, I wish every single person who is fed up with this witch hunt would call their broker and make sure that sell off every single stock or mutual fund that contains shares of GE, NYT, CNN, Viacom or any of the owners of any of the major media outlets.
Cash out of their portfolios is the only thing, if anything, that they will respond to.
chromium on September 9, 2008 at 4:48 PM
The Dems have been MOOSED!
NoFanofLibs on September 9, 2008 at 4:49 PM
Sounded like Andi Sullivan to me.
BrianBoru on September 9, 2008 at 4:49 PM
The “dirt” is more like the dust that falls on everyone.
An answer to your question is that democrats never recovered from Watergate.
Success-by-scandal is their only hope, since they cannot win an honest debate on ideas without Republicans just agreeing to most valid points.
Right_of_Attila on September 9, 2008 at 4:51 PM
Any chance we could get a revote on that whole, um, “articulate” thing?
Typhoon on September 9, 2008 at 4:48 PM
Sure, but unless you catch Baracky not showering or using deoderant, he is still the “clean” African-American candidate.
Bishop on September 9, 2008 at 4:51 PM
I cannot believe he is still spending this much time attacking the #2 person on the opposing ticket. Is anything a better illustration that he is not even in the same league with McCain on many issues that he is picking battles with Palin?
tarheelcon on September 9, 2008 at 4:52 PM
He would be a great comedian if he had some good jokes and could finish a thought. That’s his speaking aura now, isn’t it?
econavenger on September 9, 2008 at 4:52 PM
Every post, every unhinged liberal screed, every sexist diatribe only makes me like this lady more.
I have PalinMania.
Jaibones on September 9, 2008 at 4:54 PM
Over 3000 comments on Huffpo over this nonsense!
ctmom on September 9, 2008 at 4:55 PM
More like heart-throb
ballz2wallz on September 9, 2008 at 4:55 PM
I’ve also heard she is a “re-gifter.”
Mr_Magoo on September 9, 2008 at 4:56 PM
when he insists he’s not perfect.
Baracky must suffered physical pain when he said that.
Bishop on September 9, 2008 at 4:56 PM
Anybody care to add up what we’re paying for Joe Biden’s train rides?
Quisp on September 9, 2008 at 4:56 PM
Palin-ator: The Sarah Palin Chronicles
Mr_Magoo on September 9, 2008 at 4:57 PM
All I can say is that McCain leaps 20 points ahead in NC!!!!!! What next, the Raging Trannies taking it to the streets?
http://abclocal.go.com/wtvd/story?section=news/politics&id=6380065
bloggless on September 9, 2008 at 4:59 PM
Fake but accurate.
“Courage. Courage.”
Weebork on September 9, 2008 at 4:59 PM
So, the WaPo can’t read an expense report but they expect us to rely on them to cover the problems with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac?
I don’t think so.
Dusty on September 9, 2008 at 5:00 PM
I heard she once said “bless you” after someone sneezed and her heart wasn’t totally in it.
Chuck Schick on September 9, 2008 at 5:01 PM
Obama: “I’m not perfect.”
Audience: “Yes, you are.”
I agree. He is a perfect a$$.
fred5678 on September 9, 2008 at 5:01 PM
So the MSM primates are now digging desperately to see if Palin overcharged the state sixty bucks for lodging, but they have no interest in knowing where 150 million effin dollars went when Baracky worked with Ayers at the Annenberg Challenge.
How did a nation as great as ours get saddled with the equivalent of North Korea’s media? I’m really starting to hate these people.
Bishop on September 9, 2008 at 5:02 PM
I smell fear.
Star20 on September 9, 2008 at 5:03 PM
Oh, dear God, he is soooo whiny in that vid!
Pasalubong on September 9, 2008 at 5:05 PM
Someone needs to dig out Baracky’s expense reports. I would be interested to see how much he is writing-off as ’senatorial duties’ while campaigning for POTUS.
Bishop on September 9, 2008 at 5:06 PM
The fact that he is stumbling and bumbling here for any time at all trying to defend himself against , for all intents and purposes, ‘Snow White” is just hilarious. The wheels are just flying off his campaign as we watch.
bbz123 on September 9, 2008 at 5:06 PM
Wow. I read somewhere that O’s campaign was going to run against McCain someday. Maybe they are so enamored of SP that they just can’t take their eyes of her.
You’re just ‘too good’ to be true.
Don’t dare take my eyes off you.
You’d be like Heaven to touch.
I wanna smear you so much.
Man, when will Hillary arrive,
And find that I’m just barely alive.
You’re just too damn good to be true.
Won’t take my eyes off you.
cue trumpets…
I fear you, Cuda,
And if it’s quite alright,
I need you, Cuda,
To just go away tonight.
I’m trembling, baby.
Trust in me when I say:
Oh, Sarah Cuda,
Don’t bring me down, I pray.
Oh, pretty Cuda, now that I found you’re stayin,
I’m intimidat-ed by you,
I’m no ram, I’m a ewe….
trailboss on September 9, 2008 at 5:06 PM
Is it smart for He Who is Him to attack her?
We’ve all read the analysts -one after another on both sides- who say that #1 on the ticket should not attack #2 on the other side because it diminishes him.
They may be wrong but they aren’t stupid; they’re experienced political pros.
What is Axelrod doing here?
I seriously wonder why they think this is a good strategy.
Any ideas?
aquaviva on September 9, 2008 at 5:07 PM
I think you mean tear. This brings a tear to my eye…
ballz2wallz on September 9, 2008 at 5:12 PM
It’s working becuase on my way home, the local news break started off like this:
“The Washington Post is reporting that Vice President candidate Sarah Palin has billed taxpayers of her state for time she slept at home.”
That’s it.
Left wing rag meme accomplished.
kevinkristy on September 9, 2008 at 5:13 PM
About the flying bit, it ties into the “how could she fly after her water
brokestarted leaking?!?!!1one1one” so often asked.I’ve never been to Alaska, but I know how to read a map. It’s fracking HUGE. You don’t drive across the state; you fly. Governor Palin and the First Dude are both pilots, which isn’t at all weird there. I would suspect that a lot of people in AK are retired AF who were stationed there and decided they liked the place, further skewing the numbers.
The Monster on September 9, 2008 at 5:17 PM
I’m surprised they didn’t add, …”with her husband, Todd, on a night they were both feeling amorous.”
BigD on September 9, 2008 at 5:19 PM
Hell here in Louisiana she’d be commended for not keeping the jet and building a private airstrip with state money….much ado about nothing.
sven10077 on September 9, 2008 at 5:20 PM
Should be an ad in that.
Karl on September 9, 2008 at 5:20 PM
Also, the Associated Press rewrite of the WaPo story is the sort of thing the AP would harass a blogger for doing.
Karl on September 9, 2008 at 5:21 PM
Obama’s new campaign slogan - Believe it’s Time to Change our Frikken Shorts.
Plus new ‘action words’ for teh man himself:
hesitate (be irresolute) ; falter, funk, cower, crouch; skulk (cowardice); take fright, take alarm; start, wince, flinch, shy, shrink; fly (avoid).
tremble, shake; shiver, shiver in one’s shoes; shudder, flutter; shake like an aspen leaf, tremble like an aspen leaf, tremble all over; quake, quaver, quiver, quail.
grow pale, turn pale; blench, stand aghast; not dare to say one’s soul is one’s own.
trailboss on September 9, 2008 at 5:22 PM
This is the man who voted twice for the bridge to nowhere, along with Biden.
Good lord, preaching to their choir they will get the ooohs and aaaahs, their “choir” will sing his praise…but the people will hear the noise.
right2bright on September 9, 2008 at 5:27 PM
Thanks…I’m going to be singing that for the next couple of weeks and tick off every member of my family. Read that and thought, Gee, I love that! Then the realization came that it would be stuck in my darned head forever Kind of like after seeing Silky Pony and “I’m so Pretty”. Sang that everytime that boobs face was on th TV.
Saracuda rocks my socks off!!!- almost as much as little Piper.
mauioriginal on September 9, 2008 at 5:28 PM
Hmmmmm, separation of church and state issues???
right2bright on September 9, 2008 at 5:28 PM
He Who is Him - LOL!
bloggless on September 9, 2008 at 5:32 PM
Obama: I’m not perfect.
Plant:
dont taze me bro on September 9, 2008 at 5:32 PM
Oopss…let’s try that again.
.
Obama: I’m not perfect.
Plant: Yes, you are.
Audience: Applause (on cue).
dont taze me bro on September 9, 2008 at 5:33 PM
Fox just cited the story…
Perpetuating myth without fact checking… is that how the MSM operates now?
Romeo13 on September 9, 2008 at 5:36 PM
Sorry, and you’re welcome.
trailboss on September 9, 2008 at 5:38 PM
Fox just cited the story…
Perpetuating myth without fact checking… is that how the MSM operates now?
Romeo13 on September 9, 2008 at 5:36 PM
I noticed it too, and was like WTH! I sent them a comment with facts.
Mercy4Me on September 9, 2008 at 5:43 PM
“Hey uh O..eh..O..ah..Obam…er…Obama”
GET HOOKED ON PHONICS
Hog Wild on September 9, 2008 at 5:43 PM
Good God, these people are yammering about $60??
Pathetic.
I hear Obama is doing invitation only events now so that he can be sure to get a lot of fainting drooling cultees to chant for him.
Pathetic again.
Terrye on September 9, 2008 at 5:47 PM
Two words:Pelosi’s jet.
bbz123 on September 9, 2008 at 5:48 PM
This is getting more ridiculous by the minute. I mean come on. Did the MSM do any vetting of BHO? NO! Otherwise they would have found that his college was paid for by a known anti-American, Saudi affiliated, black panther racist ties.
Mercy4Me on September 9, 2008 at 5:55 PM
Who does pay for Biden-Times Amtrak fare?
Mercy4Me on September 9, 2008 at 5:55 PM
Mercy4Me
“Who does pay for Biden-Times Amtrak fare?”
Answer: Your TAX $$$$$’s.
bucko36 on September 9, 2008 at 6:05 PM
I’ve been noticing how animated obbie’s voice has become.
sounds to me like just another, community organizer.
jimmer on September 9, 2008 at 6:10 PM
He really does like taking shots at de tar baby doesn’t he?
It’s getting irritating listening to news readers on talk radio pass along crap like that AP article. How many people who hear that are going to do some basic research?
aikidoka on September 9, 2008 at 6:27 PM
Brace yourself for the next big expose. I heard that Sarah once fed a stray cat.
TooTall on September 9, 2008 at 6:27 PM
The liberals are frightened. You can tell because the number of sneers and curses is up.
indythinker on September 9, 2008 at 6:29 PM
Hehehehehehe.
SouthernGent on September 9, 2008 at 6:43 PM
Are you kidding me? Wow a whole new “Travelgate” haha.
bagadeez04 on September 9, 2008 at 7:17 PM
That was painful. It took him 2 minutes to say what he could have said in 20 seconds. How do people stay awake at his rallys? Though the way he paces his talk, it is hard to refer to an appearance as a “rally.”
Mallard T. Drake on September 9, 2008 at 7:59 PM
She drives a state SUV to work in Anchorage, so it wouldn’t surprise me if lots of that per diem was gas.
Illinidiva on September 9, 2008 at 9:07 PM
At a little after 8:00 central time, MSNBC had this female news anchor on spouting that Sarah Plalin had stiffed the Alaskan people about $16K for reimbursement while living at home, and a similar amount for transporting her children between Anchorage and Juneau. If someone has a recording of this, I think everyone would want to see it.
Of course, MSNBC gets themselves off the hook with the “Washington Post reports”. Of course that did not keep them from expanding on the theme. After what AllahPundit has said on this (and I don’t think he is really a Palin supporter) the MSNBC report is typically represensive.
Old Country Boy on September 9, 2008 at 9:25 PM
That’s why they do it…it’s cheating and deceiving..they know a certain percentage of people will believe it and not verify… How many people just belive everything they hear on the news??? A lot!
CCRWM on September 9, 2008 at 11:26 PM
But she saved the state money by getting rid of the plane and the private chef !!!
golfer39 on September 10, 2008 at 12:33 AM
If this story turns out to be erroneous, IMHO the McCain campaign *and* media watchdog groups both need to come down on the perpetrators like a ton of bricks. And stay on it, until the false report itself becomes known to the general public as The Scandal. Not so much on some of the other stuff floating out there, but definitely on this one.
That goes for both the original source (WaPo?) as well as anybody in the future who references the story once it is definitively debunked. (Assuming it is, of course…)
RD on September 10, 2008 at 1:15 AM
You’re right. Sixty bucks would NOT fill the tank of even a small suv. She billed the state for a partial tank of gas.
Keep heart folks! They’re desperate!
Squiggy on September 10, 2008 at 6:04 AM
Brace yourself for the next big expose. I heard that Sarah once fed a stray cat.
TooTall on September 9, 2008 at 6:27 PM
No, she once fried a stray cat. Just kidding. Love you, Sarah. Actually, I have two cats - well, actually, my wife and daughter have two cats. Not my choice (emasculated male hangs head in shame). I contend that’s one-and-a-half cats too many.
SKYFOX on September 10, 2008 at 6:29 AM