4 Jul

Sarah Palin Resignation, The Day After

Well, we’ve had a day to digest the Sarah Palin resignation and her reasons why. Looking through the blogosphere it runs the gamet from her being run from office, to a impending scandal, to preparing for a 2012 run. Mark Steyn believes she was run from office:

So Occam’s Razor leaves us with: Who needs this?

In states far from the national spotlight, politics still attracts normal people. You’re a mayor or a state senator or even the governor, but you lead a normal life. The local media are tough on you, but they know you, they live where you live, they’re tough on the real you, not on some caricature cooked up by a malign alliance of late-night comics who’d never heard of you a week earlier and media grandees supposedly on your own side who pronounce you a “cancer”.

Then suddenly you get the call from Washington. You know it’ll mean Secret Service, and speechwriters, and minders vetting your wardrobe. But nobody said it would mean a mainstream network comedy host doing statutory rape gags about your 14-year old daughter. You’ve got a special-needs kid and a son in Iraq and a daughter who’s given you your first grandchild in less than ideal circumstances. That would be enough for most of us. But the special-needs kid and the daughter and most everyone else you love are a national joke, and the PC enforcers are entirely cool with it.

Most of those who sneer at Sarah Palin have no desire to live her life. But why not try to – what’s the word? – “empathize”? If you like Wasilla and hunting and snowmachining and moose stew and politics, is the last worth giving up everything else in the hopes that one day David Letterman and Maureen Dowd might decide Trig and Bristol and the rest are sufficiently non-risible to enable you to prosper in their world? And, putting aside the odds, would you really like to be the person you’d have to turn into under that scenario?

National office will dwindle down to the unhealthily singleminded (Clinton, Obama), the timeserving emirs of Incumbistan (Biden, McCain) and dynastic heirs (Bush). Our loss.

And his thoughts definitely have merit. But reading her speech yesterday leaves me with a different outlook. I do not have enough information to say that she is going for the 2012 election but I do believe, with what we know now, that she is resigning so she can bring about true change in this country.

Now she can do it unfettered from the constant lawsuits. This part of the speech speaks to both of my points:

Political operatives descended on Alaska last August, digging for dirt. The ethics law I championed became their weapon of choice. Over the past nine months I’ve been accused of all sorts of frivolous ethics violations – such as holding a fish in a photograph, wearing a jacket with a logo on it, and answering reporters’ questions.

Every one – all 15 of the ethics complaints have been dismissed. We’ve won! But it hasn’t been cheap – the State has wasted thousands of hours of your time and shelled out some two million of your dollars to respond to “opposition research” – that’s money not going to fund teachers or troopers – or safer roads. And this political absurdity, the “politics of personal destruction” … Todd and I are looking at more than half a million dollars in legal bills in order to set the record straight. And what about the people who offer up these silly accusations? It doesn’t cost them a dime so they’re not going to stop draining public resources – spending other peoples’ money in their game.

It’s pretty insane – my staff and I spend most of our day dealing with this instead of progressing our state now. I know I promised no more “politics as usual,” but this isn’t what anyone had in mind for Alaska.

If I have learned one thing: life is about choices!

And one chooses how to react to circumstances. You can choose to engage in things that tear down, or build up. I choose to work very hard on a path for fruitfulness and productivity. I choose not to tear down and waste precious time; but to build up this state and our country, and her industrious, generous, patriotic, free people!

Life is too short to compromise time and resources… it may be tempting and more comfortable to just keep your head down, plod along, and appease those who demand: “Sit down and shut up”, but that’s the worthless, easy path; that’s a quitter’s way out. And a problem in our country today is apathy. It would be apathetic to just hunker down and “go with the flow”.

Nah, only dead fish “go with the flow”.

No. Productive, fulfilled people determine where to put their efforts, choosing to wisely utilize precious time… to BUILD UP.

And there is such a need to BUILD up and FIGHT for our state and our country. I choose to FIGHT for it! And I’ll work hard for others who still believe in free enterprise and smaller government; strong national security for our country and support for our troops; energy independence; and for those who will protect freedom and equality and LIFE… I’ll work for and campaign for those PROUD to be American, and those who are INSPIRED by our ideals and won’t deride them.

I WILL support others who seek to serve, in or out of office, for the RIGHT reasons, and I don’t care what party they’re in or no party at all. Inside Alaska – or Outside Alaska.

But I won’t do it from the Governor’s desk.

There are those throwing the “quitter” label around but those same people never raised the issue of a broken contract with Obama, or from those whiners on my side of the aisle when Dole broke his contract to run for POTUS. MamaPundit hits the ball outta the park with this one:

…we Americans have a short attention span, and the “quitter” label just won’t carry any weight within a year, particularly since Palin is now an iconic figure who transcends any single action she takes.. Given who she is, and the passions she stirs in people, the relatively dull, bureaucratic fact that she decided to leave office early really won’t factor in the grand scheme of the Palin narrative.

Yup, this will be old news but what will still be relative is what Sarah stands for. True conservatism. And that may just mean being outside of the Republican party because we have all seen how wishy-washy our party has become. She confuses the political elite and the bobble heads in our media for the same reason that sets her apart from other politicians. She doesn’t play by the rulebook and she doesn’t need to go hire a PR firm to decide what her next move will be. Does anyone really think this woman gets all nervous about political repercussions? She ran against a sitting governor from her own party for pete’s sake.

She does what she believes is right. One of the biggest reasons why I loved George W. Bush and why I love this woman.

Maybe she isn’t running for President but instead see’s her mission as bringing about real change….not the idiotic utopia that Obama promised but for “free enterprise and smaller government; strong national security for our country and support for our troops; energy independence; and for those who will protect freedom and equality and LIFE.”

Time will tell. She may very well just be sick of politics. Or maybe some big scandal is about to explode.

But I, for one, am not counting her out. Her opponents in elections past learned that lesson the hard way.

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About Curt

Curt served in the Marine Corps for four years and has been a law enforcement officer in Los Angeles for the last 20 years.
This entry was posted in Conservatism, Liberal Idiots, MSM Bias, Palin Derangement Syndrome, Sarah Palin. Bookmark the permalink. Saturday, July 4th, 2009 at 10:15 am
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37 Responses to Sarah Palin Resignation, The Day After

  1. section9 says: 1

    This off of Free Republic.com

    Take it for what it’s worth:

    Just got this twittered into my account

    SBCoFedRepWomen Sarah Palin will be the guest speaker at the Simi Valley RWF 50th Anniversary celebration on August 8.

    YES, she is coming to Cali..My cousin lives in Simi Valley, I hope I can go there and meet her

    Methinks she’s coming out to fight the Good Fight, beginning where it all began, in the heart of Reagan Country.

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  2. Joanne says: 2

    Good article, Curt! Sarah is not a quitter. I think she will now be freed up to campaign for candidates she believes are of a quality to further her ideals of ‘America is a great Nation!’

    She certainly did not sound like she was a quitter in her speech. She has left Alaska in good hands (a wonderful gift to the lt. governor), and will be able to speak out on issues of interest to her and our Nation.

    I don’t know what her specific plans are, but I’m sure ‘we haven’t seen anything yet.’ No other politician on the national scene has her unique ability to bond with the average American. She speaks to us, not down to us.

    Whether her goal is to run for the presidency in the future is really unimportant at this time. The fact that she can bring people together who love this Country is priceless!

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  3. Max says: 3

    Yes she is running for President in 2012. Just read her article in Runner World.

    This is the August issue…Read the tea leaves.

    http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-243-410–13221-1-1X2X3X4-5,00.html

    Also, in addition to the cost to the state of AK with the “Bogus Ethics” complaints against Sarah, those ethic laws limit what Gov Palin can say & do outside AK. If I understand this law as Gov, Sarah can only conduct state business when traveling outside of the state. Any deviation from this any Alaskan can file an “Ethics” complaint against her. So as Gov she could not campaign for other states Congress candidates & herself if she decided to run for President. So the combination of bogus ethics complaints costing the state millions of dollars & taking up a lot of her time & being boxed in by the law…makes sense to me that if Sarah is planning to be a national figure & Presidential Candidate for 2012 she would step down now. Also, she can now pick her successor the current LT. Gov. a loyal protégé who mostly likely will win the 2010 Gov race & continue her agendas… IMHO these are brilliant moves. This frees her…like being a guest speaker at the Simi Valley RWF on August 8 & having no limitation of what she wants to say & build a grassroots movement … I can see her next year filling the stadiums, towns of America hammering Obama, Pelosi & Reid on the economy…high inflation massive debt…implementing a Marxist government & a weak appeasement foreign policy.

    Obama, Axelrod Inc. & the RINOS has awaken a sleeping giant

    FYI… She is not quitting the Alaskan people but now will serve them & the American people in a better, greater way. Thank you, Sarah Palin for your wonderful Independence Day gift. God Bless you & you’re Family.

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  4. Dick Gaines says: 4

    No doubt in my mind that there are still a few real Americans out there.
    Sarah Palin, in my opinion, is one of those few!
    Run Sarah run!

    Semper Fidelis
    Dick Gaines
    **********

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  5. Timothy says: 5

    Think about it.

    Her Twitter account is skyrockting
    Her Facebook accoung it growing

    Every Twitter message has the MSM, bloggers and pundits on edge.

    Obama thought outside the box for 2008….I think Sarah is too.

    Right now, GOP rollodexes are a fluttering for her contact info.

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  6. herman says: 6

    So, Curt you have not inkling towards there being a fraud investigation that drove her out of office? Appears you see her as a dynamic political heroine driven by virtue alone, incapable of being embroiled in scandal.

    You didn’t even mention all the stories coming out of her state regarding Housegate.

    What are you going to say if that story breaks and charges of fraud have been filed against her???

    I’m consistently amazed at how gullible you all are.

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  7. Old Trooper says: 7

    herman, ever hear about the concept of “innocent until proven guilty?” Perhaps the term “Due Process” rings a bell?

    If you have anything to substantiate Criminal Acts by all means provide it to the Authorities. Otherwise you are just another jackass involved in smear tactics because You just might be
    afraid of Women in a position of Authority that you could never achieve. Is that your motivation? Does Sarah Palin intimidate you? Are you an Alaska Resident?

    Prove it or stop the groundless accusations here. I’m quite sure that if there is evidence of any wrongdoing it will be resolved in Court. Due Process is the rule of the Law of the Land or do you object to that?

    I’m constantly amazed at the delusional crap that some folks post here with no basis in fact. Leave prosecution to the Court System. Quite frankly you lack the Authority to hold any Kangaroo Court here.

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  8. Timothy says: 8

    Herman, remember the 2004 POTUS election? Remember the photoshop docs at a kinkos and Dan Rather? Nuff said.

    As I stated previously, simply leaving wasn’t going to make any accucation go away so your implication makes no sense.

    What is you point of posting this other than propaganda.

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  9. Curt says: 9

    Don’t mind herman Old Trooper…he’s one of the dim bulbs on the left side who are hoping for a scandal.

    Great analysis here by Rob Harrison:

    By stepping down now rather than waiting until 2010, she sets up Sean Parnell as the incumbent in that election, greatly increasing the chances that a Palinite Republican (which is to say, a non-Murkowski-RINO-ite impostor) holds the Alaska statehouse—and with the Exxon-TransCanada deal in the bag, she does so at a pretty favorable time.

    There’s something of a gamble here, that Gov. Parnell will be able to carry the water, but she knows him better than most people do, and she seems pretty clearly to believe he can; while he lacks her formidable political gifts, he also lacks the vulnerabilities she acquired as a consequence of the McCain campaign, so he may actually be able to do an even better job of carrying forward their agenda than she could. At the very least, he ought to do plenty well enough to hold the seat as a proven incumbent.

    In the process, his candidacy (assuming nothing crazy happens to remove him) will serve as a test of Gov. Palin’s ongoing political clout; and here’s where the wider angle of the gamble she’s taken comes in. She’s now free of the ankle-biters; they’ve been using the ethics law she brought into being as a tool for political persecution, and they’ve now lost that lever on her. She’s much freer to raise funds, to speak, to write, and to campaign around the country on behalf of causes and candidates without having to worry that she’ll be accused of ethics violations for doing so.

    Indeed, it seems likely that anyone with aspirations for 2012 will need to spend much of 2010 proving themselves by campaigning for GOP congressional candidates across the country—and not only would Gov. Palin not have been able to do that had she been running for re-election herself, she might well not have been able to do so even as a lame duck. Can you imagine the ethics charges folks like Andree McLeod would have filed? I’m sure Gov. Palin can; no doubt they all would have been dismissed just as all the ones so far have been, but they still would have cost her a lot of money. Now, she doesn’t need to worry about that.

    On sober reflection, then, leaving office may well have been the best political move Gov. Palin could have made—and a necessary precursor to a 2012 presidential run, if she wants to make one—and if so, then far better to do so now, when it frees her from abuse of her ethics law and enables her to control the transfer of power, than to wait for the end of her term. It may also be the wisest financial move she could make. Not only does this preclude further attempts to bankrupt her via frivolous prosecution, it also gives her a much wider field to raise funds and earn money.

    I suspect we’re likely to see far, far more Sarah Palin appearances around the country over the coming months, to prove to people that she’s not backing down or going away—since one of the real gambles here is that people will label her a quitter, someone who can’t take the heat, and look for someone else to support; she needs to address that if she does in fact want a political future—and to help pay the bills; and also for one other reason, which I addressed in that post last fall:

    Gov. Palin would do well to work to win over conservative skeptics like Charles Krauthammer, Kathleen Parker, George Will, David Brooks, and Christopher Buckley—not because their opinions are particularly important, but because impressing those who ought to be her supporters and currently aren’t is the most direct way to establish herself as the true standard-bearer of the Republican Party. The best way to do this is to address the current lack of a strong conservative identity in the national party, strengthening it and bringing it back to its roots, and to do so in a way which also dispells the easy caricature of her as an intellectual lightweight. Therefore, as one who framed the troubling challenge presented by Iran with the question “what would Reagan do?” I would suggest (as would Jim Geraghty) that Gov. Palin should ask herself the same question, and do what Gov. Reagan did in the 1970s:

    Reagan . . . [spent] years in the 1970s mulling the great issues of the day, reading voraciously, and presenting detailed commentaries on everything from the SALT and Law of the Sea treaties to revolutions in Sub-Saharan Africa to the future of Medicare. Then and only then, finally, after 16 years on the national stage, did the GOP give Ronald Reagan its nomination and present him as its candidate for the presidency.

    Obviously, she’s still going to have her day job, at least through 2010; but in and around that, and raising her kids, I believe Gov. Palin should devote as much time as she can to studying and writing on the great issues of our own day. Keep building her governing experience dealing with the challenges of Juneau—and as much as possible, take advantage of that to use Alaska as a “laboratory of democracy” on issues like health care—but engage intellectually as well with the challenges of Iran and Pakistan, Social Security and judicial philosophy, the future of NATO and how to deal with a resurgent Russia, practical approaches to changing the system in D.C., and what our stance ought to be toward China. Co-author pieces with leading conservative intellectuals—maybe an article on judicial nominations with Antonin Scalia, to throw out one wild idea. Help rebuild the conservative intellectual treasury that was squandered by the GOP during its time in power. And off these articles (and perhaps books), I’d like to see her give speeches under the auspices of the Hoover Institute, the Heritage Foundation, the American Enterprise Institute, the Ethics and Public Policy Foundation, the Institute for Religion and Public Life, and other such organizations. If she does decide not to seek re-election at the end of her term, she could go to work for an organization like AEI, or perhaps in the national party leadership structure, and use that as a platform to continue developing and arguing for her conservative agenda.

    Obviously, she in fact no longer has that day job, or soon won’t; the rest still holds, at least as regards Charles Krauthammer. I agree completely with Joshua Livestro’s takedown of Jonah Goldberg (and with VO’s, as well), and with all those who’ve pointed out that Ronald Reagan was similarly dismissed and derided for his intellect; but one of the reasons that the attempts to convince the public that Gov. Reagan, and then President Reagan, was merely “an amiable dunce” failed to stick is that he had a pretty strong record demonstrating otherwise. I agree that Joshua’s dead-bang right that folks like Goldberg need to begin with the presumption that Gov. Palin is to be taken seriously and talk with her on that basis; but clearly, that’s not going to happen unless they’re forced to do so. The only way to force them to do so, I think, is for Gov. Palin to put in the time and effort writing and speaking to make their current flippant dismissals of her clearly untenable. I think that’s an important thing for her to do, not only for her own political future, but for the future of the party, for the reasons I laid out in the quote above. And, sadly, she wasn’t going to be able to do it shackled to the statehouse in Juneau. Her enemies in Alaska had made that impossible. To spread her wings and fly, she needed to leave office.

    And so she has; and I’m reminded of an image one of my mentors, the Rev. Ben Patterson, used in a sermon one time. He talked about being up in the Rockies, looking out across a mountain canyon, and seeing a bald eagle hurl itself from its perch high atop the canyon wall, wings and head pulled into a tight ball. He saw the eagle tumble down into the depths at dizzying speed, apparently doing nothing to protect itself . . . until suddenly, well below them, it snapped its wings out and began to soar. With no wind in the canyon, it had used its own fall to generate the momentum it needed to fly.

    That, I think, is what Gov. Palin just did. The risk to it is real, for she’s thrown herself into the canyon of our political cynicism, where nothing surprising any politician does is ever innocent—we know better, they’re all guilty until proven guilty. All the folks who got egg on their face defending Mark Sanford just underscore the point; many, many people, even those predisposed favorably toward Gov. Palin, are going to assume that there’s another shoe to drop in her case just as there was in Gov. Sanford’s, and it’s going to take a fair bit of time for her to overcome that. There’s a lot of shock here—I know, I’m still recovering from it—and I expect a lot of people feel burned; it will take time for her to rebuild trust. She has the political and intellectual gifts to do it, given that time and effort on her part—but she’ll need those of us who’ve found her to be a beacon of hope in our country’s politics to continue to believe in her and support her, and to continue to trust her judgment.

    We have good reason to do so. Just hang on; it’s going to be a bumpy ride, no doubt (has it ever been otherwise?), but I think it’s going somewhere good.

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  10. Old Trooper says: 10

    Curt, there is an old applicable quote regarding ASSUME.
    I think you may have heard it somewhere so I won’t repeat it.

    Have a great I-Day!

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  11. Dennis says: 11

    She’s not a quitter, yet she quit. She let the Dungrats and the filth that permeates the Republican party drive her out of office. Who would trust a demonstrated loser with the most important job in the world.

    She hasn’t what it takes, and cannot be taken seriously as a leader.

    It may be a shame, but it is what it is.

    I don’t know what the answer is. My suggestion to hang everyone in DC is probably not going anywhere.

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  12. LizP says: 12

    “while he lacks her formidable political gifts, he also lacks the vulnerabilities she acquired as a consequence of the McCain campaign…”

    This made me wonder (for some odd reason) what the pudgy “pundit” who brought so many of those “ethics” charges against Gov. Palin will do now that Sarah is leaving. Will she continue to snipe at Palin, shift her attacks to Parnell, or simply do what she should have done a long time ago and back away from her keyboard…?

    Inquiring minds want to know.

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  13. MataHarley says: 13

    so herman, with a small h…. how about that William Jefferson? Heard of him?

    Or do you prefer hang-tight-we’ll-manufacture-one scandals that only involve the opposite side of the aisle?

    Pathetic… getting all foamy about stuff that doesn’t exist but by via leftist rumour mills, and ignoring the guy with the goods in the freezer.

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  14. Hard Right says: 14

    Are you surprised he would do that Mata? That’s part of what makes them a leftist.

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  15. Timothy says: 15

    Team Palin Fights Back

    http://www.conservatives4palin.com/2009/07/statement-from-gov-palins-legal-counsel.html

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

    July 4, 2009

    On July 3rd, 2009, Governor Sarah Palin announced her intent to resign her gubernatorial duties and transfer the powers of Governor to Lt. Governor Sean Parnell.

    Almost immediately afterwards, several unscrupulous people have asserted false and defamatory allegations that the “real” reasons for Governor Palin’s resignation stem from an alleged criminal investigation pertaining to the construction of the Wasilla Sports Complex. This canard was first floated by Democrat operatives in September 2008 during the national campaign and followed up by sympathetic Democratic writers.1. It was easily rebutted then as one of many fabrications about Sarah Palin. Just as power abhors a vacuum, modern journalism apparently abhors any type of due diligence and fact checking before scurrilous allegations are repeated as fact.

    The history of the Wasilla Sports Complex is publicly known. Contrary to the insinuation that as Mayor of Wasilla, Sarah Palin “personally” oversaw bidding, construction, funding and accounting for the project (and thus, the allegation goes, “embezzled” from the project), the truth is far more mundane, and publicly available:

    Curtis D. Menard was instrumental in spearheading the effort from conception to realization of the Wasilla Sports Complex. He directed the steering committee that was responsible for placing the issue before the voters of Wasilla and subsequently passed. He remained chairman of that committee through the design and construction of the facility. He was an ardent supporter and leader of civic, educational and athletic endeavors within the community as well as an advocate of the continued success of the Sports Center.

    http://www.cityofwasilla.com/index.aspx?page=114. Thus, as any basic fact checker would learn, the Mayor of Wasilla is not listed as “chair” of the Steering Committee. As Mayor, Governor Palin did appoint the committee, another fact readily verifiable, and she was publicly on record supporting the need for such a facility—as was most of Wasilla. “Wasilla weighs sports facility” published December 6, 2001 and available at http://www.adn.com/sarah-palin/background/story/517370.html. While her public support of this project was deemed pivotal by many, the actual construction, bidding, financing and other day-to-day management of the project was not in her scope of authority as Mayor.

    In addition, Sarah Palin was then criticized by some of not showing enough interest in the project. The Frontiersman reported that at a public meeting with the Chamber of Commerce, an opponent of the project “accused Wasilla Mayor Sarah Palin of staying quiet about the arena because of her campaign for Lieutenant Governor.” “Sports Arena Campaign gets Rolling” http://www.frontiersman.com/articles/2002/02/21/news6.txt (February 22, 2002).

    Further, this was a highly public project, approved by the voters, and subject to public bid requirements. As described by the City of Wasilla itself:

    The city uses competitive means for the purchase of all goods and services as required by Wasilla Municipal Code 5.08. The city also utilizes contracts and price agreements established by the State of Alaska, the Western States Contracting Alliance and other cooperatives or agencies when it is deemed to be in the best interest of the City. The city believes in open, fair competition and strives to ensure that all vendors have equal opportunity to compete for city business.

    The City of Wasilla operates under a decentralized purchasing system. This means purchasing decision up to $5,000 is made independently by the departments in the city (with the exception of Management Information System purchases). When the estimated amount for goods or services is between $5,000 and $9,999, departments are required to obtain three quotes prior to purchase. The departments may utilize the services of the Purchasing/Contracting Officer (PCO) for this process or may do it themselves; however, when this processed is selected, the PCO must sign off on the final product prior to purchasing or contracting.

    For purchases beyond $10,000, the city requires all departments to contact the PCO who will utilize the city’s bid process according to Wasilla Municipal Code 5.08. The bid process is initiated through either an Invitation to Bid (ITB), utilized when the city knows the specifications for the purchase; or a Request for Proposal (RFP), utilized when the exact specifications or process is unknown.

    http://www.cityofwasilla.com/index.aspx?page=360#82. Accordingly, the Sports Complex was publicly bid, in accordance with City and state law, and was accounted for in the time and manner all public projects are handled. The Mayor of Wasilla, be it Sarah Palin, or her successor, did not handle the funds, or the materials, for this project. To thus suggest she “embezzled” is as false as it is impossible.

    The additional claim of “proof” of wrongdoing is the allegation that the Palins purchased building materials from Spenard Builders Supply—and that this company may have provided supplies for the Sports Complex. Prior to the construction of Lowe’s and Home Depot within the last few years in Wasilla, Spenard Builders Supply was the primary building supply company in Wasilla. It can hardly come as a surprise that it would sell materials to small homeowners or that it would also bid to supply commercial contracts. One would be hard pressed to find a home, cabin or outbuilding in the Mat-Su Valley in which Spenard Builders Supply did not sell at least some of the materials.

    The Palins built their Lake Lucille house using Todd as the general contractor. Todd’s family owns a hardware and building supply business in Dillingham. He is no stranger to construction, or to rolling up his sleeves and doing work. The Palins used a combination of personal savings, equity from the sale of their prior home, and conventional bank financing to build the house—like millions of American families. The deeds of trust are recordable public records. Basic journalism and fact checking would confirm this.

    The Sports Complex was built in 2002. It is now 2009. While the Federal Government has a process to follow, and that process sometimes takes time, we can categorically state that we are not aware of any “federal investigation” that has been “pending” for the last seven years. We are aware of no subpoenas on SBS regarding the Palins. We are aware that the Federal Department of Justice and Federal Bureau of Investigation have been helpful, responsive and diligent in prosecuting the email hacker and in cleaning up Alaska’s corrupt legislators. To be blunt—this “story” was alleged during the campaign, evaluated then by national media and deemed meritless. Nothing has changed.

    To the extent several websites, most notably liberal Alaska blogger Shannyn Moore, are now claiming as “fact” that Governor Palin resigned because she is “under federal investigation” for embezzlement or other criminal wrongdoing, we will be exploring legal options this week to address such defamation. This is to provide notice to Ms. Moore, and those who re-publish the defamation, such as Huffington Post, MSNBC, the New York Times and The Washington Post, that the Palins will not allow them to propagate defamatory material without answering to this in a court of law. The Alaska Constitution protects the right of free speech, while simultaneously holding those “responsible for the abuse of that right.” Alaska Constitution Art. I, Sec. 5. http://ltgov.state.ak.us/constitution.php?section=1. These falsehoods abuse the right to free speech; continuing to publish these falsehoods of criminal activity is reckless, done without any regard for the truth, and is actionable.

    Thomas Van Flein, for
    Governor Sarah Palin

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  16. Timothy says: 16

    http://www.conservatives4palin.com/2009/07/statement-from-gov-palins-legal-counsel.html

    The following statement was issued by Gov. Palin’s legal counsel, Thomas Van Flein:

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

    July 4, 2009

    On July 3rd, 2009, Governor Sarah Palin announced her intent to resign her gubernatorial duties and transfer the powers of Governor to Lt. Governor Sean Parnell.

    Almost immediately afterwards, several unscrupulous people have asserted false and defamatory allegations that the “real” reasons for Governor Palin’s resignation stem from an alleged criminal investigation pertaining to the construction of the Wasilla Sports Complex. This canard was first floated by Democrat operatives in September 2008 during the national campaign and followed up by sympathetic Democratic writers.1. It was easily rebutted then as one of many fabrications about Sarah Palin. Just as power abhors a vacuum, modern journalism apparently abhors any type of due diligence and fact checking before scurrilous allegations are repeated as fact.

    The history of the Wasilla Sports Complex is publicly known. Contrary to the insinuation that as Mayor of Wasilla, Sarah Palin “personally” oversaw bidding, construction, funding and accounting for the project (and thus, the allegation goes, “embezzled” from the project), the truth is far more mundane, and publicly available:

    Curtis D. Menard was instrumental in spearheading the effort from conception to realization of the Wasilla Sports Complex. He directed the steering committee that was responsible for placing the issue before the voters of Wasilla and subsequently passed. He remained chairman of that committee through the design and construction of the facility. He was an ardent supporter and leader of civic, educational and athletic endeavors within the community as well as an advocate of the continued success of the Sports Center.

    http://www.cityofwasilla.com/index.aspx?page=114. Thus, as any basic fact checker would learn, the Mayor of Wasilla is not listed as “chair” of the Steering Committee. As Mayor, Governor Palin did appoint the committee, another fact readily verifiable, and she was publicly on record supporting the need for such a facility—as was most of Wasilla. “Wasilla weighs sports facility” published December 6, 2001 and available at http://www.adn.com/sarah-palin/background/story/517370.html. While her public support of this project was deemed pivotal by many, the actual construction, bidding, financing and other day-to-day management of the project was not in her scope of authority as Mayor.

    In addition, Sarah Palin was then criticized by some of not showing enough interest in the project. The Frontiersman reported that at a public meeting with the Chamber of Commerce, an opponent of the project “accused Wasilla Mayor Sarah Palin of staying quiet about the arena because of her campaign for Lieutenant Governor.” “Sports Arena Campaign gets Rolling” http://www.frontiersman.com/articles/2002/02/21/news6.txt (February 22, 2002).

    Further, this was a highly public project, approved by the voters, and subject to public bid requirements. As described by the City of Wasilla itself:

    The city uses competitive means for the purchase of all goods and services as required by Wasilla Municipal Code 5.08. The city also utilizes contracts and price agreements established by the State of Alaska, the Western States Contracting Alliance and other cooperatives or agencies when it is deemed to be in the best interest of the City. The city believes in open, fair competition and strives to ensure that all vendors have equal opportunity to compete for city business.

    The City of Wasilla operates under a decentralized purchasing system. This means purchasing decision up to $5,000 is made independently by the departments in the city (with the exception of Management Information System purchases). When the estimated amount for goods or services is between $5,000 and $9,999, departments are required to obtain three quotes prior to purchase. The departments may utilize the services of the Purchasing/Contracting Officer (PCO) for this process or may do it themselves; however, when this processed is selected, the PCO must sign off on the final product prior to purchasing or contracting.

    For purchases beyond $10,000, the city requires all departments to contact the PCO who will utilize the city’s bid process according to Wasilla Municipal Code 5.08. The bid process is initiated through either an Invitation to Bid (ITB), utilized when the city knows the specifications for the purchase; or a Request for Proposal (RFP), utilized when the exact specifications or process is unknown.

    http://www.cityofwasilla.com/index.aspx?page=360#82. Accordingly, the Sports Complex was publicly bid, in accordance with City and state law, and was accounted for in the time and manner all public projects are handled. The Mayor of Wasilla, be it Sarah Palin, or her successor, did not handle the funds, or the materials, for this project. To thus suggest she “embezzled” is as false as it is impossible.

    The additional claim of “proof” of wrongdoing is the allegation that the Palins purchased building materials from Spenard Builders Supply—and that this company may have provided supplies for the Sports Complex. Prior to the construction of Lowe’s and Home Depot within the last few years in Wasilla, Spenard Builders Supply was the primary building supply company in Wasilla. It can hardly come as a surprise that it would sell materials to small homeowners or that it would also bid to supply commercial contracts. One would be hard pressed to find a home, cabin or outbuilding in the Mat-Su Valley in which Spenard Builders Supply did not sell at least some of the materials.

    The Palins built their Lake Lucille house using Todd as the general contractor. Todd’s family owns a hardware and building supply business in Dillingham. He is no stranger to construction, or to rolling up his sleeves and doing work. The Palins used a combination of personal savings, equity from the sale of their prior home, and conventional bank financing to build the house—like millions of American families. The deeds of trust are recordable public records. Basic journalism and fact checking would confirm this.

    The Sports Complex was built in 2002. It is now 2009. While the Federal Government has a process to follow, and that process sometimes takes time, we can categorically state that we are not aware of any “federal investigation” that has been “pending” for the last seven years. We are aware of no subpoenas on SBS regarding the Palins. We are aware that the Federal Department of Justice and Federal Bureau of Investigation have been helpful, responsive and diligent in prosecuting the email hacker and in cleaning up Alaska’s corrupt legislators. To be blunt—this “story” was alleged during the campaign, evaluated then by national media and deemed meritless. Nothing has changed.

    To the extent several websites, most notably liberal Alaska blogger Shannyn Moore, are now claiming as “fact” that Governor Palin resigned because she is “under federal investigation” for embezzlement or other criminal wrongdoing, we will be exploring legal options this week to address such defamation. This is to provide notice to Ms. Moore, and those who re-publish the defamation, such as Huffington Post, MSNBC, the New York Times and The Washington Post, that the Palins will not allow them to propagate defamatory material without answering to this in a court of law. The Alaska Constitution protects the right of free speech, while simultaneously holding those “responsible for the abuse of that right.” Alaska Constitution Art. I, Sec. 5. http://ltgov.state.ak.us/constitution.php?section=1. These falsehoods abuse the right to free speech; continuing to publish these falsehoods of criminal activity is reckless, done without any regard for the truth, and is actionable.

    Thomas Van Flein, for
    Governor Sarah Palin

    1. Wayne Barrett, a writer for the left wing Village Voice, published these insinuations, on October 7, 2008 in a story entitled “The Book of Sarah” available at http://www.villagevoice.com/2008-10-08/news/the-book-of-sarah. This was written in the style of one pretending to be amazed that so many people in a small town like Wasilla appear to know one another, support one another, and take on big projects together. Apparently that is uncommon in New York. Rather than recognize that leaders of a community often mobilize to accomplish projects, the writer offered this up as an unusual and questionable association of special interests.

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  17. Timothy says: 17

    conservatives4palin have an article from her lawyer about the current accusation. the guantlet has been thrown down. can you say lawsuit???

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  18. nelly says: 18

    . . .and what an interesting list of potential defendants are being told to cease and desist from spreading unfounded and defamatory rumors!!! I hope the Palins take them to the cleaners!!!

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  19. Old Trooper says: 19

    I’d still want to poke Letterman in the snoot over his comments. Call it an Out of Court Settlement.
    It’s not all about money but most of the clowns on the list would not understand anything else.

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  20. Timothy says: 20

    Hey Herman, a friendly warning. If you’ve read the statement from Palin’s lawyer you, and your ilk, have been put on legal notice. Liberal bloggers better have liability insurance.

    ….just sayin

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  21. AnnMonterey says: 21

    “I’m consistently amazed at how gullible you all are.” I think you can take that to heart yourself, Herman.

    The Palins have had enough of the slander, defamation and lying bloggers, talking heads, etc. I hope she starts with the blogger/hate monger in AK and finishes up with MSNBC and HuffPo. She might make enough to fund her own campaign next time. Read her attorney’s warning letter yourself at Gretawire. Can your read Retract”, Retract, Retract? So sorry she accepted Lecherman’s “apology” because he really deserved to be #1 on the list of defendants. Maureen Dowd better watch herself.

    Go Sarah! Clean house.

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  22. AnnMonterey says: 22

    “It’s not all about money but most of the clowns on the list would not understand anything else.”

    Trooper, unfortunately that’s about all they understand. Hit ‘em in the pocketbook and we’ll see how quiet they get. Just thinking about it…sweet.

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  23. Pingback: Facebook news » Blog Archive » theglobeandmail.com: Palin laying low after surprise resignation

  24. nelly says: 23

    AnnMonterey–I think good ole Maureen Dowd comes under the heading of NYT on the list, but I suppose she could be sued individually if she repeats the libel. . .I’d love to see KOS racked over the coals; though they are not named specifically the language employed by the attorney would include anyone who republished the defamation as targets of any action. Now that Sarah is not a public figure my understanding is that the libel laws get much tougher on defendants–this should be most interesting. . .

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  25. @herman:

    Hey herman.

    Here’s some light reading for you.

    Sarah Palin just fired the first shot across the bow of the USS Leftist Media Machine.

    Heh.

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  26. Hawk says: 25

    herman: Do you really want to go down the path of digging up dirt on each politician?
    I seriously doubt you will find ONE spotless.
    Hell, Crazy Nancy is either obstructing justice or lying. If the CIA lied, then by not telling the whole story, she is not allowing justice to go forward. And you would want it to go forward wouldn’t you??
    Nancy has had her own ethics violations.

    Someone mentioned Jefferson WHOM BUSH saved for God knows what reason. Personally, I would have let that cold cash be his ticket to Federal PMITA*prison (*office space ref).

    I am sure we can go do that list if you like and the ones you look up to would not shine nearly as bright as you think they will.

    BTW, how’s that hope and change working for ya? And that transparency? Is this what you voted for?

    Maybe she does have some violations somewhere but no where near what dems are throwing at her.

    ” Over the past nine months I’ve been accused of all sorts of frivolous ethics violations – such as holding a fish in a photograph, wearing a jacket with a logo on it, and answering reporters’ questions.

    Every one – all 15 of the ethics complaints have been dismissed. We’ve won! But it hasn’t been cheap – the State has wasted THOUSANDS of hours of YOUR time and shelled out some two million of YOUR dollars to respond to “opposition research” – that’s money NOT going to fund teachers or troopers “

    So let me ask you herman, Are you proud of your democratic party wasting TAX PAYER money on frivolous crap like this? Are you proud that they pretty much made it where time was lost investigating that it affected the state?

    Here’s what I think. You bring a charge like that, you pay the price. Since it was frivolous and wasted tax payer money, I think that those bringing them one upon the other should re-imburse the tax payers. Surely, you would agree right?

    Aye Chihuahua: I love this line out of that article:
    “Basic journalism and fact checking would confirm this.”

    But I have to ask: Since when do liberals FACT CHECK??? Heck, if it isn’t an emotion they don’t know what to do with it!

    ;-)

    Sorry I couldn’t resist.

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  27. checkers says: 26

    I think she will not go for the 2012 election. The resignation and the McCain crap will be too fresh in everyone’s memory. She said she was “passing the ball” to another who would win the game. She is going to support someone like a Petraeus, or a John Kasich of Ohio, or someone she believes in. Become their energy secretary, beef up her resume for 2020. She will not be “old” then and her resignation will be a distant memory.

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  28. Pingback: Flopping Aces » Blog Archive » Alinsky perfected Part I: Players in the Palin attack machine make Alaskan taxpayers fund their agenda

  29. MataHarley says: 27

    Hawk: Someone mentioned Jefferson WHOM BUSH saved for God knows what reason. Personally, I would have let that cold cash be his ticket to Federal PMITA*prison (*office space ref).

    Hawk, what *are* you talking about? Jefferson’s 4th Circuit Appeal has just finished jury selection. Was supposed to be May, but Jefferson delayed it yet again.

    See what happens when they don’t report what’s going on??? You think he got off, pardoned by Bush or something? Hang no… still in progress.

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  30. Curt says: 28

    Latest liberal fantasy bites the dust:

    A day after Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin resigned, a federal official in her home state dismissed one potential explanation for her sudden and unexpected resignation — a rumored FBI investigation into the former Wasilla mayor on public corruption charges.

    Despite rumors of a looming controversy after Palin’s surprise announcement Friday that she will leave office this month, some of them published in the blogosphere, the FBI’s Alaska spokesman said the bureau had no investigation into Palin for her activities as governor, as mayor or in any other capacity.

    “There is absolutely no truth to those rumors, that we’re investigating her or getting ready to indict her,” Special Agent Eric Gonzalez said in a phone interview Saturday. “It’s just not true.”

    Gonzalez added that there was “no wiggle room” in his comments that could exclude any kind of probe.

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  31. Old Trooper says: 29

    John Kasich would have my support. He has conservative values and his voting record in Congress reflects that. I am very sure that when he did not run for re-election to spend more time with Family he did just that with no rumors of scandal or unethical conduct hanging over his head.

    The only reservation I would have in supporting him would be that he is truly a nice guy. In politics in this new era of mean spirited campaigning, He just may not be aggressive enough to confront his opponents on the scale necessary to win if he receives the nomination. The 2012 Presidential Election is critical to restore both accountability and responsibility to Government at all levels. It is crucial that the harm done and intended by to be done by both Congress and the White House be undone. The current GOP does not represent me or my values. The rabid socialist extremists in the “Progressive/Democrat” Party must be confronted aggressively and firmly. A return to fiscal responsibility and repair of a damaged economy will be a very tough tasking.

    The 2010 Elections must bring a turnover in Congress or 2012 will find an America that will be too far off course for a new administration to get back on track and out of the hole that irresponsible out of control spending and a Government that will have grown too huge for tax revenues to support. Industry will be so over regulated and Government too intrusive by then if Congress is not curbed. It may take some extreme measures to restore the Economy and Capitalism beaten down by too much Government interference in the Private sector. It will take strong leadership to change direction. The 2010 Elections must out a sufficient number of incumbents to stop the spending and Programs that We cannot afford and do not need. The GOP is lacking in leadership now and lacks the will to say no to the waste, fraud and abuse of the Public Trust that seems to be the current MO for Congress.

    The Government needs to get out of the Banking business, the Auto Industry, Health Care and interference in the Private Sector. Government needs to be cut back in size and Czars that are not accountable to the taxpayer need to be sent packing. Once this infrastructure is in place it is a tall order for any new administration to clean house. The “General Welfare” clause needs to be redefined by legislation that puts limitations on Congress or the Executive Branch for wasteful spending or BS Programs. Social Security and Medicare need immediate attention and entitlements need to be trimmed back seriously.

    I found it greatly amusing that Colin Powell is beginning to see the quagmire that the Pretender in Chief that he supported has created in 7 months in office. Too ambitious for a guy that has no business experience is finally becoming clear to Powell. The Magic Kenyan is going to get punked by Putin in Moscow in the next few days. That will be amusing as well.

    Hope you all had a grand Independence Day!

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  32. As we see it…..Advantage Palin…Palin to serve…

    We will finally get to hear Palin uninterrupted by the restraints of a state leadership office or any “handlers/campaign managers.”

    Love her or hate her — Despite all the best efforts of Bill Maher, Letterman, Couric, Gibson, Fey, Dowd, 98% of media, et al, — Palin does have growing broad appeal and her unleashed voice will give a needed boost to those already shouting — “The Emperor Has NO Clothes”

    Further, she may peak interest on alternatives to Nobama-Reid-Pelosi’s legislation initiatives..Several Conservative Congressmen/Heritage Foundation etc have put forth some outstanding proposals but they get buried by the press and day to day life. Her voice could help.

    Our country’s future just got a little brighter. . .

    PS – OLD TROOPER…I keep hearing rumors John K is exploring a run for Ohio Gov….

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  33. John Kasich may run for Governor of Ohio at next opportunity.

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  34. I have heard strong rumors that John Kasich may run for Governor of Ohio at next opportunity.

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  35. Old Trooper says: 33

    General Petraeus is a Professional Soldier and not a politician. He would make a fine Sec Def but I can assure you that he has no political ambitions whatsoever. I have met the man and if anything he despises career politicians almost as much as I do.

    Some folks have to much integrity to soil themselves with the folks that have made a career of politics. As shabbily as the scoundrels in Congress have treated him when he offered testimony, I doubt that he wants to join that club.

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  36. jainphx says: 34

    I forget who said it (getting old) but he stated that Democraps are more proficient at picking our best Presidential candidate than we are! Simply watch who they attack and try to destroy. I think we now know who that is, even the insane McCainiacs who want a Democrap lite are out after her. Sarah your more a warrior than any of these pretenders, I will work and contribute for you and your ideals for this country. Palin/Coulter 2012.

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  37. Hawk says: 35

    MataHarley: Hawk, what *are* you talking about?

    Sorry about that. I mis-typed. I was referring to this:

    “Bush Orders Jefferson Documents Sealed Material Taken From Rep’s Office By FBI In Bribe Probe Off-Limits For 45 Days”

    I would not have sealed them for ANY length of time. He was caught red-handed. Proceedings against him should have started immediately and left unhindered without any SEALING of anything.
    That way his tie in PMITA prison would happen that much sooner.

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