Hey, Alaska! Palin Thinks You’re Stoopid!
It’s interesting to seethe spin coming from the Palin camp regarding the newly discovered illegality of Palin’s legal defense fund, The Alaska Fund Trust. Trustee Kristan Cole is spinning so hard in her panicky 3-page press release, you might as well just give her a funny hat and call her a whirling dervish.
Part of the basis for the ethics complaint filed by local resident Kim Chatman, regards the provision of the Alaska Executive Branch Ethics Act that talks about “the prohibition against a public officer accepting gifts that are intended to influence the performance of official duties.”
This has ruffled the feathers of Ms. Cole, the fund’s trustee. She tells us in her press release:
Alaska law specifically states that there is only a problem if there is “intent” to influence the Governor. How can there be intent to influence a Governor in Alaska with a $5 voluntary donation from Kansas? To date approximately 90% of the donations are from outside Alaska and many are $5, $10 and $20 donations.
Good question, one might think, if one had not read the actual report from investigator Tom Daniel. How indeed could a little old lady from Kansas influence the governor of Alaska with a $5 donation?
It’s true that the Ethics Act requires only gifts in excess of $150 be reported, presumably because they think it takes a lot more than that to purchase a politician these days. However, according to a previous opinion by an Attorney General, it is not only the value of a gift, but the frequency of that gift which may make it problematic. So, although the Alaska Fund Trust limits the amount of an individual gift to no more than $150., the anticipated frequency of the gift makes it a whole different story.
$5 from Kansas? No big deal. But, $5 from Kansas, and $5 from Detroit, and $10 from Little Rock and $5 from Ft. Worth, and $20 from Virginia and on and on for hundreds of thousands of dollars? Big problem.
(From Daniel’s Report) Although individual donations are limited to $150, the gift that the trust will make to pay off the governor’s legal bills will far exceed that amount. Thus, whether the trust is viewed as a series of $150 gifts or one or more large gifts to retire a half million dollar debt, it is not exempt from the gift reporting requirement of the Ethics Act.
So what all that means is that the gift(s) must be reported. And this on its face is OK, to a point. The receipt of the gift(s) will not violate the Ethics Act unless the gift has been solicited, accepted or received “under circumstances in which it could reasonably be inferred that the gift is intended to influence the performance of official duties, actions or judgment.”
This means that nobody has to know for certain if the giver of a gift is trying to influence the giftee. The only requirement is that it be “reasonably inferred” to influence them. And THAT means it depends on what the gift is, who is giving it, what it’s worth, and the relationship between the giver and the recipient.
So, the little old lady in Kansas who gave $5? To think that she expects any special favors from the soon-to-be-ex-governor is a little far-fetched. But, if the the gift itself is a half million dollars in cash, and the Trustee is a close personal friend of the receiver of the gift… you’ve got yourself a problem.
(From Daniel’s Report) The relationship between Ms. Cole and the governor could cause a “reasonable person” to conclude that the payment of the governor’s legal fees is intended to influence the governor’s performance of official duties, action or judgment. I cannot read Ms. Cole’s mind and therefore it is possible that her formation of the legal defense fund is entirely altruistic without expectation of anything in return. But as explained above, the standard for interpreting this section of the Ethics Act is an objective one. The circumstances around the creation of the trust fund suggest that the organizers will expect “that when policy decisions are made in the future, the governor will be favorably disposed to give more weight to their viewpoint.” [snip]
In sum, I find probable cause to believe that payment of the governor’s legal fees by the Alaska Fund Trust will violate the Ethics Act prohibition against a public officer accepting gifts intended to influence performance of official duties.
So, when Kristan Cole breathlessly asks us how Mr. Daniel could possibly think that these small little donations of $5 or $10 could influence the governor, are we to believe that she never actually read the document which so clearly explains exactly how the whole thing works? It’s no Patriot Act. It’s only 8 1/2 pages long. If we assume then, that she did read it, we can also assume that she doesn’t think anyone ELSE has read it. And for those who haven’t read it, they may be thinking, “Yeah…that’s ridiculous.” But for those who have read it, Kristan Cole may as well be wearing a big placard that says “Guilty” on one side, and “We think you’re stupid, Alaska” on the other.
And just to make us all feel bad, she tells us that to even think that she might hope to gain favor by paying off her dear friend Sarah Palin’s half million dollars in legal fees is “amazingly wrong, and incredibly hurtful.” Aww. 🙁
Now, of course, despite all this mess, Tom Daniel has given the governor a nice way out of the sticky web. Give the money back, and withdraw her authorization for the trust to be considered the “official legal defense fund.” It’s sort of like a “Get Out of Jail Free” card, except it’s also got a “Do Not Pass Go, Do Not Collect $600,000” stipulation attached.
But not only is the governor not giving the money back after well over a week, she’s still collecting it! You can imagine Kristan Cole sitting in a darkened office with a roll-top desk and one of those little adding machines with the cranky-handle, and stacks of $5 checks and $10 money orders saying “451,505….451,510…..451,520…” deep into the night.
So, what now? Will the governor skip town with the loot and say “I’m not the Governor any more, catch me if you can?” Will she shut down the trust and have to reimburse all those $5 donors? Will the Personnel Board throw their last shred of credibility to the wind and dismiss the complaint? Will Tom Daniel and every other person whose been thrown under the bus by Sarah Palin get together and form some sort of Super Secret Sarah Survivor Support System? Will I ever in my life spontaneously come up with a stunning piece of alliteration like that again?
Stay tuned.
This is a few days old but I found it extremely interesting in regards to how conservative PACs are more about making money than changing policy and it’s called, Sarah, Inc. REALLLY good read and probably the best guess at what Palin’s Plans are.
http://thephoenix.com/Boston/News/86530-Sarah-Palin-Inc/?page=1#TOPCONTENT
Wow. #199. Wow. I’m not sure I understand all the implications, Mommom, but I assume we will be hearing more about this in the days and weeks to come.
140 KateinCanada Says: July 24th, 2009 at 10:45 AM
The ATF is *permitted* to pay all IRS bills from it’s funds. Not “must*. (More left up to Kirsten’s discretion? )
The trust document says:
“In the event that SARAH PALIN or any Covered Individual is considered
to have received taxable income as a result of being a beneficiary of the Trust, the Trustee shall be permitted to reimburse SARAH PALIN or such beneficiary, as the case may be, from the corpus of the Trust for the actual amount of taxes incurred by SARAH PALIN or such beneficiary, as the case may be, as a result of being a beneficiary of the Trust.”
Also, too (blink), any money paid as tax funds to the IRS likely will become taxable, since they are paid on behalf of someone else. The $13k limit likely wouldn’t apply, since the amounts in the fund will likely receive far more that that, and breaking them into smaller amounts to avoid the total won’t work either.
Oooops in my #201, I didn’t ‘copy and paste’ the pertinent part of the quote, I flat cut it. Dummy, me.
The quoted piece *should* be: “The only response received was a phone call back to my attorney by the AG’s office, indicating that “…it was too political…” to start an investigation.”
Hope the previous post of mine makes a bit more sense, now. beth.
snip from post #199 {mommom’s}: “The only response received was a phone call back to my attorney by the AG’s office, indicating that
——
Pardon the ignorance of someone who lives outside the 49th state, but WTF does “…it was too political…” to start an investigation”, mean? Does AK *not* investigate -to their *legal* conclusion(s)- issues that are “too political”? And who decides if an issue is “*too* political” for the AG (no less!) of the *State* to investigate? Isn’t the AG ‘politics neutral’ – only the *law* guides an AG?
What about ‘merely political” [as opposed to “too political”] — do *those* get investigated? Sheesh…my head spins! beth.
WOW – from the AP on the Fairbanks Daily News Miner, with a quote from AKM toward the end!
http://www.newsminer.com/news/2009/jul/24/palins-mid-term-resignation-comes-costs/
Palin’s mid-term resignation comes with costs
“What else comes with a special session, besides cranky legislators, and extra business? A big fat price tag is what,” wrote The Mudflats, an Alaska political blog.
This is at “the Alaska Report”
July 24, 2009
Request Investigation of Palin Administration
By KC Dochtermann
To: The Honorable Daniel S. Sullivan, Attorney General
State of Alaska
Greetings,
I found it only fitting that I contact you with this request on the eve (and last normal weekday) of Governor Sarah Palin’s term before her resignation from her duties as the Governor of Alaska.
I most humbly request a full investigation into events that took place in the year 2007, and well as events that I reported to take place in the years prior to my initial attempt to begin an investigation.
In January 2007 I quietly contacted Governor Palin’s husband, Todd Palin, requesting that Governor Palin and former Attorney General Talis Colberg shield me under the provisions of the Alaska Whistleblower’s Act. I spoke with Mr. Palin on the phone, as well as via email. I sent him documentation (via email) that contained an official request that reported a number of potentially unethical and illegal activities that had taken place at the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI) (I was the international program director for ASMI from 2001 to 2007), including workplace harassment, as well as suppression of a report that I had generated as a requirement of my official duties as international program director.
I was contacted by phone shortly thereafter by Attorney General Colberg; he indicated that he would look into my request and be back in touch with me. Shortly thereafter I retained legal counsel; the attorney representing followed up with an acknowledgement letter being sent to Attorney General (AG) Colberg. The only response received was a phone call back to my attorney by the AG’s office, indicating that “…it was too political…” to start an investigation.
My situation at my workplace continued to deteriorate until March 22, 2007, when I was placed on administrative leave under very questionable accusations. Considering the high level of stress and duress that I had already undergone, and in further consideration that my wife was pregnant with twins, I chose to quietly resign from my position with the State of Alaska. While I signed an agreement not to bring civil charges against any member of ASMI or the State of Alaska, I still feel I signed the agreement under great duress. I also question the legality of the failure of Governor Palin and AG Colberg to act upon my request to shield me as a State of Alaska employee under conditions of the Alaska Whistleblower Act.
I attempted to contact Governor Palin on April 3, 2008 (Word .doc Here) with a request to begin an investigation into these matters, as well as to provide me with a letter of recommendation, as I was having issues securing employment in a similar position, due to my questionable departure from my position with the State of Alaska. I received a written reply back from the AG’s office in May 2008 which stated that an “…independent investigation was conducted…”. I nor my legal counsel were ever contacted or notified of such an investigation prior to this notification. I must question how a proper and independent investigation could be performed, when the claimant and their legal counsel was never informed or interviewed.
In December 2008, I contacted by phone Alaska Senator Kim Elton, and informed him of these matters. He requested that I send him all the supporting documentation for he and Alaska Senator Hollis French to review as they both were actively investigating Governor Palin on other personnel matters (the infamous ‘TrooperGate’ investigation). I completed two packets for the senators, and sent them via courier to Senator Elton on December 31, 2008 (a copy of the cover letter is attached). I attempted numerous times to follow up with Senator Elton on this matter. He did not return my calls, until I was contacted by his legislative aide to be informed that he was resigning form his position in the Alaska Senate to take a new position with the U.S. Department of Interior.
See Letter to Elton (Word .doc)
I contacted Senator Hollis’s office and was informed that he had received his copy of the documentation that I sent, but had returned it to Senator Elton’s office. I then contacted Senator Elton’s aide, and requested that the copies of documentation be returned to me. Accordingly one packet was ‘lost’. But one copy was sent back to me on March 18th, 2009. I have retained that copy, and I am making another copy, which I will be sending to you in the very near future.
While I have agreed in writing not to bring civil charges against the State of Alaska, ASMI, etc., I am humbly requesting that you begin a truly independent investigation into these matters in order to ascertain if criminal charges are warranted against any and all parties that failed to shield me under the Alaska Whistleblower’s Act, as well as any other potential violations by additional parties of State of Alaska statues, codes, charters, etc.
This message has been copied to Dennis Zaki, a member of the press at Alaska Report.com in the hope that there is no further delay in addressing this matter. After numerous attempts to have these matters addressed quietly, I feel that the only means to have an investigation start is to bring it into the ‘public eye’. I hope that you will be committed to seeing justice done in this matter, as well as to inspiring a more open and transparent atmosphere within the operations and processes
aha Says:
July 24th, 2009 at 11:26 AM
Hold on not quite so fast. I’m going to file MY ethics complaint, today.
I may not get the first word in, but I definitely get the LAST.
Stay Tuned around 4 pm.
__________________________________________________________
And what happened around 4 PM? Mike Nizich’s Press Release that another one of Andree’s complaints was tossed out.
Mike Nizich = sychophant (I think he is smitten, too, also)
Fran @113 – “The Alaskan Trust Fund is similiar to the bundlers that get around campaign limitations. Individuals go and collect lots and lots of maximum donation checks from their buddies and then present it in person as one giant bundle of cashy goodness.”
———-
AFTs ‘creativity’ puts me in mind of the bundling that led to the ginormous housing market meltdown … we all know how well moving around *those* little packets of pie-in-the-sky promises of easy bucks [derivatives] worked out.
One would *think* the charter/articles for starting & running AFT would have been gone over with a fine-toothed comb to ensure there was *no* possibility for any hanky-panky. Then again, depending on the ‘legal mind(s)’ who scrutinized it (or not), it’s very possible AFT was set up *exactly* as SP wanted it – a personal source of income for use towards legal bills/fees (or not) at *her* discretion. Either way, it’s all unfrigginbelievable! beth.
AHA-
I’m waiting, and I agree that your kindness in thinking of a part gift is priceless!
JHOP–North Carolina is very proud of our “native” law-sleuth!
And Celtic Diva’s site suggests that the trust fund will end its purpose when Sarah ceases to be the GINO and all the moola will HAVE to go to charity as the the fund stipulates.
Gota love it.
I would suggest someone lock Ms. Cole in a closet on Sarah’s last day to collect so that she, Cole, can’t hand Sarah the dough.
antiAnti–yeah, I just had to maake that point at the ADN’s newsreader blip on that.
complainant s/b complaint
Fox has conveniently forgotten that Daniel was the investigator for the “Artic Cat” ethics complainant which was dismissed.
problem child
Fox has also conveniently forgotten that Coale (who is also complaining) once wanted SP to help pay for Hillary Clinton’s campaign bills.
just nuts
Fox conveniently forgets that Coale is a Dem, also, too.
“some sort of Super Secret Sarah Survivor Support System? ”
Oh, AKM, this is a once in a lifetime alliterative find for you and you should savor it as the gift it is!
I just read a Fox article saying that the independent investigator is a big contributor to the Democrats. Sorry, I couldn’t finish the article because it was making me sick to my stomach. They are trying their best to make poor little Sarah a victim once again. I hope she goes to trial and all her lies exposed to the light of day.
PITTSBURGH AKMudstock UPDATE
Sunday, August 16th, 1PM – Pittsburgh, PA
Please check here for the latest information update:
https://themudflats.net/forum/index.php/topic,7283.msg75900.html#msg75900
Get on the ROAD TO PITTSBURGH and meet so many Mudpuppies!
Two more confirmed reservations today!
Hi everyone: Shannyn Moore did it again – on HuffingtonPost – hilarious…warning: do not drink coffee while reading. (Sorry if this has also been covered).
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/shannyn-moore/palin-caught-in-a-naughty_b_244114.html
The trust instrument is a bizarre mix of the legal boilerplate one would expect,
some mean girl snark, and portions that appear to have been written by a semi-literate aging former beauty queen. Just thank God it wasn’t written in 6,000 twitters.
Sarah’s gonna take the rest of the money and run, you betcha, also, too.
JHop, you’re absolute mustard. I bet your family are very proud of you, I know we all are.
p.s. another little tidbit just came out on open thread courtesy of Lori in LA
Ya but then you have Rush L and Bill O screaming leave Palin alone and they all just seem to slither away and back off but maybe when it comes down to who will run for president in the GOP“ they will not back down.Maybe Palin will go third partyt with Ron Paul, boy would that be a mess
JHop, you’re a national hero. Thanks a bunch!
all of your comments are so nice, thank you! on the forum, i posted some additional information that I discovered about the AFT (if anyone cares). 🙂
team palin is so shady and hypocritical….
samper@172:
I said pretty much the same thing in chat last night
Within an hour of the announcement of Mr Daniels decision we got that screed from Kristan Cole. Why hasn’t the quarterly disclosure statement about the AFT been released to the ADN or any TV stations. And why havn’t they asked Cole to release the disclosure. It’s sort of part of their Job… to do that.
If it backed up any of Coles’s claim she would be down there waving it in their face. Or maybe the State workers need to put it into a ‘ 2 page spreadsheet format’ so we can understand it.
158
aha Says:
July 24th, 2009 at 11:26 AM
Hold on not quite so fast. I’m going to file MY ethics complaint, today.
I may not get the first word in, but I definitely get the LAST.
Stay Tuned around 4 pm.
——————————–
If you do file something… make sure it has the ‘ special ‘ certified seal/ stamp or they throw it out on a technicality. Been down that road before.
#163 Far from Fenway – Celtic Diva has an excellent post titled “Palin,Van Flein & their unethical spin about ethics – part II. Diva says:
” And then, I STILL believe she has EVERY INTENTION to start spending that money AS SOON AS she steps down, even though it will be considered a violation for up to two years, according to the Act. ”
If I am reading this correctly, Palin will probably spend the money, even tho it is a violation of the ethics act.
AKM…I think your headline should say “Hey,America!”; since according to the AFT supporters 90% of the donations came from outside AK.
It’s pretty simple, and Cole is an idiot for not realizing it:
A “gift” from the AFT of $600K is NOT a $5 donation TO that trust by the little old lady in KS.
The “gift” would come from the AFT, not the individuals.
If the individuals wanted to send a “gift” towards legal expenses, they should send it to the attorney.
Am I making sense?
Epiphany!
SP doesn’t really care if we know she thinks we’re stoopid! Because it really is all about the money.
The state will pay for her atty as it relates to the ethics complaints, but she’s not going that route. She doesn’t want to go that route!
For one thing, she’d most likely be responsible for paying income tax on those funds used, or she thinks she will, anyway.
And, because there’s far more in that danged Fund than is required to pay for the bills. She wouldn’t have to spill any beans to the general public as to how much and why, and it is also available to pay Todd’s (possible) legal bills.
AND, the agreement states that the Fund will pay applicable taxes, also (too).
Yep, she plans on handing over the reins to Parnell, going home, and hittin’ that Fund. Of course, that’s just a theory, I don’t know any of this for a fact. (ha)
Nan
Ahave a heart! it will be 1am here then.
AHA T.G.I.F.
Thank God it’s fileday!!!!!
Aha-How thoughtful of you to think of getting her a parting gift! Looking forward to seeing your complaint. Cross T’s and dot your I’s. Hope to see lots of facts that can’t be handily dismissed. Rooting’ for you.
@158 aha –
4PM our time?
AKDT time?
Crud- was gonna work in the garden…
better get on that NOW so I can take a break at 4…
donnalnmichigan““i was just thinking that if no one showed up it would embarrass palin in front of the national media. our people shouldn’t perform for their benefit. as soon as she steps down they will forget about alaska. they won’t care what happens to our friends and loved ones who live there. i have very little respect or liking for corporate media.
Aha? What? Go to it! We will be waiting!!!
Ohhhh – and I’ll have to wait until 8 pm.
Legally – such an elusive concept with Palin – is the whole Fund issue over once Sunday afternoon rolls around? I would think that OUR ethics laws no longer apply to Queen Sarah come 3pm Sunday so she can indeed take the $ and run (for POTUS). Is this just an interesting exercise in Alaska legal / political ethics application that will, in all likelihood, never be needed again?
go aha go!!
Aha….you can’t just leave us hanging like that!!
aha – waiting with bated breath!
Dang, that’ll be 7 p.m. my time. oh well.
aha @ 158
AHAHAHAHAHAHA!
AHAHAHAHAHAHA!
I think I love you 😉
Hold on not quite so fast. I’m going to file MY ethics complaint, today.
I may not get the first word in, but I definitely get the LAST.
Stay Tuned around 4 pm.
Hah! Have been a long time reader, first time commentor, but with that second-to-last sentence of your post I couldn’t resist! Very funny! Wish I’d have written that!
How many ppl are expected to show up for Sarah Palins “Eva Peron” moment at the picnic, Sunday??
Wouldn’t it be funny if there was more media then actual citizens?
CO almost native (136)
Keep a close eye on AFT; expenses can only be paid for governor-related items.
_____________
under “Rights of withdrawal” in the Agreement:
“no purpose need be shown”
lovely.
those cee4pee’s are hilarious. That have thrown everyone almost under the bus, except the bus driver, $arah, but I do think in a month they will throw her under the bus too. Next person under the bus will be Cole.
Super Bee–well, Wes Keller has already gotten something from her, as she appointed him to his house seat (replacement for Vic Kohring, and why didn’t HIS appointment need to go through open voting by both sides of the House, huh Buttercup?).
@33 Gasman –
“Now this is not the end of Palin. It is not even the beginning of the end of Palin. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning of Palin. Let us therefore brace ourselves to our duties, and so bear ourselves that, if the internets and its Google last for a thousand years, men will still say, ‘This was their finest hour.’”
——————————-
Oh -I’m so very weary of standing Sarah sentry duty…
even amongst all these folks who are bigger and stronger than I am-
AKM at the lead…
But you are right…
No time to stand down now…
Finest hour or no,
it’s not time to quit.
She’s the one who quit, not us.
Alaska Fund Trust=Grifter Trust
Kristan Cole has 5 kids, also, too. I read that somewhere.
http://www.fracturedfriendships.com/blog/who-kristan-cole-sarah-palin-s-bff
sauerkraut–Here’s the link to the ethics list: http://threebrain.blogspot.com/2009/07/its-21-ethics-complaints-not-18-but.html
I’ve seen Kristen Cole come totally unglued when her young son (who was maybe 5 or 6 at the time) asked her for a bite of her steak. I got the feeling she’s a stingy person (and maybe a bit crazy). Apparently, she doesn’t have Palin’s maternal instincts. Anyway, I seriously doubt she’d be taking this AFT thing on unless she thought it would benefit her somehow.
All the local yocal representatives, Carl Ghatto, Wes Keller, Linda Menard, all have had Sarah’s back ever since her nomination whether it be yes votes across the board or trying to sue the legislature over Troopergate. I guess they figure they’ll end up getting something from her in the future like an invitation to a White House dinner (excuse me while I ROFL). They all must think we’re stoopid if they think we can’t see they’re driven by self-serving motives.
saurkraut @130:
Froma wonkette comment: Queen Winkentwitter of the North
I guess soon to be ex-Queen Winkentwitter since she abdicated.
Maybe the Brits here can tell me what an ex-Queen becomes–a Duchess maybe?
Would that make her Duchess of Buttercups?
Lost my bookmark to the listing and disposition of the 23? ethics complaints… anyone have that site still marked? The official state site would be good, as well as any blog.
138 CO almost native Says: July 24th, 2009 at 10:46 AM
@ sauerkraut #130:
How about Twitterup Buttercup?
_________
Sure!
@CO almost native #138
Twitterup Buttercup?????
ROTFLMAO!!!!
Thanks!
This is a great letter written by a resident of the Interior who voted for Palin, and is now ashamed and angry at her behaviour – excellent!
http://www.newsminer.com/news/2009/jul/24/changed/?opinion
“I promise one thing. As dedicated as I was to her, I shall be equally as dedicated to doing whatever I can to be sure she doesn’t get the chance to do the same thing to the country.”
Our numbers grow…
JHop’s analysis on Diva’s Blue Oasis is outstanding and understandable.
anon blogger (at 8:11 AM)–K. Cole was NOT the person in charge of the Permanent Fund; that was Deborah Richter, now Deborah Bitney.
that twitter site is not Levi’s. Come on people. Read the whole thing. Do you really think he would be taunting her on twitter? Puhleeeeze!
Dr. Patois Says:
July 24th, 2009 at 10:08 AM
I have no idea if this is really Levi’s twitter page or what he really knows,but for those of you who are thinking $arah might skip town….
Rumor has it Sarah & DA gang will B moving to Either Dallas Texas area or buy a some ranch around Helena Montana or both.. you heard it 1st
9:37 AM Jul 16th from web
Please, no. We already have Shrub and Perry. We really don’t need another village idiot.
Of course, Dallas itself has gone extremely Blue. Do you think Sarah can handle having a Hispanic lesbian sheriff?
MinJ: got a question for you on Open thread.
@ sauerkraut #130:
How about Twitterup Buttercup?
The ATF is *permitted* to pay all IRS bills from it’s funds. Not “must*. (More left up to Kirsten’s discretion? )
The trust document says:
“In the event that SARAH PALIN or any Covered Individual is considered
to have received taxable income as a result of being a beneficiary of the Trust, the Trustee shall be permitted to reimburse SARAH PALIN or such beneficiary, as the case may be, from the corpus of the Trust for the actual amount of taxes incurred by SARAH PALIN or such beneficiary, as the case may be, as a result of being a beneficiary of the Trust.”
If you look carefully at his wording, Coale said that the legal bills for the ethics complaints on kids travel, and per deim were paid but not the amounts that paid tax or made restitution. However, ia far as I can see, the ATF could repay these costs if Kristen could think up an excuse to do so.
Keep a close eye on AFT; expenses can only be paid for governor-related items. Although I suppose that could include paying Artic Cat back for all of those snazzy custom jackets for the Palins.
Jester Kristan Cole is an outraged soul;
A panicked soul is she-
Futility paddling her canoe
As it goes over the falls…
“But I was doing all this for free!”
She’s moving to near Dallas… well, there is that former ranch in Waco that’s been empty since it burnt down 16 or so years ago. …
I pulled muscles in my back doing yardwork; so today is a contemplative day, thinking about how in 48 hours, the new Governor of Alaska will be ushered in.
Countdown to Sunday. And the Sarah saga will go on, especially in light of this trust story. Notice how everyone is sifting though the sieve of information and people here are really doing a splendid job of revealing the reality. It’s all starting to make sense. It’s like watching Columbo at work. LOL
Well, more and more Alaskans are getting tired of being thought of as stoopid…
http://www.adn.com/opinion/view/story/874829.html#none
Especially by the likes of the KC crowd…
Thanks to everyone for all the great reading material here today. Fun, fun, fun!
I rather like buttercup, now and future. I can just see SP firing up google and doing a search for “buttercup” on herself.
Each time she does the search she’ll be reminded of those pesky Alaska bloggers and ethic complainers that gave her such headaches and cost her….gasp….some of her hard begged cash.
80 BahstinBoyo aka Wrangler Tractor Palin Says: July 24th, 2009 at 8:48 AM
One general question on proper procedure… once she is outta there, and since she resigned (quit) the position, is she entitled to be addressed as ‘Govenor Palin’… or ‘Former Govenor Palin’… or just plain ‘Sarah’??
__________
1) hillbilly sarah
2) dingleberry
3) irrelevant
4) bittertwitterquitter
5) fill in the blank cuz you can call her anything you’d like.
SystemBucker Says:
July 24th, 2009 at 10:16 AM
#115 Dr. Patois Says…
–Rumor has it Sarah & DA gang will B moving to Either Dallas Texas area or buy a some ranch around Helena Montana or both..
========
What? Its too hot in Alaska?
77 rebekkah Says: July 24th, 2009 at 8:44 AM
Cole: “I don’t have any idea regarding her book deal or any of the other details of that,” Cole said. “What I can tell you is that this fund was set up to pay for her legal defense of really the frivolous ethics complaints.”
This is quite specific. The frivolous ethics complaints were a smaller percentage of SP’s total legal fees.
_____________
Although I’ve not been a fan of some of the ethics complaints, there’s been nothing definitive to tie any of the ethics complaints to the concept of “frivolous.” A complaint being dismissed does not, on its own, make that complaint frivolous. Which means that it’s possible the fund was set up in the absence of any frivolous ethics complaints.
Now, I could make an argument about the ethics complaint Palin filed against herself. But that would not solely be based on the phrase “frivolous.”
119 @UK Lady….Good read…Learned something new today…Thx.
EyeOnYou Says:
July 24th, 2009 at 8:10 AM
mo Says:
Thanks, EyeOnYou [post 12] – you nicely summed up what was nagging at the back of my mind about this whole scam –
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Whew,…I thought I was the only one seeing that point
===========
I posted a similar observation a little later.
The influence is to pay her -to- behave badly, and cavalierly disregard the ethics act, by violating or appearing to violate the ethics act.
Thats precisely the worst kind of influence.
Gee, this is going to be a tough toss up for Palin, on one hand, she loves the power and notoriety that go along with running for office and winning (no contemplation of losing need be considered) on the other hand, winning and office, running for office brings all these needless restrictions along with it, so on the other hand we have all that lovely cash. *sigh* What is a girl to do!
Sarah showed Alaska, the United States and the World, that she loves the money more than the office.
Of course, if the money gets low, you can always run for office and get some more.
Isn’t the U.S. a grand place. 🙂
I just wonder if the timing of SP’s hasty retreat has anything to do with those hacked emails, and just what SP and her minions were discussing in those yahoo emails. The kid’s trial resumes on July 27 down in Kentucky…. wonder if SP was crowing on those emails about how she, KC and TP duped all those poor people into sending her money……
Oh, AKM… I never thought I would find fault with you BUT, you owe the Whirling Dervishes an apology! Even putting them on the same PAGE with the likes of Sarah Palin is a sin! The Dervishes are VERY holy people. Tsk, Tsk!
OK, they are holy enough to forgive you… I am still working on it.
33 Gasman Says: July 24th, 2009 at 7:49 AM
Sarah Palin is a maladroit simpleton and a liar. It should come as no surprise that her minions are liars and simpletons as well. Never underestimate the ability of any member of Team Palin to bungle any task, no matter how seemingly simple. Their verbal gaffes are legion and provide seemingly endless fodder for those who are not her BFFs. The internet is the bane of Team Palin. Their misstatements and outright lies are just too easy to expose. Technological ham-handedness, thy name is Palin.
____________
Can I ask a favor? When posting, please – pretty please – do not hold back on your true feelings!! 😎
Excellent use of “maladroit.”
+++++++++
DrChill @39 – spot on!
My condolences to the good people of Texas and/or Montana.
As long as she keeps her azz outta Michigan there won’t be a problem.
She steps into Michigan, then I’ll be there with huge signs! This is a BLUE state…and there is no way Palin would be welcomed anywhere around these parts.
But I did say that she’ll be moving out of Alaska, by 2010.
#115 Dr. Patois Says…
–Rumor has it Sarah & DA gang will B moving to Either Dallas Texas area or buy a some ranch around Helena Montana or both.. you heard it 1st
9:37 AM Jul 16th from web–
All I can say is thank God she’s not moving to Ohio!!!!
Nan
Yeah, coz John Coale is such an upstanding pillar of society…………..
http://www.holysmoke.org/cos/john-coale-ambulance-chaser.htm
There is more on him when you go digging. What charming people $ hangs out with.
Fran@112
Don’t forget the “bundler” Mansour and the begathon @ Cee4Pee
Also, too, they don’t have to bundle. See my post above @102. An individual can donate as much as they want.
I get this vision of all those Sarahsites (parasites) yelling, “Run, Sarah, Run” and the vision that comes to mind is a cross-country run of Sarah Palin and Forrest Gump. I pray that if she runs again it is in her sneakers and on a trail in the woods and not on the national stage.
I sent an email yesterday to the AFT reminding them (not so gently) that it is time for them to release their financial statement. I would urge others to do the same. Their 90 days are up; it’s time to show the financial documents. I for one really want to see their cobbled effort at a spreadsheet. Hope it’s better than what Palin’s team produced to show the cost of the ethics complaints to the state of AK.
Do they have a grace period beyond the 90 days? Are there penalties imposed if they don’t meet the deadline?
Ohh Ohh i want one of those Sarah thinks im stoooopid Tee shirts
Fran@112
Don’t forget the “bundler” Mansour @ cee4pee and the begathon
I have no idea if this is really Levi’s twitter page or what he really knows,but for those of you who are thinking $arah might skip town….
Rumor has it Sarah & DA gang will B moving to Either Dallas Texas area or buy a some ranch around Helena Montana or both.. you heard it 1st
9:37 AM Jul 16th from web
http://twitter.com/Levi___Johnston
er con = convince
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0509/22681.html
3 libby Says: July 24th, 2009 at 6:52 AM
Maybe a few Mudpups could show up at those Palin Picnics with “Sarah Thinks I’m Stoopid” T-shirts on.
____________
Or how about a more accurate t-shirt… “I think Sarah Palin is Stoopidt!”
The Alaskan Trust Fund is similiar to the bundlers that get around campaign limitations. Individuals go and collect lots and lots of maximum donation checks from their buddies and then present it in person as one giant bundle of cashy goodness. The bundler – the one who actually motivated all of those other people to donate gets all off the influence peddling points for themselves by virtue of their great “fund raising” ability. It is pretty obviouse that the people running the Alaskan Trust who are gathering all of those tiny donations are the ones accuring Palin’s thankfullness and not all of those nameless people people sending the trust the loose change they found in their couches.
Perhaps one of the problems is that someone either does not understand Daniel’s written word or does not want to understand the obvious.
SystemBucker (62)
And yet another spin. This one from Faux News….
—”Palin Ethics Investigator Closely Tied to Democratic Party…
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/07/23/palin-investigator-ties-democratic-party/
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Holy catfish, Mabel! Get a load of this!:
“Coale also accused the personnel board of being “either vicious or idiotic” to hire Daniel, whose law firm is closely tied to the Democratic Party.”
This from the man that hoped to con SP into paying off Hillary Clinton’s campaign bills! Good grief.
Truly, ya just CMTSU!!!
Do you think she would have proclaimed the charges dismissed if the results hadn’t been leaked to the press? Technically she still thinks she didn’t do anything wrong so in her mind that’s probably as good as dropping the issue.. darn those facts…
Maybe we should ask to see the previous full decisions from the personnel board.
UKLady… I should have said ‘According to her spokesmodels…’ Most of the first part of that was sarcasm… I’ll do better next round!
It’s HER dilusion, not mine! The REST of the world KNOWS where she stands, SHE still believes she’s at the TOP of her game!
As a side note of gratitude… I was fortunate enough to be stationed in England for four years with the USAF at RAF Lakenheath up in East Anglia. My wee-uns were in school and remember it all quite well. The best four years of our lives. Was in London for the wedding of Di and Charles. Great people, great country. I miss it. But I digress! TTFN… Cheers!
While we all watch this closely. Most of Alaska and the US have not a clue what is really going on. I only hope that MSM will spell it all out in no uncertain terms for all to see. Of course i know that the MSM will be taking the word of the Paliniestas at face value. Hey you think Murdoc was here to just sight see? Personally i would like this to end in jail time.
If i have to park in a designated parking spot EVERYONE has to park in a designated spot.
So — If Cole has to cough up quarterly financial statements, who is holding her feet to the fire to do so?
#90itt Romney It would seem to me that he is a determined nominee for 2012, he is also very rich and wily. He probably has more dirt on $arah already than we have, just biding his time.
Believe me if he can’t find any, he’ll get some crony to make it up. He will come out like clean, wind driven snow and Palin will be the crap stained stuff under the husky kennel
@ gasman #33 — brilliant!
# 41 ds55 Says:
July 24th, 2009 at 8:01 AM
@ Bystander: Snakes don’t commit suicide.
——
Yeah, but when I was 5. my mom killed a rattlesnake by dropping a big rock on it.
Raise a glass to a big, bad rock and one tough mom (that’d be AK bloggers, especially AKM!).
MOInkslinger just made a great point o the open thread. Who paid the postage on the thank you cards?. If it came from the fund $ is implicated.
MOInkslinger
Hey, all you Alaskans who know more about Sarah Palin’s ethics problems. If she has no association with Alaskan Trust Fund and she is sending thank you letters to people sending contributions, who is paying for the postage on the thank you notes? If the Trust Fund is paying for the postage, isn’t she then associated with the Alaskan Trust Fund? If she is paying for the postage herself (because we know she is not stupid enough to have the State of Alaska to pay for the postage), then important information regarding donors (address and amounts of contributions) is being leaked to her, an outsider
There is a very important piece of the AFT that no one seems to be paying attention to. How much can someone donate and how much can be taken out. Forget what it says on the website or what comes out of Cole or Stapletons mouth.
There is only one requirement. Donations must be in $150.00 or less INCREMENTS. You can donate as much as you want in any calendar year as long as you do it $150.00 at a time. No matter what Cole says, you know they chose $150.00 to pretend they had lofty ideals but more importantly to not have to report to APOC!
Gift tax. A person can gift $ to another in any amount they want. If in a given calendar year they gift more than $13,000.00 they DO NOT pay a tax. The requirement to file a gift tax on a gift over $13,000.00 is not a dollar amount paid. It is a deduction from the total lifetime gift limit which is currently $1 million dollars. It has to do with estate tax or what everyone calls death tax. The IRS has set up the gift limit to prevent a person from giving away their estate prior to death in order to prevent the estate from having to pay the death tax. So, if someone donated $20,000.00 to $arah’s AFT they would have to file a report to the IRS showing a $7,000.00 dollar deduction from the 1 million dollar lifetime limit. If they only donate $13,000.00 in a given year, nothing is deducted. There is no actual tax they have to pay.
On $arah’s (recipient) end, as long as it is a “true gift”, she owes nada to the IRS.
I am not a tax expert but this is my understanding. Read the trust agreement, there are no limits to the amount you can give.
BahstinBoyo
The latest polling in Alaska for $arah showed her at just over 50% and falling fast.
Polly…
True, true… that was pre-VP pick SP… and don’t forget, she is stepping down with an 80-90% approval rating! She WILL ‘carry’ AK! Only as long as ‘Alaska’ is emboidered on the back of the ArcticCat jacket! That may be the ONLY way she can carry AK!
IF she tries to run, she WILL have to be in the spotlight and answer to all of this all over again. Can you imagine her reaction to the first negative ad against her? The rest of the Repugs will chew her up and spit her out, as it were. Hey, I can DREAM can’t I? The one GOOD thing to come of any of this is that now she will be fair game for the rest of us hungry lions and lionesses here in the lower 49! (I always include Hawaii) No more ‘You don’t live here or vote here so you don’t count’. Now THAT’S a trainwreck I can’t WAIT to see!
“you can get cash gifts tax free, to a maximum of 13K (?) So if Great Aunt Millie wanted to give you some cash just because, she could give you as much as 13k. You’d have to declare it as a gift, but you’d be home free, really.
Now if you had an Aunt Millie, and an Aunt Edith, and uncles Howard & Edgar, I don’t know if you could get away with an untaxed 13K gift from each of ‘em or not.”
You can. The gift tax is imposed on the GIVER, not the recipient. (Mostly because people give gifts to decrease the value of their estates that will eventually be subject to estate tax–so the government gets its bite from the gift.) That’s why Palin’s activities are being scrutinized under the Ethics Act. Although, if the IRS were to find that the whole fund gave Palin something like $500k to pay off her bills, they’d be looking at THAT pretty closely.
AKM, you forgot a space in the first sentence but it seemed appropriate on our side or theirs. “It is interesting to seethe” She and her BFF are definitely seething! We will be if she gets away with it…
FYI: Romney won the Republican primaries in AK.
@UK Lady @Professor Geezer
Thank you for the reassurance!
90 UK Lady Says:
It would seem to me that he is a determined nominee for 2012, he is also very rich and wily. He probably has more dirt on $arah already than we have, just biding his time.
*************************************************************************
Yup. And the first time she even hints at him being a Mormon , we’ll see a slick commercial with video of the witch doctor.
While I was typing…Andrea just reported 53% negative on sarah in latest polling……..
It’s sad to see people blinded by the “you betcha” wink, wink former beauty pageant contestant.
Change in the Sarahsphere: Bloggers ponder future:
Adam Brickley, a Colorado college student whose now-suspended Draft Palin blog preceded her pick as John McCain’s presidential running mate, says he won’t stray far from his dedication. “I consider that chapter of my life to be very much open — and I personally don’t see it concluding until Sarah Palin is sworn in as president of the United States.”
http://www.adn.com/3437/story/875231.html
Nan (aka roswellborn) Says:
July 24th, 2009 at 9:06 AM
rebekkah
If you can get hold of the PDF file of the agreement, at the bottom of page 2, into the first two lines of p 3, – well, here it is:
“no purpose need be shown”… They can just waltz up to the “AFT” machine and haul out as much as they want (up to 13K for the year) and not even have to justify it in any shape, form or fashion? Just “Kiss-my-grits and hand me the dough” is enough?
apparently, that’s the way it is. (with apologies to Cronkite).
~~~~~~~~~~
I’ve said from the gate, this is a grifter personal ATM fund for Sarah & Co a “slush” fund if you will….
Glad people are finally “getting” it! It has nothing to do with Alaska, legal, only Gov grifter, always gov grifter.
EyeOnYou Says:
July 24th, 2009 at 8:28 AM
SystemBucker Says:
And yet another spin. This one from Faux News….
________________
And you will notice that until Daniel found a problem with Palin’s ethics, no one questioned his ties previously. He has worked on other ethics complaints and dismissed them (he was the investigator in Diva’s Arctic Cat complaint) and did anyone question his political leanings then? Nope, not a peep, but now that it seems he isn’t falling to worship at the feet of Palin, oh gosh, he can’t be fair because he has ties to the democrats!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Yes they don’t mention “that he was for her before he was against her” in CatGate, and they also neglect to mention John Coale is a Dem.
So much for “fair and balanced”….Faux BS, is all!
rebekkah
If you can get hold of the PDF file of the agreement, at the bottom of page 2, into the first two lines of p 3, – well, here it is:
“no purpose need be shown”… They can just waltz up to the “AFT” machine and haul out as much as they want (up to 13K for the year) and not even have to justify it in any shape, form or fashion? Just “Kiss-my-grits and hand me the dough” is enough?
apparently, that’s the way it is. (with apologies to Cronkite).
Polly, I agree with Professor Geezer.
$P is hurting no one more than Mitt Romney at the moment, she is only really dangerous to him, possibly Huckabbe and Jindal.
It would seem to me that he is a determined nominee for 2012, he is also very rich and wily. He probably has more dirt on $arah already than we have, just biding his time.
AKM’s interview from last night is up on The Brad Blog.
Al Capone was caught and jailed for tax evasion. He died of syphillis.
rebekkah: The Trust is NOT a legal defense fund. It is a $arah Fund. It only mentioned legal defense ONCE. It also clearly states the funds can be given to anyone Cole says yes to – up to $13K per year – with NO oversight and NO stated reason.
It is a $arah$lush Fund –
Then again, I do not feel sorry for the donors. It’s their money to throw away if they want. They are still collecting funds on the site aren’t they? In spite of all the info that is out there, people are still donating.
And it is not tax deductible to give to the Trust.
I believe what jHop said – keep an eye on the Trust. That may prove to be the key if the trust is either unethical or illegal.
We’ll see…..
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/23/AR2009072302633.html
Sen Kerry and Sen Boxer want to debate Palin. I hope it could be televised…they humble her ass quickly!
sjk from the belly of the plane
re Capone at Alcatraz
__________
You’re absolutely right, I’d forgotten about that. (duh!) I was thinking about Eastern State Penitentiary, where he served time at some point previous to Alcatraz. I believe it was for income tax evasion, but am now second guessing my memory. lol
Will I ever in my life spontaneously come up with a stunning piece of alliteration like that again?
*******
LOL! Loved it!
My laptop is antsy today. I cut my comment off before I was finished (#77).
Am wondering; if the frivolous ethics complaints constitute a smaller portion of the legal fees from the lawyer, what does the trustee (Cole) expect to do with the rest of the money. If SP uses it for any other reason, wouldn’t that be considered misrepresentation to the donors?
@BahstinBoyo, I prefer the latter: “Just Plain Sarah.”
Gasman #33 says:
Well said, Gasman1 You rival AKM. How wonderful to have so many folks on this blog who speak non-salad!
michigander…
If she were tried, convicted and sentenced it would still not make any difference to them. It would still be everyone but Saracuda’s fault. All the courts, laws, and non-supporters would be the cause… I DO, however, believe that her ‘Ness is in for a rude awakening dare she attempt the same as ‘citizen’ Sarah. Eventually, only Faux would even cover her!
One general question on proper procedure… once she is outta there, and since she resigned (quit) the position, is she entitled to be addressed as ‘Govenor Palin’… or ‘Former Govenor Palin’… or just plain ‘Sarah’??
Al Capone ended up in Alcatraz…with insane with an STD.
Gasman #33 says:
Oh ye horde of unwashed liberal bloggers, keep thy fingers nimble and thy internet connection at its highest speed! Sarah Palin’s resignation will not lessen the need for those defending vérité. Au contraire! I predict that our services will be in even greater demand as Team Palin unleashes its disdain for grammar, syntax, logic, and the truth upon an unsuspecting nation.
Now this is not the end of Palin. It is not even the beginning of the end of Palin. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning of Palin. Let us therefore brace ourselves to our duties, and so bear ourselves that, if the internets and its Google last for a thousand years, men will still say, ‘This was their finest hour.’”
Well said, Gasman1 You rival AKM. How wonderful to have so many folks on this blog who speak non-salad!
CREW article (National Campaign Pads Palin’s Legal Fund) quotes Kristen Cole.
“I don’t have any idea regarding her book deal or any of the other details of that,” Cole said. “What I can tell you is that this fund was set up to pay for her legal defense of really the frivolous ethics complaints.”
This is quite specific. The frivolous ethics complaints were a smaller percentage of SP’s total legal fees. Wasn’t her own ethics complaint for Troopergate a large part of the legal fees
Daniels also worked on the Arctic Cat complaint that Linda filed. Now they’re trying to spin Daniels affiliation with the Democratic Party. Those folks are really something.
Palin thinks SHE is a genius. That’s what is so sad about her mental state.
I’m sure this has already been said but it’s not just Alaska – Palin thinks the entire USA is stoopid. Think of all the little old ladies etc. across the nation that have contributed to her AFT. All her supporters are under the bus and don’t even realize it (yet, if ever).
Pretty sad )o:
#28 KerryAnn63… My thanks… (with a gracious bow at the waist … hat removed for effect, of course!)
#62 SystemBucker…
That is how to spin a legal ‘gift’ into a suspected ‘grift’. No-one does it better than Faux. ‘So What’ if he donated a legal, within limits amount to whomever and whatever he chooses? The mere mention of the action phrased the way they do, makes it appear suspicious… and that’s all the foothold they need to get the rest of the pundits to start firing away. The Murdoch spin begins. I still see her on that network, one way or another.
eyeonyou, I noticed that too, everything was fine until the lastest report.
EyeOnYou, I totally agree! It’s like a child who didn’t get what they wanted and decided “You’re not my friend anymore”…they just needed a few days to find a reason why he’s not their friend now. What a joke!
Funny what panic can do huh?
Nan (aka roswellborn) July 24th, 2009 at 8:20 AM
MeAgain wrote “Stapleton herself was paid $12,000 by SarahPAC and another $32,450 through IzzyLene, a consulting firm registered in her name in Alaska.”
____________
Nan’s comment- And we were wondering why Stapletongue was so shrill in her defense of SP. Could this be part of the reason?
————–
me- Good points about the pay. At what point could they be stopped from taking a salary or payment? It is private trust, but think of all the “consulting” they could be needing. They can pay out operational costs to whatever group/source Cole agrees to. I’m not a lawyer (but I do read JHop on Mudflats) , but it is a private trust. The only ones being duped now are the doners if they think their money was only going to pay the legal costs of St. $arah.
oops Ivy Frye just sent out a twitter letting everyone know Thomas has ties to that Dem Party. (I will be awaiting the obligatory references to Alinsky’s playbook and Axelrod payouts in upcoming tweets.)
@Polly, rest assured that Palin’s opposition within the GOP (Romney? Huckabee? Pawlenty? Jindal?) is working on that as we type here…
I read jhop’s excellent article at Cetic Diva’s (and Mudflats forum). She answered one question I had which was; does the fund need to be terminated when Palin leaves office? jhop’s article says that it does need to be terminated when Sarah leave office as the purpose of the fund is very specific in that it is to raise money for Palin as Governor.
However, this little line from the trust docs gives a whole new spin on what happens to that fund.
IOW, There is no definite time frame for closing the fund. It is at Sarah’s BFF’s discretion to close the fund when the purpose of the fund is fulfilled. One would assume this is after everyone gets paid off including the trustee and any and all Governor related expenses (real and ‘imagined’) are paid out.
I think the fund is a scam. The ethics complaint only addressed the fund as an ethical conflict. No one has far as we know has looked at the legality of the fund itself. The very fact the Sarah Palin’s BFF is the trustee of the fund raises so many red flags it is scary.
We also now have undeniable proof that Sarah Palin is unethical. An ethical person would have suspended the website immediately upon receipt of that report. An unethical person would keep it open until ‘the courts tell me I have to close it.”
63 mlaiuppa Says: I’ve always maintained that in the end it is the IRS that will take down Sarah Palin.
—
I think you are right.
I think the Republicans would have gotten behind Palin for 2012 as a charismatic leader and an eventual WH puppet. But now, the intelligent ones realize how “uncontrollable” she is and power hungry. She would get in, and dismiss them. Maybe they will do some backroom brainstorms to help expose her. (wishful thinking?)
The IRS has a long history of being the “court’ of last resort as far as the US is concerned. They never could pin down Al Capone for his various enterprises, except with the IRS. (even then, he had comparatively luxurious quarters while in the Pen)
SystemBucker Says:
And yet another spin. This one from Faux News….
________________
And you will notice that until Daniel found a problem with Palin’s ethics, no one questioned his ties previously. He has worked on other ethics complaints and dismissed them (he was the investigator in Diva’s Arctic Cat complaint) and did anyone question his political leanings then? Nope, not a peep, but now that it seems he isn’t falling to worship at the feet of Palin, oh gosh, he can’t be fair because he has ties to the democrats!
I seem to remember another $5,000 to the husband of Megamouth and he is some kind of masseuse?
AKM, great post!
Great comments from all the mudpups as usual.
I don’t see one penny of the trust going to Charity.
And since the trust will be dissolved when Palin is no longer Governor I see her going on a huge shopping spree on Saturday. She will gut that fund; there will be nothing left.
If the PAC has paid all of her legal fees, she’ll be buying clothes, shoes, a new tanning bed, etc. She’ll spend it all.
In the end, this isn’t going to be a matter for the Personnel board or the AG, it’s going to be a matter for the IRS. I’ve always maintained that in the end it is the IRS that will take down Sarah Palin.
And yet another spin. This one from Faux News….
—“Palin Ethics Investigator Closely Tied to Democratic Party
Independent investigator Thomas Daniel has contributed $3,500 in recent years to Democratic causes, including $1,500 to John Kerry’s presidential campaign in 2004 and $1,000 to Alaska Sen. Mark Begich’s senatorial campaign last year.”—
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/07/23/palin-investigator-ties-democratic-party/
I’m starting to feel bad for Thomas Daniel, he’s really getting tossed around under that bus!
MeAgain
“Stapleton herself was paid $12,000 by SarahPAC and another $32,450 through IzzyLene, a consulting firm registered in her name in Alaska.”
____________
And we were wondering why Stapletongue was so shrill in her defense of SP. Could this be part of the reason?
Alaskan Sisu – I didn’t say a smart thief. Reminds me of a story I heard about a parent who solicited funds because their child needed a transplant; but the child was as health as an ox.
I *heart* gasman. That was the post of the week.
@ Gasman
“I predict that our services will be in even greater demand as Team Palin unleashes its disdain for grammar, syntax, logic, and the truth upon an unsuspecting nation.”
Thanks (and chuckles)! Yes, we are tired up here – it’s been a long almost-year. It’s time to turn the vigil to the lower 48 where there are still many unsuspecting folks who Palin will try to use as fodder to further her ambitions.
Carry on!
ANON BLOGGER: A common thief wouldn’t be so stupid as to provide verbal and written documentation in their feable attempts to cover up.
The truth squad (technology) is taking the whole ship down.
Ah, Dr Chill…re: post #39..I agree!
Since the SarahPac monies can be used for traveling expenses, wouldn’t that also break the same Alaska statutes?
40k got dumped in S-pac in ONE day while sarah was in Texas.
It’s in the FEC filing.
You mean FORE! I had to say it a lot because I’m a really bad golfer!
Golf Clap for everyone!
For Sarah: FOUR!
Thanks, AKM, for another great article. I also read Celtic Diva’s blog where JHop explained the trust in some detail.
Remember when the computer crashed? The Permanent Fund should be audited as soon as Palin steps down. Palin has shown to be all about the money, and that Permanent Fund was handled by Cole, too, right?
The funds to SarahPac were divert to Alaska Legal Fund to be handled in Alaska by Cole. Both have been exposed as not being honest in their words, so why should anyone expect them to be honest handling those funds ethically? There was deception soliciting monies for enormous legal fees when the trust was worded in a way that Palin could use the funds at whim, for Botox maybe, as long as she remained Governor. Right? She found a way to line her front pockets knowing she had the Personnel Board and AG tucked away in her back pockets. And those involved in such deception were not doing it because she has such a great personality.
Palin has stacked the deck and deceived the constituents she vowed to protect. Palin is no different than a common thief.
mo Says:
Thanks, EyeOnYou [post 12] – you nicely summed up what was nagging at the back of my mind about this whole scam –
_____________
Whew,…I thought I was the only one seeing that point. She was given an effective way to simply ignore those complaints and any that might arise in the future by having in place a fund to pay for her own private attorney (who will never have to disclose anything due to attorney client privilege) and the funding to pay off any fee’s or fines that might come her way due to it (think the Travelgate situation and repayment).
That is influence, like it or not.
Love AKM’s post, all the comments and Gasman #33 – more love!
Lilybart
you can get cash gifts tax free, to a maximum of 13K (?) So if Great Aunt Millie wanted to give you some cash just because, she could give you as much as 13k. You’d have to declare it as a gift, but you’d be home free, really.
Now if you had an Aunt Millie, and an Aunt Edith, and uncles Howard & Edgar, I don’t know if you could get away with an untaxed 13K gift from each of ’em or not.
twodux: 10% of $600,000 = $6000 / $150 (limit) = 40 Alaskans have donated.
OR $6000 / $5 (min) = 1200 Alaskans have donated.
Either way I am thinking it’s that kind of support that got her to quit “us” and head south for warmer [sic] lands.
Celtic Diva has an excellent analysis of the AFT by JHop, a lawyer who read the actual document. She pointed out that Daniel’s analysis is based on the website, not the actual document. She also points out that Daniels recommendations basically white wash over consequences and give Palin a way out. Since he didn’t recommend pursuing it in court, it’s unlikely the Personnel board or the AG will pursue it. So Palin will get off scott free….and will claim another victory over a frivolous lawsuit even though she’s guilty.
Shannyn Moore has a great write up too. Naughty Monkey trap. Tee hee.
Ds 55 #41. Good point Narcissists and sociopaths don’t commit suicide either, they are perfect, it is everyone else who is wrong!
As for influence, one need only look at how Palin benefited her high school friends when she was in power. Influence indeed.
I can’t get that WINGS song out of my head, and in regards to Palin, it is: “Brand on the Run.”
Looking at the AFT wording, it seems to have alot to do with defending the integrity of the Office of Governor, and references Governor Sarah Palin more than once. Since the AFT was designed for Governor Sarah Palin, what happens to the fund after Sunday when she is no longer the governor? One option is that BFF Cole will donate the money to the charity of her choice, a SarahPAC perhaps. But, what if one of the donors to AFT sued the fund demanding a public accounting since the original purpose, integrity of the office of governor no long applies. I’m suggesting that someone with legal know how sue AFT and freeze the fund. No telling how long that legal process could take! Then, Sarah will whine and some one will start an on-line charity for her…a vicious circle.
@ Bystander: Snakes don’t commit suicide.
I just saw on Huffpo a story about a woman who falsely posed as a 15 year old cancer victim to solicit donations. She apparently killed herself after being charged with fraud. Collecting for medical expenses that don’t exist and using the money for personal purposes is the same as collecting for “legal expenses” that don’t exist. and using the money for personal purposes.
This woman, unlike Ex Gov Grifter, apparently had a conscience.
Geat analysis of the myriad of legal problems surrounding the Trust on Celtic Diva’s Blue Oasis. This is Palin’s “Watergate”. Follow the money and end ANY possibility of a political career for her.
I think its really important to differentiate between gifts to the fund, and the fund’s gift(s) to Palin.
And as far as we know, she hasn’t received a gift from the fund in the form of cash, or in the form of erasing some of her legal debt.
As for guilt under the executive branch ethics act, she can walk away with the loot, and at most, a small fine. If she does, I think the legislature would not be disposed to using state money to pay for her legal fees.
Daniels surmises that a reasonable person would surmise that the intended influence would be on Palin by the trustee. Also, I think its more likely that the individual donors wanted her to continue to be mavericky, to keep on keeping on, and most importantly, to NOT be influenced by ethics complaints. This has the effect of paying her to keep violating and/or appearing to violate the ethics laws. This in turn defeats one of the purposes of the law which is to bolster public confidence in public officials. I think this is more substantial than the suggested intent of getting even more favorable treatment from Palin than her close friend normally would.
So, while the intended influence is somewhat speculative, the use /attempted use of official position seems to be a slam dunk.
Another observation. The report makes the complaint officially – ‘NOT frivolous.’
So, AKM when you’re done with Palin would you please go after Michelle Bachman, or Michael Steele?
gasman @33
I enjoyed your post. Churchill would be proud that his words are being used again against evil!
Someone smart please run wioth this one.
“SarahPAC, which got its start in late January, spent $276,200 of what it raised, according to FEC reports.”
Yet , Coale told Newsweek and Time columist, Palin;s legal bills have all but been paid off plus the kids travel refunds. Where did that money come from since FED’s are sayihg it did not come from the PAC? Only other source is the Trust Fund.
Gov. Sarah Palin’s political action committee, SarahPAC, brought in $732,867 in donations the first half of the year, according to Federal Election Commission reports filed today.
SarahPAC, which got its start in late January, spent $276,200 of what it raised, according to FEC reports. Most of that money — $106,519 — went to eDonation.com/Campaign Solutions, the firm owned by the online campaign fundraising pioneer, Becki Donatelli. SarahPAC spokeswoman Meghan Stapleton said that the political action committee parted ways with Donatelli in late April, but it appears the PAC continued to pay the company through June 26. Stapleton herself was paid $12,000 by SarahPAC and another $32,450 through IzzyLene, a consulting firm registered in her name in Alaska.
Palin also contributed $5,000 each to two re-election campaigns: those of Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, and her 2008 running mate, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.
ADN
John Coale, a Washington lawyer who helped Palin set up a legal-defense fund and PAC, tells NEWSWEEK the fund is “well on its way” to paying off $500,000 in legal debt from the campaign and another $100,000 in bills incurred later, leaving questions about how big a part money woes played in her decision to resign.
Newsweek
I have been thinking about AKM’s allusion to Palin running: Palin on the Lam. Phrases keep going through my feeble old brain: “Bland on the Run.” Or “Banned on the Run.” Or “Tanned on the Run” or “Panned on the Run.” AGH…
This whole trust fund deal smells. If I get a gift from a relative like a car, that is to be reported to the IRS for the gift tax.
How does it work to get money tax-free just because you are a governor who needs personal lawyers??
Only 10% of the fund coming from Alaskans? Doesn’t say much for her support up here any more. I think a majority of Alaskans just want this over with and to move on.
Sarah, we are so over you!
Sarah Palin is a maladroit simpleton and a liar. It should come as no surprise that her minions are liars and simpletons as well. Never underestimate the ability of any member of Team Palin to bungle any task, no matter how seemingly simple. Their verbal gaffes are legion and provide seemingly endless fodder for those who are not her BFFs. The internet is the bane of Team Palin. Their misstatements and outright lies are just too easy to expose. Technological ham-handedness, thy name is Palin.
One of the more humorous aspects of Team Palin is their sincere belief that when it comes to technological interconnectedness, they are cuttin’ edge. For all of their supposed hi-tech savviness, these Twitterin’ twits all seem to inhabit a pre-Google world: the majority of their lies can be debunked with nothing more than a few keystrokes and a brief web search. They seem to believe that once the words leave their mouths they evaporate into the ether never to be heard again. They seem to be unaware that their previous remarks, statements and positions are ripe for the pickin’ by hordes of unwashed liberal bloggers just waitin’ to pounce on the missteps by anyone from Team Palin. Their defensive strategy seems to be to overwhelm those liberals by the sheer tonnage of their idiotic and obviously untrue statements. Fortunately, we are many.
Oh ye horde of unwashed liberal bloggers, keep thy fingers nimble and thy internet connection at its highest speed! Sarah Palin’s resignation will not lessen the need for those defending vérité. Au contraire! I predict that our services will be in even greater demand as Team Palin unleashes its disdain for grammar, syntax, logic, and the truth upon an unsuspecting nation.
Now this is not the end of Palin. It is not even the beginning of the end of Palin. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning of Palin. Let us therefore brace ourselves to our duties, and so bear ourselves that, if the internets and its Google last for a thousand years, men will still say, ‘This was their finest hour.’
There won’t be any “leftover” funds for any charity except the Palin family charity.
ANY expense related to being the Governor is fair??
I say she could get the tanning bed paid for because her looks got her the job in the first place!
New clothes, check — need em for the resigning gala. As do the entire first family.
Leftover funds…..hahahahahahaha good one.
I have not read the trust fund legal papers, but doesn’t it use the word “Governor” a lot. Does it define the Governor as Sarah Palin or can ANY GOVERNOR from now on use the money. “….at the discretion of the trustee”, that part I get, but what if she like “met with an accident? Who would then be the trustee? Then if this fund is not for EVERY Governor, then the intention is clear, case closed.
“Ethics” is not some alien microbe to dissect and test; far more like a duck and what do we know about ducks? We know if it walks like and looks like a duck, its a duck.
Who would have dreamed a couple of beauty pageant gals would cause such a big political mess?
For Big Pete and Eye on You- also the isn’t the fund set up to be in place for ten years OR it can finish up early if it is no longer needed (ha.)? HOWEVER, the trustee can EXTEND the life of the fund for as long as they wish…..
So they’d never have to bother to assign a charity for receiving the leftovers?
Can this possibly be correct? This would mean that the fund operates forever, doling out 13,000 apiece each year to all family & friends.
Quite the loophole- seems to have worked for the RNC wardrobe, as well.
@BahstinBoyo (#20) that was beautiful!!
For anyone who hasn’t read this yet:
http://www.divasblueoasis.com/diary/744/the-alaska-fund-trustan-analysis-from-one-of-those-dreaded-east-coast-lawyers
This whole thing screams out for further legal exploration. Ideas anyone?
Nice.
ADN has a editorial about the AFT today. As usual, the comments are entertaining. The one about potato salad is spot on. I’m not to big a follower with ADN, but they opine the title of the fund.
Palin is “new money”, she is going to take the money and blow it, in more ways than one.
My family is going to Wasilla send off today, with our own special tee shirts. I plan on taking photos and dispersing them to all the wonderful Alaskan bloggers.
teflon…like everything else she’s done to sideswipe the laws of your land (with the personnel board’s unscrupulous assistance)…palin will walk away from this too (also too) unscathed…it’s a bloody miracle! a wink, a smile, and a flick of the hair go a long way with some…I hope I’m wrong.
Thanks, EyeOnYou [post 12] – you nicely summed up what was nagging at the back of my mind about this whole scam –
“By having her own “fund” she would not have to worry about fines or fees associated with ethics complaints and could simply go on her merry little way without concern of potential punishment”
So…the governor washed into office on a tide of anti-corruption and “transparency” games the system so she can implement without consequence whatever seems like a great idea to her limited intellect – notions like, you know, using the clout of the governor’s office to rough up that jerk ex brother-in-law, have spouse help out on the budget, stuff like that. Those darned ol’ ethics, whatever the heck they are, can just be ignored.
I see Palin grabbing at words and concepts as if they’re balloons floating through the air – “Oh hey! That one saying ‘Ethics’ seems like a nice big one, I bet the public will like it. See, Public? I have ‘Ethics’! Aren’t I a nice governor for giving you this pretty balloon?” BANG! Aw, dang it…that’s OK, I’ll get you another one. How about “Frivolous”?
Great post, AKM. I’m always amazed at the response of anyone connected to Sarah. They all sound like they are still stuck in junior high. It’s the emotional blackmail that spews out of their mouths that astounds me. Do they not realize that adults are smarter than that and that most of us have moved on from that mentality of “If you love me, you would/wouldn’t” or “There’s nothing wrong with me, this is all your fault”?
My daughter’s boyfriend is currently in Alaska, fishing with a buddy who lives there. He was supposed to come home Saturday night but won’t be home till Monday morning. Too bad he’s actually a loyal republican (we don’t talk politics around him), or I’d ask him to try to get to Sarah’s picnic to spy for me. I’d love to be there, but I doubt I could stay very long with all the whining they are likely to do on her last official day.
I also read the analysis from the “East Coast Lawyer” that was posted by Celtic Diva.
Interesting details on the “how” the actual Trust Document was written and how only once does it refer to itself as a Legal defense Fund. Otherwise it can be used for apparently ANYTHING and EVERYTHING that $P determines including for family and friends not limited to “legal” or “ethics” or “defense”.
I am sincerely hoping the IRS is watching this – I cannot imagine that they haven’t been aware she is collecting money through what has become a very public trust and her BFF is the designated Trustee and she is the Beneficiary.
“Will I ever in my life spontaneously come up with a stunning piece of alliteration like that again?”
– Of course you will! 100% support from this loyal reader! =D
As much as the lie that Sarah Palin didn’t know anything about the Fund has been blown out of the water by thank you notes written BY PALIN to her supporters……I still have to see it to believe it…….I think Palin will wriggle out of this one again. She always does. Her supporters will come up with a way to paint her to be the victim. Again.
Staying tuned…..and being hopefuly that finally a Liar like Sarah will be exposed, once and for all.
… veritable volumes of vilifying vocabulary and vindicating vernacular veraciously vented and verbalized vehemently sans violence…
Just sayin’
Big Pete~
No actually it states that any left over money would be donated to a charity.
lilyf @5 wrote:
“I was researching other politician’s legal funds, and found an article on Bill Clinton’s fund that was written after he left office. At the time, donations were drying up…”
____________
Nice fine, lilyf. I hadn’t seen that part. I think the key is that it was written when he was out of office so the money collected was after he was a private citizen. The money is the AFT now was/is being collected while governor.
I am hoping that money is forever denied to her, but the way it is written, could Todd or staff or BFF still collect it? (This was probably addressed already. I can’t remember if the complaint was on Sarah using the fund or the fund itself.)
nice one, Fawnskin!
Didn’t the Fund have a clause that entitled Palin & company to keep any “left over” money for themselves (tax free)?
….of course she will do all she can to ‘take the money and run’ ~ no mistake, her being on the cover of Runners’ World.
brian brings bountiful beneficence into the life of the bright beauty who is akm
Nailed this one, as usual, AKM. I ditto @4. Alliteration at the end was icing.
I would like to point out what everyone seems to be missing when it comes to what Cole said.
So, when Kristan Cole breathlessly asks us how Mr. Daniel could possibly think that these small little donations of $5 or $10 could influence the governor
This fund was specifically set up to influence the Governor. It was intended to obtain funds, so that she could pay off current bills (among other things) stemming from these ethics complaints and ignore potential future ethics complaints, by having the funding to pay a private attorney to defend her from them. Her supporters have admitted to this. They want there to be enough money so she doesn’t have to worry about this. Well that was before she resigned, but the idea is still there.
By having her own “fund” she would not have to worry about fines or fees associated with ethics complaints and could simply go on her merry little way without concern of potential punishment, unless of course it was so egregious that it resulted in jail time or removal from office.
OMG! Palin on the lam? Was RUNNER’S WORLD a foreshadowing, or a signal????
😉
Incredible, fantastic, even stupendous alliteration. Very impressive!
There’s another player in this too – if SP does manage to find a way to receive funds from the AFT, then the IRS will be on her before you can snap your fingers. They won’t be nearly as accommodating as the personnel board.
Aw, antiAnti beat me to it. Of course you’ll be inspired.
Again and again and again! 😉
So what happens if she does just thumb her nose at the finding and keeps the loot? There’s no provision for enforcement, right? Can we all say now, So, Alaska, but THIS is why she quit? And surely there is some kind of fraud inherent in all of this that can bring the “feds” down on her? After all, 90% of this money came from out of state, and much of it came through the U.S. Mail. And then there’s the IRS. Are you guys listening???
“spontaneously come up with a stunning piece of alliteration ”
Of course, you’ll do it again. Brian will help a little. And the antics of the high and mighty are an inspiration.
Having read the post (beautifully written by an attorney) on Celtic Diva’s blog, my guess is that your joke about Palin skipping town with her loot might have been more than a clever jest. The analysis outlined the actual language of the trust and points out that the way that the document is written, the Palins could profit in more ways than in simply paying legal bills. Given this unofficial opinion, it appears that legal action should been explored against the trust and its beneficiaries. I would definitely donate my few dollars to the cause.
I was researching other politician’s legal funds, and found an article on Bill Clinton’s fund that was written after he left office. At the time, donations were drying up. But the author makes this interesting observation:
The good news for the former president is that, now that he is out of office, he is able to confer freely with the administrators of the fund — something he was barred from doing while president. Essaye would not rule out the possibility of further direct-mail solicitations or other efforts to raise the nearly $4 million left to pay off.
I’m sure someone else has talked about how she can continue to milk this and I just missed it, but I guess Sarah is pretty excited to keep getting donations after she leaves office.
GREAT alliteration at the end of a sad story!
Gift… Grift… it’s just too easy!
Maybe a few Mudpups could show up at those Palin Picnics with “Sarah Thinks I’m Stoopid” T-shirts on. Wish I was there to do so myself!
She’s going to walk away scot free and her army of blind sheep will continue to build her ego and belief that she actually belongs in the spotlight.
Palin may damned well succeed because our american people are too lazy to understand why she is the symbol of what’s wrong, not what’s right, with our country.
Wow, AKM…you sure keep ’em coming! Nice work. Staying tuned….