I think anyone voted into a position of power will always find ways to spend voters tax dollars to benefit themselves, and family, and not think anything of it; a characteristic needed for wanting to be in politics (thinking you are better than anyone else and don’t have to answer to anyone).

Back to the Alaska expenditures; what does it say about someone’s character, when you ask your staff to go back and change comments (not dollars)on expense reports, about the nature/purpose of family members attending (Alaska) state functions, when the family member(s) did not perform any function at all, and in some cases not invited. (Change may not have been made if it were not for some (hi-profile) event that might have triggered an audit…?)

Yes, it could be said that some invitations did not specifically indicate who was invited, but to have some organiziers send (either on their own or suggested to do so) updated invitations or send personal email invitations to help submitted expenditures match invitations…..?

And, it could be said that Alaska’s laws and/or the Governor’s expenditures discretion are such that it may be difficult to say that the (documented) expenses are valid or not. Then again, who is going to stand up to a Governor ?

In my opinion, children and/or family members (not working for the state) of a Governor (or other elected office) are not on the state payroll, so unless an organizer or donor is willing to pay for their expenses, the Governor should pay the expenses out right or reimburse the state (if charged to state charge cards/expense accounts). If my company pays to send me to a seminar and I want to take my wife, the company does not pay for my wife’s expenses and I would not expect them to.

Seems that there are those that will use every angle they can to get what they want, and do what ever it takes to make it look like that every action they make was not improper; maybe not using good judgement….

Just my thoughts on the matter.

Alaska doesn’t want her back, and we don’t want her down here – maybe she should run for office in Canada.

You think Canada is that stupid? Get ahold of yourself. Ship her off to Russia, you know, seeing as she’s an expert…

You’re telling me THAT HAIRDOO cost THAT MUCH ?

I wouldn’t touch her.
I JUST KNOW I WOULD CATCH SOMETHING NASTY.

one word

“teabag”

thanyou

As you imply, the way she spent the money off a “private donor” and multiple Aides’ credit cards seems odd.

Should I infer that this was an intentional move to bypass any accounting controls ?

Nominated: August 29
Defeated: November 4
Elapsed Days: 68
Estimate on cost of clothing: $150,000 (probably higher)
Cost of clothing expenditures PER DAY: $2,205.88

Three thoughts:
1) Don’t tell me what a cost conscience budget-cutter she is after this
2) The campaign obviously lied about this or had no clue as to what she was doing – either way, it is bad
3) I thought the Palin’s would all have looked better after spending than kind of money of clothes

My concern is that Bible Spice is going to end up running and winning that seat ……………That might very well be even worse.

The argument I’ve heard is that most Alaskans don’t sincerely believe Stevens will be ejected from the Senate if he wins. They voted for him because of his decades of service…

Assuming he wins and gets his geriatric, felonious ass thrown out, don’t expect Palin to step up. She’ll likely push for her Lt., Sean Parnell in the special election.

Which is nearly as bad for the country. Parnell is a few years older than Palin and about as conservative, if a bit more politically astute…and should have few problems against a challenger like Begich. Reason and enlightenment fail the people of Alaska yet again.

well, money illegally spent. And she’s not out of office — at least, not yet.

Funny thing is, that would be absolutely true. She would make record amounts of money in that big money industry (and all those “family values” types would be the first to buy the films). Still not sure that I’d want to see that myself, though.