Campaign money hurts Palin's outsider image

[RedEarth]

Source: (AP)

WASHINGTON (AP) - GOP vice presidential pick Sarah Palin accepted at least $4,500 in campaign contributions in the same fundraising scheme at the center of a public corruption scandal that led to the indictment of Sen. Ted Stevens.

The contributions, made during Palin's failed 2002 bid to become Alaska's lieutenant governor, were not illegal for her to accept. But they show how Palin, a self-proclaimed reformer who has bucked Stevens and his allies, is nonetheless a product of a political system in Alaska now under the cloud of an ongoing FBI investigation.

It's the latest in a string of revelations that have forced John McCain's campaign to defend his choice and the thoroughness of the background check of Palin, 44, a little-known governor who is new to the national stage. Palin stunned delegates at the GOP convention Monday when she announced through the McCain campaign that her unmarried 17-year-old daughter, Bristol, is five months pregnant.

With the convention still abuzz, the list of potentially embarrassing details grew Tuesday:

_Palin sought pork-barrel projects for her city and state, contrary to her reformist image.

_Her husband once belonged to a fringe political group in Alaska with some members supporting secession from the United States.

_A private attorney has been authorized to spend $95,000 to defend her against accusations of abuse of power.

_She has acknowledged smoking marijuana in the past.



Read more: http://apnews.myway.com/article/20080903/D92UUGPG1.html

[msongs]

1. evidently this is all off limites to the dems campaigns for some reason nt

[4lbs]

2. Follow the money.....

So, Palin is paying this private attorney about $100,000 to defend her.

Umm... Where's the money coming from? Her own personal savings, or is she using campaign/Alaskan funds to pay for it?

[CitizenPatriot]

3. vomit inducing dejavu:

snip

"As Palin campaigned unsuccessfully in 2002 to become lieutenant governor, she received contributions from executives at VECO Corp., a powerful Alaska oil field services company. Company founder Bill Allen has admitted the company steers its donations through a "special bonus program" in which executives received money and the company instructed them to donate it to favored politicians.

Allen pleaded guilty to bribery and corruption charges. He admitted the program violated federal tax laws and said it was used to keep his political allies flush with cash.

"If they're working with the oil industry, I'd like to help with their campaigns," Allen testified last year in the corruption trial of a former state lawmaker.

Steve Schmidt, senior adviser to the McCain campaign, dismissed the idea that a few campaign contributions years ago in any way diminished Palin's record as a reformer. "Gov. Palin's record fighting corruption and taking on these issues in Alaska speaks for itself," he said Tuesday."

[sandnsea]

5. She also headed the 527

that they gave a bunch of money to, that is part of Stevens' problems. She was also endorsed by Stevens in 2006 which helped her win.

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/09/01/p...

[Frisbee]

4. She has acknowledged smoking marijuana in the past

first thing I've heard about her that I actually like.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

6. kick to combine

[DogPoundPup]

7. Campaign money hurts Palin's outsider image

Source: Independent UK

With the speech of her life looming Wednesday night, a burst of new revelations has raised more questions about Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and how carefully she was scrutinized by the McCain campaign.

For one thing, it was reported that she accepted at least $4,500 in campaign contributions in the same fundraising scheme at the center of a public corruption scandal that led to the indictment of Sen. Ted Stevens.

The contributions, made during Palin's failed 2002 bid to become Alaska's lieutenant governor, were not illegal for her to accept. But they show how Palin, a self-proclaimed champion for clean government, has been part of an Alaska political system that is now under the cloud of an ongoing FBI investigation.

It's the latest in a string of disclosures that has raised questions about whether John McCain's presidential campaign had sufficiently investigated the background of Palin, 44, a little-known governor new to the national stage.

Read more: With the speech of her life looming Wednesday night, a burst of new revelations has raised more questions about Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and how carefully she was scrutinized by the McCain campaign. For one thing, it was reported that she accepted at

[LiberalFighter]

8. Where's the link?