"WASILLA, Alaska (AP) -- Though Sarah Palin depicts herself as a pit bull fighting good-old-boy politics, in her years as mayor she and her friends received special benefits more typical of small-town politics as usual, an Associated Press investigation shows.
When Palin needed to sell her house during her last year as Wasilla mayor, she got the city to sign off on a special zoning exception - and did so without keeping a promise to remove a potential fire hazard.
She gladly accepted gifts from merchants: A free "awesome facial" she raved about in a thank-you note to a spa. The "absolutely gorgeous flowers" she received from a welding supply store. Even fresh salmon to take home.
She also stepped in to help friends or neighbors with City Hall dealings. She asked the City Council to add a friend to the list of speakers at a 2002 meeting - and then the friend got up and asked them to give his radio station advertising business.
That year, records show, she tried to help a neighbor and political contributor fighting City Hall over his small lakeside development. Palin wanted the city to refund some of the man's fees, but the city attorney told the mayor she didn't have the authority."
As one who worked in a city for eleven years this is standard fare and not a bit out of line. In fact our democratic mayor had a new take home vehicle for personal use which got replaced every year IN THE BUDGET. Not an eye brow raised. As you go on reading the story you find nothing that wasn't done before or after Palin.
Additionally, all these "gifts" were disclosed in public records as required. That means "AP" that it's not "unethical" to receive certain gifts or even "perks" so long as they are not forbidden by law and disclosed. Seems the writer missed that point.
Of course the next sentence is another lame attempt at "disqualifying" Palin:
"Palin claims she has more executive experience than her opponent and the two presidential candidates, but most of those years were spent running a city with a population of less than 7,000."
Which is 7000 more people than Barack Obama has ever governed over, a point which the MSM willfully misses.
By the way, Sharon Theimer, the AP writer of this story is a registered Democrat.
September 28, 2008
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Election 2008
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Sarah Palin
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2 Comments
No mention of Dodd's mortgage or Obama's sweet Rezco real estate deal. Huh. I can't imagine why. Flowers and a facial are clearly much more likely to corrupt a person.
Reply DeleteThe whole point of government is to help people, protect society from enemies.
Reply DeleteI realize that if you are a Democrat, you believe your whole mission is to pay off your contributors with other people's money, so they will give you more. Party over country --- Like the sub-prime(don't you just love that word) BAILOUT of the Democrats on Wallstreet for their contributions to the Democrat Party. Just like in the old Soviet union.
Hey tell me how you go to Congress a pauper, make $150k a year salary, and leave with millions in the bank. Must be some leakage somewhere.