Bad news for Bloggers Hatin' Palin For Satan

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News from Politico that should stir up Palin-hatin' hornets from Homer to Houston:

Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin has reported receiving more than a dozen gifts last year, including a gun case, a glass elephant and a statue of the Virgin Mary.

In a filing Monday with the Alaska Public Offices Commission by her attorney, Thomas V. Van Flein, Palin listed 15 gifts worth more than $250. Under state law, the former Republican governor and 2008 vice presidential candidate is not required to disclose the many gifts that she received — often at political events — that are appraised at less than $250.

[...]

Other gifts included a goatskin-bound Bible, an embroidered cross-stitched blanket, a hand-painted plate featuring Palin, two handmade Army flags and assorted jewelry.

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The filing does not list any gifts that she or her husband, Todd, might have received from his snow machine sponsorship with Arctic Cat because of a confidentiality clause in his contract with the company.

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But the attorney said the nature of the contract is such that the company only pays sponsorship fees for races, outfits the team with "Team Arctic Wear" and gives Todd Palin and his teammates a 50 percent discount on merchandise.

"Gov. Palin has no direct contact or communication with Arctic Cat," Van Flein said. "She has not read, and under the terms of the contract is not entitled to read, the specific sponsorship provisions, but she is generally aware that Todd Palin is entitled to the discounts and fee as part of being a sponsored team."

But wait -- Arctic Cat is such an important part of the military-insudstrial complex, there must be something nefarious there. Have no fear, Bloggers Hatin' Palin For Satan will surely get to the bottom of this. And even when they don't, they will make something up.

Meanwhile, House Speaker San Fran Nan, who voted against prohibiting gifts from lobbyists, bought off agribusiness with gifts to advance a climate bill. Nothing to see here folks... move along.

Then there's Sen. Dianne Feinstein, who introduced legislation to route $25 billion in taxpayer money to a government agency that had just awarded her husband's real estate firm a lucrative contract to sell foreclosed properties at compensation rates higher than the industry norms.

But that's just chump change compared to the trillions of dollars Arctic Cat must have funneled to Sarah Palin through her husband's snow machine racing activities. I tells ya, "that woman" is an ethical outrage! [/sarc]

- JP

'We won': Goofy Arctic Cat complaint tossed

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Governor Palin's BlackBerry says it all. She tweeted:

"We won. Another expensive, time consuming false ethics charge thrown out. Remember the one: I wore my coat w/Arctic Cat logo & was charged?"

Followed by:

"We'll attach press release re: win against Democrat blogger's ethics charge that I shouldn't wear my warm snowmachine coat to cold Iron Dog"

They'll be singing the blues around that "blue oasis" very soon, I reckon. Something to the tune of "We was robbed," no doubt. Heh.

Meanwhile, my inner "Arctic Cat" is purring...

h/t: C4P

Update: The governor's news release in its entirety, because I can't resist the urge to rub it in their faces:

Governor Sarah Palin today welcomed news that another ethics complaint has been dismissed. This is the 14th ethics complaint filed against the governor or her staff that has been resolved with no finding of a violation of the Executive Branch Ethics Act. Those complaints contain 22 separate allegations, all of which have been found to be without merit.

The complaint, filed by Linda Kellen Biegel, a blogger designated by the 2008 Democratic National Convention to represent Alaska bloggers, alleged that the governor violated the ethics act when she acted as the official starter of the Iron Dog snow machine race in February while wearing a jacket with the name Team Arctic, a logo of the Arctic Cat Company. The complaint accused the governor of using her position and state resources to serve her personal financial interests. The complaint also alleged that the governor used state resources to promote a personal interest.

Thomas Daniel, the independent investigator for the State Personnel Board, concluded there is no evidence establishing probable cause to believe that Governor Palin used her position for personal gain by wearing a Team Arctic jacket at the start and finish of the 2009 Iron Dog race.

“My investigation has uncovered no evidence that the governor or her husband received anything of value in exchange for the governor wearing the Team Arctic jacket when she acted as the official starter of the 2009 Iron Dog,” Daniel wrote in the report dismissing Kellen Biegel’s complaint.

Daniel went on to write, “I also note that most jackets worn by Alaskans have a company name or logo on them. It is common to see jackets with logos of North Face, Patagonia, Eddie Bauer, Marmot, Cabella’s, L.L. Bean and others. Indeed, it is more likely than not that any jacket that an Alaskan wears will have a company logo on it. So the fact that a person wears a jacket with a company logo on it is not evidence that the person is receiving a financial benefit as a result. To the contrary, it is the company that is receiving the benefit in the form of free advertising.”

"This complaint cost the governor personally, and the State of Alaska, thousands of dollars to address,” said Thomas Van Flein, the governor’s attorney. “It is regrettable that the ethics process has been diverted for partisan purposes by some, but it is also commendable that the board remains focused on the law."

Update: Here's the AP story via the Fairbanks News-Miner.

- JP