Secessionist Palin Story: McCain Camp Pushes Back

Last night, ABC's Jake Tapper reported that officials of a fringe Alaska party once counted Sarah Palin as a member:

Officials of the Alaskan Independence Party say that Palin was once so independent, she was once a member of their party, which, since the 1970s, has been pushing for a legal vote for Alaskans to decide whether or not residents of the 49th state can secede from the United States.

And while McCain's motto -- as seen in a new TV ad -- is "Country First," the AIP's motto is the exact opposite -- "Alaska First -- Alaska Always."

John McCain's campaign reports of her membership in AIP "smears," blaming them on Barack Obama's campaign and Daily Kos. They also sent around Palin's voter registration document, showing her to have been a registered Republican since 1982.

However, TPMmuckraker reports that Palin's husband's affiliation with the group can't be disputed:

This afternoon, the director of Division of Elections in Alaska, Gail Fenumiai, told TPMmuckraker that Todd Palin registered in October 1995 to the Alaska Independence Party, a radical group that advocates for Alaskan secession from the United States.

Besides a short period of a few months in 2000 when he changed his registration to undeclared, Todd Palin remained a registered member of AIP until July 2002 when he registered again as an undeclared voter.

And today, ABC reports that Sarah Palin did attend the 1994 Alaska Independence Party convention:

As part of their pushback against the charges of Lynette and Dexter Clark of the AIP, the McCain campaign says that Palin did not even attend the AIP convention in Wasilla in 1994.

But another former AIP official -- Mark Chryson, chairman of the AIP from 1995 to 2002 -- tells ABC News that "Palin was at the convention in 1994. She was there."

And AIP's Lynette Clark still insists that the governor was a member. "This is like a cat covering up crap in its litter box," she said.

Comments

[fem56]

I don't care if Govenor Palin was a member of the Alasken Independent party for a short time but I must admit with all the grief Obama has gotten over nothing the chickens have come to roast for the Republicans. It did bother me that she kept going on and on about how good being VP candidate would be Alaska. Could anyone imagine Biden going on and on about how good being VP candidate would be for Delaware or even for the senate. Perhaps the two are more connected than I thought. Alaska has all that oil money. It is understandable why some would want to secede from the union. Everybody already gets a check each month I believe. I am sure she is a lovely, capable woman but she is going to be vetted. though I am glad Obama is just sticking to the issues.

[drec1500Madrid]

Did you know that Alaska receives the largest amount of federal funds per capita of any state in the union? And they still have enough left over to hand out free money every month to their people up there.

I bet if they cut off those checks all those independent gun loving, big government haters would start screaming bloody murder.

They recieve WELFARE checks and they're republican­s...good grief....

[DuPageDem]

Alaska is a socialist state. Perhaps it's best they secede and rejoin Russia. See, she really is a patriot!

[Totto]

We wouldn't want an angry John in the White House, now would we?
Something bad might happen.

[Naithom]

Dexter Clark didn't discuss Mr. Palin, he discussed Gov. Palin's membership.

Our current governor, we mentioned at the last conference, the one we were hoping would get elected, Sarah Palin, did get elected. ... She was an AIP member before she got the job as a mayor of a small town – that was a non-partisan job. But you get along to go along – she eventually joined the Republican Party, where she had all kinds of problems with their ethics, and well, I won’t go into that.

You don’t have any control over who joins that party.....­.. I think Ron Paul has kinda proven that – he’s a dyed-in-the wool libertarian, he came to Alaska and spoke as a libertarian, and put the Republican label on it to get elected, that’s all there is to it. And any one of your organizations should be using that same tactic. You should infiltrate .... I don’t think they even care which party it is. Whichever party in that area you can get something done, get into that political party, even though it does have its problems. ... And you get a few people on a city council or a ??? you can have some effect. (transcription from Youtube)

Palin’s connections with the AIP are furthered by her connection to Wally Hickel, an Alaskan governor elected on the AIP ticket. He served as the co-chairman of Palin’s campaign in 2006.

And isn't that just what Sarah Palin appears to be doing?

[hawkai]

Here's the video of her addressing the AIP convention:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwvPNXYrIyI

SHE IS A TRAITOR!!!­!!!!!!!!!!­!!!!!!!!!!­!!!!!!!!!!­!

[TN]

In her interview, I think it was with Glen Beck say that she needed to know what the VP did and how she could help Alaska. Alaska First, Alaska Always. Let's face it folks they grow up their and don't want anything to do with the lower 48.

[patriotic008]

ooooh!!! this is getting good!!!

BUSTED!!

[ShamusNYC]

Ok, HOLD ON.

I think this has all been one big giant joke,

AMERICA - WE'VE BEEN PUNK'D!

Ashton - you can come out from behind the hidden camera.

Dude, you TOTALLY got us! Oh, man - I am sooo totally going to get you back, man!

[SpoxLogic]

If they can hammer Obama for a passing acquaintance wit hthe Ayers fellow, how can Palin get a free ride when her HUSBAND was part of a seccession group? These Republican leaders are such hyproctites.

[NYCMami]

Lynette Clark missed her calling as a slogan writer.

Oh, those salty Alaskans.

[yellowdogminnesotan]

Why isn't corporate media picking up this story. They had no problem twisting Micheal's words and questing her patriotism. Here you have a clear cut case of some one who wishes to dissolve our Federal Government into lesser fiefdoms. If any and I mean ANY democrat did something like this corporate media would be all over it like white on rice. I guess that would ruin the narrative the Neo-Cons have set up about Dems and this country.

[morequalifiedmom]

I can just hear mccain now, damn those aip's, they must be democrats. drat! sarah! your baby just threw up on my shoes.

[swift goat pet for truth]

A non-denial denial.
Just because she is a register Republican does not mean she cannot be a member of this group.

I am not saying she was, I am saying it is a non-denial.

[LemonMeringue]

And if you were a member of this group, and had to pick between the two mainstream parties, which would you choose?

[yellowdogminnesotan]

BUT BUT BUT Obama and the Daily kos forced Simple Mr.Palin into this group eight years ago so that they could set up John McCain to lose the presidency. Don't you see it. But the GOPers have proof PROOF I tell you they have her voter registration cards. And that is written in Blood. So stop questing your BIG BROTHER!

[stepintothelight]

Why do they hate America???

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwvPNXYrIyI

[barackobama4prez]

Sarah doesn't want to secede, she only MARRIED a radical.

[whsmith]

Why does Sarah Palin hate America?

[swift goat pet for truth]

But she loves our money.

Just like the Saudis.