Palin May Have Fired Aide Over Affair

The Wall Street Journal reports on another Sarah Palin firing -- one that sheds light on the way she mingled personal and political business:

Sarah Palin and John Bitney go way back. They were in the same junior-high band class. Mr. Bitney was a key aide in Gov. Palin's 2006 gubernatorial campaign. When she took office, she gave Mr. Bitney a job as her legislative director, and a few months later stood beside him at a news conference and praised his work.

"Whatever you did, you did it right," she told Mr. Bitney and his team.

Seven weeks later she fired Mr. Bitney for what her spokeswoman now describes as "poor job performance."

What happened in between? According to Mr. Bitney, Gov. Palin got a call from another old friend, Scott Richter, informing her that his wife, Debbie Richter, and Mr. Bitney were having an affair. Mr. Bitney had kept that secret from the governor, even as he told her of his divorce, he said.

...

When Gov. Palin was notified by Mr. Richter in July 2007, she called Mr. Bitney into her office. She already knew he was going through a divorce, and, Mr. Bitney said, he had "led her to believe there weren't going to be any more surprises."

Mr. Bitney said the governor "indicated to me that she was hurt, disappointed and upset, and that she didn't know what she wanted to do."

A few days later, Gov. Palin's chief of staff "indicated to me that I needed to leave the governor's office," Mr. Bitney said.

The Politico has more:

While Palin's office framed the departure as an "amicable" mutual decision, Bitney told Politico that Sarah and Todd Palin "were upset with me about my divorce and who I was dating, and they didn't want that in the governor's office. I wanted to stay with the governor and support the governor -- we're talking about someone who's been a friend for 30 years -- but I understood it, and I have no ax to grind over the whole thing."

Still, Bitney took a line from the "Seinfeld" character Elaine, deeming Palin "a bad breaker-upper."

Palin also fired, according to the Politico, "a campaign adviser whose mother-in-law fought Palin's legislative agenda, a local political mentor who she felt represented the "old boys' network," a police chief who she said tried to intimidate her with "stern look[s]" and a state commissioner who refused to fire her sister's ex-husband."

Comments

[Obama08Supporter]

The truth hurts doesn't it? Wow, she is very mean. I thought I liked her after her speech, although I would never vote for McCain. However, I have no taste for her now, everyday, a new lie, a new story with legs, substance, and truth.

Sad, that the first female VP on the Republican side seems to be a false prophet that lies all the time.

[bolingo]

Wow, that last part was harsh..but go 'head and preach it baby!!

[jamming]

Enough pow and war stories. Enough Palin stories. Enough of the same old speeches. America needs to know how McCain is going to fix this economy. America needs to know what McCain's plan is. America needs to know who will pay for McCains plan. America needs to know who will beneift from McCains plan and who will suffer. America needs McCain to speak on the issues and not war stories and not stories about Palin.

[mesut]

then I would say all those people showing up to hear McCain/Palin speak should be demanding more from them. At this stage McCain still hasn't talked much about the issues he will address once in office. I still think he believes this is a joke because he gets the press to back off and no one is asking the tough questions. NO ONE!!

[RoxanneAustin]

You are right: we need to focus on McCain. He is scary enough by himself--with her, he is doubly scary and we should be so afraid we rush out to register and vote for the Dems in massive numbers.

[jamming]

McCain says he is going to change. Change what? McCain has not said a word about what he is going to change. He voted for Bush 90% of the time so what things are he going to change and how is he going to change them? Who will be affected by the changes? Who will pay for the changes? America needs to know. America needs to hear from McCain. America needs answers not war stories.

[jamming]

No more Plalin stories and no more Mccain pow stories. America needs to hear form McCain on how he is going. to fix this economy. McCain is running for president not Palin so lets talk to the one who is wanting to be our next president. America needs more from McCain the pow war stores. we all know he was in the military. Enough. We all know Palin is on his ticket. Enough. Lets have some answers to this economey mess that Bush has created. Who is going to pay for McCain plans? What are McCains plans? Who will benefit from McCains plan and will will suffer? Wo will profit and who will get poorer? Where is the money going to come from to pay for his plans. Tax more items? What? He says he will not raise taxes. What is the difference between raising taxes and taxing more things America haxs to pay for, healthcare, food, gas and what else? I don't want more of the same.

[elained]

Drip, Drip, Drip. Every day, it's a little something new that emerges to discredit the lipsticked pitbull. No need for Obama and Biden to attack. She's a hot mess, and as time goes by we're seeing exactly what she's made of.

[Sammy00400]

Republicans..... dont tout the popular vote too much. While its dead even (moving a little one way or the other every day) Obama is beating the pants off McCain on the electoral vote. If the election were held today all he needs are 30 more to win (several news websites say the same thing). And there are a little over 100 undecideds. Thats only %30. If it follows the %50 popular vote split then Obama wins.

George Bush learned this in 2000 and the republicans jumped for joy. If this time McCain wins the popular vote but Obama the electoral college.... well.... they cant complain about it. To be fair, those democrats who cried unfair in 2000 cant jump for joy this time either if this happens.

Also, one thing I dont get is why Palin comparing herself to a banned animal known to most people for maiming and killing children is a good thing. But more importantly... why do her supporters think it is?

[TGrantE]

This is a none-story. Keep your eyes on the prize. Distractions like this give solace to Republicans who want to paint the media as out to unfairly destroy Palin.

The only thing that is important... she is in the pocket of the same guys who brought us the last eight years. ENOUGH!

[milo44]

in the past 3 days i have seen 5 ads on tv for mccain and 0 for obama. what is going ON !!!!!!!!!!!!!

[kellygrrrl]

Under SP - RapeVictims had to pay for their own forensic exam
http://www.frontiersman.com/articles/2000/05/23/news.txt

"While the Alaska State Troopers and most municipal police agencies have covered the cost of exams, which cost between $300 to $1,200 apiece, the Wasilla police department does charge the victims of sexual assault for the tests."

[shelobo]

Typical Republican Narcissistic Reaction to a issue that displeases them: NPD . 5 of the following should be present to qualify a person
as having NPD: (1) Possesses a grandiose sense of self importance (for example:
exaggerates his/hers achievements and his/hers talents, expects his/her superiority to
be recognised without having the commensurate skills or achievements).'The Jet Plane LIE '

(2) Pre-occupied with fantasies of unlimited success, power,
brilliance and beauty or of ideal love.'Her running of small Alaskan town '

(3) Believes that he /she is unique and special and that only high status
and special people (or institutions) could understand him /her(or that it is
only with such people and institutions that it is worth his/her while to be
associated with).'The church she belonged too'

(4) Demands excessive and exceptional admiration.We are seeing that when she refuses to be interviewd eccept by the elite FOX Republican commentators .'

(5) Feels that he/she is deserving of exceptionally good treatment,
automatic obeisance of his (usually unrealistic) expectations.'We have seen this by her demand that people leave private information SHE gave out alone '

(6) Exploitative in his/her interpersonal relationships, uses others to
achieve his goals.'Using her childs teen pregnancy and special needs infant as a political prop is the worst ! Prove this independants view of Palins Narcissistic personaltiy wrong please ! I doubt if any one could .Research the Narcissitics traits and see for yourselves.

[Xenopus]

Sarah is a self serving. She professes to be a Christian but doesn't adhere to those values. She lies, she is vindictive, and she will go after someone with a vengence. Sarah isn't sweet little Sarah, she is "get in her way Sarah" and she'll crush you. Sarah couldn't care less if you were male, female, friend or foe. Sarah operates out of her ID personality, the stage where the world revolves solely around herself.

[bolingo]

Are you writing about Sarah or Satan? Ahh...like there is any difference anyway..

[freedog]

Just keep piling on Palin...you can't help yourselves. It merely disgusts the very voting block Obama needs to win. Keep up the good work!

[Obama08Supporter]

Look, if a woman runs for office, she is in no way exempt from vetting. Why do you people complain daily every time someone mentions her name? It is disgusting to see all the back and forth about someone no one really knows and regardless of why a person wants to know Sarah, you all complain, whine, scream, and throw tantrums. Get over it!

[jamming]

Seems to me Plain hid the birth of her child because she was ashamed of having a down syndrome baby. Now she wants to use the baby to promote her career due to McCain advisors. She put down community organizers yet claims she wants to be an advocate for speical needs. I don't want an advocate that is ashamed of my child, her own child or any other child. And I certainly don't want one that is will to use a child for selfish gains yet your true heart is ashamed. Lets get to the issues and leave Plain out. I don't want to hear Palin I want to hear wht McCain is going to do and how? How is important too.

[winfie6]

It was reported that Sarah Palin delivered her son after a trip somewhere, Who in the hell let her fly on an airplane that late in her pregnancy? I;m just saying.

[cbates]

How many more incidents do we need before a pattern is declared by the pundits?

[inluvwkeitholbermann]

at this point it doesn't matter what palin does....she's untouchable because she proclaimed on day one that the MSM was out to smear her and the MSM doesn't have any ba*lls.....with the exception of Keith Olbermann, of course....I hope someone's keeping a tally of all of ms. barracuda's verifiable incidents.....imagine if obama had even a few of these proven and documented mishandlings, misappropriations, questionable firings, mis-speaks (LIES) etc...this is so unfair. please be smart this time, america.

[jamming]

I am tired of hearing about Palin. Lets atart hearing how McCain is going to create jobs and for who. Who will qualify for these jobs? How is he going to lower gas prices and how low? How is he going to have affordable healthcare and what does he consider affordable? Affordable to him may not be affordable to someone making 7.50 an hour. Where is the money going to come from to support what he wants to do? Who is going to pick up the cost of these things. He says he is not going to raise taxes but will he have America pay more taxes by paying taxes on everything from more on purcheses to gas to health benefits. Thats no different then raising taxes. Either way you still pay more. If you rasie taxes or if you tax more things. McCain is more of the same Bush mess. This explains why he is trying to distract America with this Plain mess. He is avoiding telling America how he is going to fix this economy.