Bristol Palin "Focused On Advocating Abstinence," Spokesperson Says

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Levi Johnston's lawyer is bristling at suggestions from Gov. Sarah Palin's family that the 19-year-old is a deadbeat dad.

"I wish that Sarah Palin's father would get his facts correct, quite frankly," attorney Rex Butler said Wednesday.

Johnston and Palin's daughter, 18-year-old Bristol, have a nearly 4-month-old son, Tripp. Since the couple broke up, Johnston has claimed in several national television interviews that the Palins were limiting his access to the boy.

Palin's father, Chuck Heath, claims in a story being published Friday in Us Weekly magazine that the unemployed Johnston isn't financially supporting the infant. He said he wishes Johnston would take some money from the interviews and buy diapers for Tripp.

Butler told The Associated Press that Johnston was not paid for the interviews and is tired of the Palin family's characterization of his client.

Heath was "trying to make the young man look like a deadbeat father, and, you know, they may have a rude awakening one day if he tries to get custody," Butler said.

"They don't want to share his child with him like they should," he said.

Butler also suggested Johnston and Bristol Palin would likely still have a relationship if the families would stay out of it.

Palin family spokeswoman Meghan Stapleton responded in an e-mail to the AP by saying, "Bristol is focused on college, advocating abstinence and raising Tripp."

Comments

[helgathewitch]

07:05 PM on 04/25/2009

When the libidos and the clothes are flying will abstinence even have a chance to kick in? Please, wake up and lets be real!

[indy girl]

10:47 PM on 04/23/2009

"Bristol Palin "Focused On Advocating Abstinence," Spokesperson Says"

Wait--let me guess--the spokesperson's MOM!

[MajorKong]

07:48 AM on 04/17/2009

So how's that abstinence thing working out for you Bristol?

[Figural]

04:54 AM on 04/17/2009

Sarah Palin reminds me so much of my own mother. My Mum loved her five kids in her own way, and did what she believed was best for us, but we were always children to her. She was the centre of her world and she saw everything only in terms of her own needs and gratification. She saw us leaving home at 18 to go to college as the greatest betrayal. I never could create a dialogue with her so I never went back. My four brothers and sisters did the same thing; she lost us all.

Bristol Palin will always be a child to her mother, under her control. No-one will ever know what Bristol thinks or feels until she's had several years supporting herself and her son independently; living away from her mother and making her own life, getting the perspective of years of independence. If Bristol ever chooses to speak up. I doubt that she will; privacy and obscurity can have a compelling attraction when you've experienced the spotlight and felt the exploitation and the judgment, so young.

[maxine842]

01:36 AM on 04/17/2009

Spoke person for Palin again speaking for Bristol. Palin must not trust her daughter to say what she truly believes in so she speaks for her. I agree with the lawyer, if Sarah and Todd were out of the picture, the Bristol and Levi might have a chance at happiness with their son, either sharing custody of him, or getting married. I am beginning to feel sorry for Bristol. She seems more open and honest
than her mother. Too bad she can't get out from mommy's overbearing ways.

[Rmath]

01:20 AM on 04/17/2009

How tacky of Sarah Palin to drag this young man through the mud after she used him as window dressing for her failed VP campaign.

This dishonest, posturing woman set the stage in Saint Paul last year by parading her daughter and Levi Johnston in front of the cameras. This was supposed to be the wholesome, moral, happy family that America would see as a role model. The reality is that Palin is a crappy excuse for a parent who cares only about herself and her career. She'll step over the bodies of anyone who gets in her way in the process.

[Turtleposer]

11:58 PM on 04/16/2009

In God We Trust. All others use condoms.

[lunchlady]

11:22 PM on 04/16/2009

Gosh, letting that good looking and seemingly sweet young man go seems like a shame, but I suppose it was easier to live at her parents' house than try to set up household with a high school dropout.

Was the attitude change about Levi due to his mom's legal problems? Was Sarah worried about more babymaking before Bristol went to college?

[Demetria Nelson-Mcnaulty]

03:00 AM on 04/17/2009

Bristol has also not finished HS, so don't be one-sided with the young man, I actually feel sorry for him the way they treat him and his family, it does not matter what his mother did it is about the baby and the Palins are no better than Levi's family. I lived in Alaska and have seen Wasilla there is no class status in Alaska unless someone makes one up(palin's) Alaska is pretty well peaceful and people are more relaxed about life not who's who.

[lunchlady]

11:54 AM on 04/17/2009

Yes, and if it wasn't for the pregnancy combined with the election he probably would have finished high school without any difficulty. He dropped out of hockey too for the election.

I think Levi has been dumped and dissed for political reasons more than personal ones. Sarah decided that Levi was fired and out the door he went. Bristol didn't stick up for him for whatever reasons but she will have to have some sort of a relationship with Levi anyway. Even lack of contact would be a problem later for the kid, because he would wonder why his dad doesn't care enough to try and see him and why his parents had him in the first place.

[clearlythinking]

11:21 PM on 04/16/2009

Levi should sue them for slander.

[JumpDownTurnAround]

10:45 PM on 04/16/2009

Meghan Stapleton is going to totally ruin any little chance Sarah has of salvaging her political career. This Stapleton woman does not know when to shut up.
I tell you the best news is the rejection of her Homophobic, Aryan supporting Attorney General.
Sarah Palin, the gift that keeps on giving!

[kellygrrrl]

11:31 PM on 04/16/2009

yeah, cuz the Palins are so great at knowing when to S H U T UP themselves

this whole thing sheds quite a light on how the Palin family has dealt with life and conflict.
Imagine what they must have done to Tr00per W00ten

[JumpDownTurnAround]

10:42 PM on 04/16/2009

I say we start a legal fund for Levi and help him get full custody of his son!

[Demetria Nelson-Mcnaulty]

02:53 AM on 04/17/2009

seriously, I agree. Why should he not have choices with his son, just like Bristol they were both teenagers, and just because his family is not moose royalty does not mean he is not good enough to see his son.

[denicci1977]

10:05 PM on 04/16/2009

Future plans for Bristol running for mayor ?

[tangelan]

09:56 PM on 04/16/2009

Oh, the humanity! Hasn't that abstinence train left the station? And college, really? I hope that's true. Sweetie, try to get into a state school or community college, far, far away from your family. Maybe you and Track/Trolley/TrapperJohn can have some peace.

[JackNasty]

09:46 PM on 04/16/2009

Hurray! Bristol Plain is the new generation of Republicans promoting the GOP's "Do as I say, not as I do" philosophy of government. Abstinence is for the little people.

Praise Republican Jeebus.

[lungfish]

09:40 PM on 04/16/2009

whether this is something from Palin's office or Bristol's own idea (I doubt that) it still fits the definition of stupid.... mainly, stupid is when you keep doing what doesn't work.....