Palin Report Overstates Costs Of Ethics Complaints: $30,000 An Hour Attorney?

McClatchy:

There's some double counting and other problems with a spreadsheet outlining $1.9 million in state costs for ethics complaints, public records requests and lawsuits directed at Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.

Read the whole story: McClatchy

Comments

[IslandGyal]

I am shocked, shocked, I tell you!

[Martha12]

This accounting fiasco and everything leading up to it, reminds of Nixon.

“I am NOT a crook! ”

I find there are MANY similarities between Palin and Nixon.

Watch the Frost Nixon movie if you are a youngster and you will be amazed.

The paranoid, self grandiose attributes are just for starters.

Overreacting to minor and perceived slights, with a agenda of vengeance is another.

The idea that because they hold the office they do, means that whatever they do is not illegal.

Self deluded and bitter , because, as Peggy Noonan pointed out:

In television interviews she was out of her depth in a shallow pool.

She was limited in her ability to explain , defend her positions, and sometimes in knowing them.

She couldn’t say what she read because she didn’t read anything.

She experienced criticism as both partisan and cruel because she could see no truth in any of it.

She wasn’t thoughtful enough to know she wasn’t thoughtful enough.

Her presentation up to the end is scattered, illogical, manipulative and self-referential to the point of self-reverence. “I’m not wired that way,” “I’m not a quitter,” “I’m standing up for our values.” I’m, I’m, I’m.

The base barely knew who she was. It was the elites, from party operatives to public intellectuals, who advanced her and attacked those who said she lacked heft.

She is a complete elite confection.

She might as well have been a bonbon.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124716984620819351.html

[Hillrick]

One big difference­...Nixon was able to put himself into national office. Not holding my breath on seeing the same from Caribou barbette.

[Martha12]

Just think about how close she came! If the economy had not tanked when it did , it may very well have been McCain/Palin in the Whitehouse.

The electorate needs to pay attention, seriously.

[Alcove-One]

If Barry could do it, why not.

[Palemoon]

$30,000 an hour for an attorney? Sounds like a bargain. Where do I find one that cheap?

[breakingnews3]

$30,000 sounds like a crime, par for the course for Alaska.

[Palemoon]

I agree that it should be criminalized, but the sad fact in lawyerized America, $30,000 an hour is actually pretty cheap by anyone's standards.

[SharpDressedMan]

The problem is unscrupulous accountants not the lawyer's rate.

[Alcove-One]

Wasn't that the cost of Michelle Obama's sneakers?

[Cooper1608]

If it was, she paid for them out of her own $$$$. Words from Sara Barracuda, " I am a Crook".

[PaiaGirl]

Not only did Palin flunk geography, history and the U.S. constitution but apparently she missed math class too.

[SharpDressedMan]

She didn't miss meth class. Wasilla became Alaska's meth capital while she was mayor.

[Alcove-One]

Chicago of course was like Disneyland when Obama was the local pol.

[gnomic]

Palin lying and getting the lie so wrong that a 3yo says "WTF?" This isn't news, its her standard MO.

[HonorJusticeTruth]

But doesn't creativity show she has some sort of a capacity to be imaginative?

I'd try that one on the IRS but as much as I may need a place to live next year, a federal hoosegow isn't where I'd want to be.

[pumpkin]

"Overstates" = "Lies"

[conservativesscareme]

just another symptom of her blanant, runaway narcissism

[Anonani]

Getting caught in a lie is stupid.

[Anonani]

I believe that lying is unethical.

[rf dude]

Alaskas biggest (only?) budget problem

is how to divvy-up the Oil dividend.

And she couldn't handle the pressure??

Oh, if only we other states had this problem...
--

[sippewissett]

Actually she couldn't balance this year's budget because she had expected higher oil revenues than have been actualized. She's leaving that mess behind too.

[iowabest]

This is kind of off the subject but did anyone read the article about her in Time Magazine. She actually blaming the White House for coming after her. She said they had proof. I doubt if anyone in the White House is to worried about her at this point in time. She has done a good enough job on her own, with her own words to bring her down.

[DASChicago]

The idea that the stimulus money came with "strings=o­versight=t­ransparenc­y" scared the heck out of, those underqualified "goberners" in Texas, Alaska & S. Carolina et.al.,. We all know the pattern, the guilty and reckless has screamed the loudest and sun light is not their friend.

Vicious hy-(s) hena's

[Hillrick]

Too true! How do you give kickbacks to everyone who put you there hen someone's watchin' close? Good eye on this, DAS.

[madisonhack]

Might have to actually give the money to who it was intended.

[laocoon]

did the state have to hire more lawyers as a result of the ethics complaints. if so how many?
the more fundamental question: if this is just the result of a reaction from those who oppose all the good she wants to do, wouldnt be even worse if she were president. so if it is bad fr Alaska to have her at the helm, wouldnt it be bad for America. this is totally bs on her part.

[Whitley2009]

Most attorney generals have an existing staff of attorneys, investigators and paralegals handing ethics complaints for a variety of people in government. I seriously doubt any extra monies were spent on Palin's mess.

[Wiseronenow]

Part 2

Noonan coming out and writing such a negative column about Palin speaks volumes. Noonan has always been a very dedicated soldier to the Republican Party and especially a Reaganite. Her scathing review of Palin tells me she is really more aware how the Republican Party is throwing all caution to the wind and Palin is still their gal contrary to all that is reported. Noonan in her piece, to me, was speaking to her fellow bretheran instead. Her article should have had a subtitle of W/T/F???

[JumpDownTurnAround]

I agree with Part 2, but most definitely disagree with Part 1. I honestly don't think the GOP is that smart. You give them way too much credit. Way too much.

[Wiseronenow]

Looking over what the GOP = Republicans have done over the last 8 years, I'd say they weren't totally stoooopid. E/v/i/l, yes, but stooopid, no.

[PaiaGirl]

It has been my experience that white collar criminals are not necessarily stupid but that they have personality disorders (narcissism, sociopathy, etc) which cause them to be oblivious to consequences. And they think they are way smarter than other folks. Thus they do really stupid things that eventually catch up to them.

Seems like this fits many of the new type of Republicans.

[Wiseronenow]

Part 1

I still say we underestimate not just Palin, but the GOP in all this. I keep coming back to the fact that the perception of Palin as an underdog was very much highly crafted to solidify that message with their base and this latest announcement from her seems to still encourage that strategy with the GOP. Have you heard of any Palin supporters claiming that she has let them down by leaving the governorship and especially leaving politics for good? I haven't. Instead, they are all rallying to her defense and giving continual support. And, it was the same ploy used when they contrivedly placed Joe the P/l/u/m/b/e/r, another underdog, on a street where Obama was going to be. We can all agree now, I presume, that Joe was a plant, right? But, Palin, wasn't an unknown to the GOP. Yes, we were just 'told' that and we were just 'told' that she wasn't completely vetted, but that's not true. She was very much involved with Gingrich's governor's PAC. He took her under his wing early on and the GOP has known all about her. All I'm saying, is that regardless of what we are just 'told' about Palin's latest, it is still fueling attention towards her, positive or negative, and that may be just what the GOP wants.

[sippewissett]

Take heart. You should read the hundreds of postings on Alaska Daily News www.adn.comm) from Alaskans who feel betrayed and comments from local politicians who are still astonished at her self- centered move. Believe me, there are plenty of defections from her "base", plenty of people who formerly voted for her but now view her as a quitter they can't trust to finish a term, any term.