Todd Palin Affair? National Enquirer Reports First Dude Cheated With Massage Therapist

The National Enquirer is running a thinly-sourced report claiming that Todd Palin, husband of former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, has been busted in a sex scandal involving a massage therapist -- and supposedly a former prostitution ringleader -- who he was allegedly romantically involved with.

From The Enquirer:

Political bloggers are digging into incredible claims that the "First Dude" - father of the couple's five children - cheated on his wife with a female massage therapist who was busted for prostitution!

Todd Palin's spokespeople have, of course, denied the allegations, but The Enquirer now claims that there are "official documents" and "physical evidence" concerning the connection between the "First Dude" and Shailey Tripp, an Alaska woman who was once arrested on prostitution charges stemming from a Craigslist "massage" service.

"According to the tenants in the building of her offices, they saw Todd come and go often and heard noises that sounded like someone was having sex. It was the same tenants who called the police on her," an anonymous source wrote The Enquirer in an email.

Vanity Fair broke down the rumor here.

Comments

[Stephen Stafford]

01:21 AM on 02/22/2011

This is not a current story!!! It is dated for January!!!
Why are they doing this? Are comments even open? And I am waiting to see my comment on this dated story? This is not right. This is wrong.

[Stephen Stafford]

01:11 AM on 02/22/2011

Readers read. There was a link to the original source for the story on here about a week or so ago. Now the story has been repackaged giving the National Enquirer credit. Does the HP read the HP? You have already directed us to the blogger who released the Shailey Tripp interviews on his blog. I clicked on the link and listened to them myself. Now today you are talking about a thinly resourced reference, which is the same material, just reported by another gossip rag.

Todd ain't my concern. It does concern me that the way this story is handled today is less than gossip mongering, and you had this information already reported from the original sources. What is this type of journalism called, where a story is repackaged and attributed to secondary and tertiary sources after the story has been printed using original sources? Slippery slope journalism? Will there be a naming contest for this?

[Melizzy]

06:21 PM on 01/31/2011

Wasn't it reported that the Palins don't even sleep in the same room anymore? This is not surprising. It also wouldn't surprise me if he doesn't care if this gets out - he may want a way out with that woman. I would!

[Geoulio Fransesco]

02:52 PM on 01/31/2011

WTF huffpost? I've tried three times to post a very conservate comment on this article, and they've never made it up. There's lots of other news sites, if you're going to waste my time and not post what I write, I'll take my business elsewhere.

[rastadaddio]

01:55 PM on 01/30/2011

shailey tripp. where have i heard that name before? i wonder if they'll find another woman named trig?

[Lilly-G]

11:42 AM on 01/30/2011

Todd has spokespeople??

Her last name is Tripp - same as his son's??

Very interesting, to say the least.

[cutesky]

09:52 PM on 01/29/2011

At least she didn't rub him the wrong way like Sarah rubs us.

[roudy]

03:09 PM on 01/29/2011

No wunder he got dat beegg smile on him face.

[SlurmsMcKenzie]

10:50 AM on 01/29/2011

it seems llike massage therapists steal all the good ones........

[PoliticalMMA]

09:36 AM on 01/29/2011

Not a fan of Palin but I don't think people's private lives should be fodder for the 24-hour news cycle. I don't care how public a person is.

[roudy]

03:11 PM on 01/29/2011

When a person insists on pushing herself and her family on the public 24 hours a day they should expect everything to be public. If you hang your butt out the window it will be seen, pimples and all.

[La Elle]

06:41 PM on 01/29/2011

I can't stand Palin either, but It can be hard, I agree. My dad was Mayor and county commissioner when I was growing up. So it seemed like he was always on the news and in the paper. When my older brother got his girlfriend pregnant in High School, the news had a field day with that. But that was the only issue we had with the news, and it really didn't affect my Dad's votes. My dad was honest and open with anyone, and refused to give special favors to anyone. But our lives being out in the open actually turned out to be an advantage for my dad when he ran for county commissioner because everyone who wants to be in public life is affected. His opponent got caught with money laundering and tax evasion, which was exposed. With public office comes power, and some people don't deserve that power. So I see both sides. But what purpose does it serve exposing a child involved in a teen pregnacy? Or exposing an unfaithful spouse? I think they should leave the candidates families alone, and focus on the candidate.

[PoliticalMMA]

09:53 PM on 01/29/2011

I agree. If they were doing something illegal, go ahead and report it. But if a politician or their spouse is unfaithful, that's a family matter. I don't see why the whole world needs to know and add their opinions

[NoPretenses]

09:32 AM on 01/29/2011

Awwww give Tawd a break he just wants a woman that doesn't talk much.

[cliffhammond]

10:37 PM on 01/28/2011

Not a fan of Sarah Palin. But if you want my take, Republican operatives are looking for dirt. That's the way they play.

[CaliTLC]

03:32 AM on 01/29/2011

EXACTLY what I thought. They will do anything to bring her down.

[4Real2]

09:19 PM on 01/28/2011

National Enquirer, Please hold on to that evidence until the political showdown. It will be bigger than the Senator Edward scandal. Release the info where it counts the most. lmbo

[CaliTLC]

06:45 PM on 01/28/2011

LOL. I'm NOT going to say what I'm thinking.

[Callah]

05:47 PM on 01/28/2011

Run Todd, run....
Here's your chance.
Go down to your friends in Kirkland.....take your kids with you.
Get away while you can....Take up residence in Washington State, a community property state.....