New Evidence: Palin Had Direct Role In Charging Rape Victims For Exams
The Palin rape kit billing controversy has made its way from OfftheBus to CNN. In her story on the controversy, CNN's Jessica Yellin claimed to have found no evidence in city records that Sarah Palin was aware that sexual assault victims were being billed for forensic testing. However, recently released budget documents show that Sarah Palin directly shifted the cost of the rape kits from the police department to the victims in her budget for fiscal year 2000. If what a former city council member told CNN is true, that "Palin would review each department's budget line by line," then she either knew about the funding shift and approved it or was negligent in her role as state executive.
It is a fact that under Sarah Palin's administration, Wasilla cut funds that had previously paid for the medical exams and began charging victims or their health insurers the $500 to $1200 fees. Although Palin spokeswoman Maria Comella wrote USA Today that the GOP vice presidential nominee "does not believe, nor has she ever believed, that rape victims should have to pay for an evidence-gathering test...To suggest otherwise is a deliberate misrepresentation of her commitment to supporting victims and bringing violent criminals to justice," the evidence from Wasilla's budget records says otherwise.
The mayor of Wasilla before Sarah Palin, John C. Stein, was also a Republican, though the office was and continues to be non-partisan. Mayor Stein was defeated by Sarah Palin in a campaign that brought in the NRA, Republican partisans, and various dirty tricks, including a possible whisper campaign that Mayor Stein was Jewish (he is a Christian, but is "proud of such a reputation"). He now runs the Sitka Sound Science Center, a marine research facility in Sitka, Alaska.
Mayor Stein told OffTheBus that he didn't "think victims were billed while [he] was mayor," but that he wasn't certain. He did mention that "Wasilla participated in establishing a Sexual Assault Response Team to set-up a one-stop forensic exam room for victims," evidence of a pro-victim police department. In order to confirm his assertion about the billing policy, he recommended I contact current police chief Angella Long for confirmation. She did not return my request for comment.
However, I was able to eventually track down Irl Stambaugh, police chief of Wasilla from the founding of the department until Sarah Palin fired him for "not fully supporting her efforts to govern." Stambaugh sued for breach of contract, but lost when a federal judge ruled that "police chiefs serve at the behest of the mayor unless otherwise specified." He later served as the executive director of the Alaska Police Standards Council.
It turns out that Wasilla did not bill sexual assault victims for the cost of rape exams while Irl Stambaugh was chief of police. As chief, he had included a line item in the budget to pay for the cost of such exams. He had only just heard about the Mayor Palin/Chief Fannon policy today, and was just as shocked to hear about it as I was.
In an earlier piece, I had mistakenly said that the exams were covered under a general "contingency" funding. In fact, the department's first full-year budget, for fiscal year 1994 (July 1, 1993-June 30, 1994), included a line item specifically to pay for medical examinations. This line item was denoted "contractual services", and was described on page G-26 of that budget (available in this PDF on page 42) as covering "costs for medical blood tests for intoxicated drivers & medical exam/evidence collection for sexual assaults." As a member of the city council at the time, Palin was required to read and approve this budget. The contractual services line item was more succinctly described in the 1995 and 1996 budgets as "costs for medical blood tests or exams as required for evidence."
Starting with the last budget under Mayor John Stein, the FY97 budget (July 1, 1996-June 30, 1997), the line item explanations became less detailed, with the explanation for the "contractual services" line item for several departments combined into one. The explanation reads "Contractual Services/General-medical testing, road maintenance, equipment rental, airport snow removal." A table below lists the allocations and spending for the "contractual services" line item from FY94-FY99 (the budgets for the italicized years were submitted by John Stein; the others by Sarah Palin)
| Fiscal Year | Police Department Contractual Services Line Item | |
| Allocated | Spent | |
| FY94 | $3,000 | $1,359.62 |
| FY95 | $2,500 | $2,5788.88 |
| FY96 | $2,500 | $1365.50 |
| FY97 | $3,995 | $3,605.74 |
| FY98 | $4,000 | $2,658.64 |
| FY99 | $4,200 | $4,159.25 |
For FY 2000, however (July 1st, 1999-June 30th, 2000), only $1,000 was allocated for the "contractual services" police department line item. Note that page A-1 of the budget (available here) states that "the Wasilla city council hereby adopts the operating budget for the Fiscal Year 2000, as presented by the Mayor and introduced on April 26, 1999." At the bottom of this page is Sarah Palin's signature.
The actual line-item showing the cut in funds allocated for contractual services can be found on page F-28. The line item index confirming that this line-item still referred to "medical testing, road maintenance, equipment rental, airport snow removal" can be found on page H-5 of the line-item index for fiscal year 2000 (available here).
Of the insufficient $1,000 allocated, only $152 had been used by December 31st, 1999, according to data from the FY2001 budget. That budget was "submitted by Mayor Sarah Palin" on April 24, 2000. At this time, the bill banning the "victim pays" policy was under consideration in the state House, and as a result, this budget included the FY99-level $4,000 allocation for "contractual services," and starting in June of 2000, the city began paying for the exams again. The interesting thing about the $152 spent during that 6-month time period (there were probably 5 sexual assaults reported during that period) is that it was not even enough to cover a single rape kit, using the $300-$1,200 range given by the original Frontiersman article. Perhaps Fannon was still using the fund for intermittent DWI blood testing, which had skyrocketed as a result of his decision to shift back bar closing times to 5 a.m. from the 2 a.m. closing time set by former Police Chief Irl Stambaugh.
The budget document for the 1999-2000 fiscal year includes a budget message by Mayor Sarah Palin. According to item A.6 of Section 2.16.020 of the Wasilla Municipal Code, the mayor must "repare and submit an annual budget and capital improvement program for consideration by the council, and execute the budget and capital program as adopted." This message ends as follows:
Though change is sometimes initially unsettling (and in the Woodrow Wilson: "if you want to make enemies, try to change something.") It is Administration's desire that this budget format be viewed objectively. I look forward to council discussions and continued input from our residents on the budget as we mindfully prioritize the public's dollars to plan, construct and improve our vital infrastructure
At the end of the letter, under the words "Sincerely," is the signature of Sarah Palin. The McCain/Palin campaign did not respond to requests for comment.
The Obama/Biden campaign theme is "change we can believe in." Given Governor Palin's own words and actions in this budget, perhaps the McCain/Palin campaign's theme ought to be "change that is unsettling."
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Please present proof that any of the victims of a rape case was actually made to pay for these rape tests.If you can not provide a single victim that has PROOF that she was made to pay for the rape test accusation is null and void. It is just hype.
'nuff said.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=glce6wmyzJc
Who's paying for STD treatments, AIDS testing, and other related? Do we pay for treating stab wounds, gunshots, beatings, and other tramas? These should equally be covered, socially. How can we determine which is the most life-changing? We don't wish any should occur, but if, for example, one is paralyzed by gunshot, this life most likely will change vocationally, physically, socially, besides emotionally.
Just wanted to clarify: you're lumping STD treatments and AIDS tests in the same classification as possible evidence in a felony?
If a woman is raped, you believe she should be responsible for paying to collect the evidence of it? And if she couldn't, there would be no charges against a rapist for lack of evidence?
Just trying to understand exactly what your post is saying.
That "logic" would more aptly be compared to a murder victim's family paying the cost for fingerprinting, DNA testing, police time for interogation, etc. In other words, doing their job and investigating a crime. Sound public policy?
Rape is a crime, it is not the same as an STD or testing for HIV/AIDS. The rape victim is in herself a crime scene, and thus, the evidence collecting should be the same for investigating and evidence collection at any other CRIME SCENE.
A rape kit is not the same as a std test or an aids test. It is a way for police to gather evidence should a rape victim decide to press charges. It is not just about making sure the person is healthy or uninjured. It is the ONLY chance (in many cases) that a victim will have the opportunity to see justice. Even though it is meant to collect evidence for prosecution, it is done by a medical professional for obvious reasons.
A more accurate parallel to your question would be, why aren't fire victims billed by the fire department? When someone gets robbed, who is gonna pay for the investigators to find out who robbed those people?
By the way, most states have victim compensation funds that help with the cost of things like std testing, aids testing, hospital treatment/stays, IF a person doesn't have hospital insurance. It is comprehensive, so it is available for victims of all sorts of crimes. Victims comp even helps pay for funerals of people who were murdered :-(
Things like disability insurance or soc. security help people whose vocations are affected.
Mr. Alperin-Sherriff's ENTIRE case against Sarah Palin in his article where he states she had a "DIRECT ROLE" in demanding payment of rape victims for rape kits rests on the fact that the Wasilla Police Department has budgeted a "contingency fund" account and that account was $7298 in 1998, and that account was reduced to $3000 in 1999. In 1998, $3454 dollars was spent using contingency fund account dollars, and in 1999, $205 dollars in contingency funds were spend. This, in Mr. Alperin-Sheriff's mind, in and of itself is apparently enough to smear a sitting governor and possible Vice President with the insinuation that not only did she support charging rape victims for their rape kits, she had a DIRECT ROLE in it.
Forgetting for a moment that Mr. Alperin-'Sheriff has provided NO proof whatsoever that a) the city of Wasilla ever charged ANY victim for a rape kit, and b) that the contingency fund account was ever used to pay for rape kits in the first place, consider the fact that IF in fact the contingency fund account WAS used to pay for rape kits, then logically, after the Alaska bill was passed requiring each police department to foot the bill for rape kits - this budget for this account should have then INCREASED. It didn't. in 2000, the budget for the account was $1,000. In 2001, the budget for the account was $500. There was NO increase.
Mr. Alperin-Sheriff, you owe Governor Palin an apology.
See Jacob Alperin-Sheriff's Profile
Actually,
A) The Wasilla Frontiersman article has the police chief admitting to the practice
B) Testimony to the Alaska state legislature confirms it was done by police departments in the Mat-Su Valley; in 2000, only Wasilla and Palmer HAD police departments, and Palmer confirmed that it never happened.
C) There were about 10 sexual assault reported per year, according to police departments
D) Wasilla's budget process involves the Mayor meeting with the department head to work out the budgets
I admit I was wrong on the fund, though. It was the contractual services line item that was used to pay for sexual assault exams, and I do have documentation on that (and the major cut it took in budgeting) . I am in the process of writing this up. Thank you for your concern for accuracy, sir.
See Bart Motes's Profile
You kicked ass on this, dude. Great job.
Let me get this straight - because of fluctuations in the Wasilla Police Department's "contingency fund" account over the course of two years, THAT is the "direct role" that former Mayor Sarah Palin had in a policy of requiring rape victims in Wasilla to pay for their own rape kits? WTF? Is this a joke? How about some ACTUAL proof, please - like, first of all, how do we know for sure WHAT the contingency fund is used FOR? It has never been established, at least in this article, what this fund's purpose is. Secondly, how about proof that Wasilla EVER charged ANYONE for a rape kit? EVER? According to the FBI stats, there was exactly ONE rape in Wasilla between 1995 and 2000, when a state law in Alaska was passed that mandated the state pay for rape kits.
There's not s shred, not an ounce, not an iota, not a SCINTILLA of proof in this article (or anything else I've seen written about this topic) that Sarah Palin ever supported charging rape victims for rape kits.
This is a complete and total SMEAR.
ONE rape?
Using your link, I count over 40 sexual assaults reported in that time frame.
What??? Not sure this article is accurtate. Where is your proof? I went to the link and found the following document, which challenges the veracity of this article.
CITY OF WASILLA
•Office of the Mayor•
290 East Herning Avenue • Wasilla • Alaska • 99654 ·7091
• Telephone 907·373·9055 • Fax 907·373·9096 •
RE: Billing of sexual assault victims for forensic exams
The Finance Department searched all financial records on our system for fiscal year 2000, 2001 and 2002. There are no records of billings to or collections from rape victims or their insurance companies in our system. The financial computer system goes back to the beginning of fiscal year 2000, and accounts receivable backup documentation goes back six (6) years per our records retention schedule.
A review of files and case reports within the Wasilla Police Department has found no record of sexual assault victims billed for forensic exams. State law AS 18.68.040, which was effective 8/14/2000, would have prohibited any such billings after that date.
Statistics for sexual assaults reported can be found in the police section of the City of Wasilla website at http://www.cityofwasilla.com/index.aspx?page=103.
Thank you,
Mayor Dianne M. Keller
Then again, how are we to interpret the drastic reduction in the amount spent for rape kits in Fannon's time? $205 in 1999, c'mon.
Also, it sure was big of the police department to not say No when a nonprofit organization, STAR, Standing Together Against Rape, came to them and asked that they establish a Sexual Assault Response Team to set-up a one-stop forensic exam room for victims. The SART is womanned by trained volunteers provided by STAR. So what did it cost the City of Wasilla?
Jacob, can you please explain to all of us how you determined that the Wasilla Police Department's "contingency fund" was in fact the fund used to pay for rape kits? how do we know this? Secondly, how many confirmed incidents of rape were there in Wasilla during Palin's tenure? Hospital records, court records....anything?
Thanks.
Vox
See Jacob Alperin-Sheriff's Profile
How dare McCain!
We women are not stupid. McCain's pick of Palin is insulting to women. McCain's interference with Troopergate investigations and cosseting her from reporters until he can push them both into office is unacceptable.
As Truman said, "If you can't stand the heat, stay out of the kitchen." That applies to all genders.
McCaincalls Palin his "Soul mate." He is right. They both lie like rugs. Biden has a responsibility to nail her in the debates.
I am a female military veteran.
How dare McCain refuse to sign the GI Bill into law?
How dare he refuse to sign the bill that would give women equal pay for equal work?
How dare he pretend he likes women when he spits on our right to own their own bodies?
How dare he call his wife C**T, a wife abuser's language, and then expect women to vote fror him?
How dare he assume Hillary supporters will vote for Palin just because . . .
"Bomb,bomb,bomb Russia" Palin as President? The Rapture Palin as President? The No exception for rape or incest Palin?
A republican male said to me yesterday : "Palin is very scary. I'm so sorry I can't' vote for McCain -- I think he's a great man -- but I can't vore for him now with Palin.."
Former POW says McCain is "not cut out to be President"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_KjsEs46C70
The voice of a Medal of Honor recipient.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dYXCplJN1uo
Contd...
So people, please refrain from getting your thongs and boxers all into a knot thinking about why Wasilla charged upto (and over) $1000.00 a-pop to rape victims. It wasnt Wasilla raping the rape victims all over again. It was just Wasilla's godly Mayor, that holier-than-you-godless-heathen-elites following her religious beliefs. Amen.
Now if you are willing to kindly undo the knotted thongs and boxers, let me share with you what happened next.
One senator tried to push a bill hard in Washington to get Federal dollars for such town and counties across the US that didnt have money to pay for rape test kits - just so the towns and counties dont charge rape victims instead. Now I am sure you silly boys and girls would imagine that such a bill would have passed smoothly - without even a single 'Nay' vote. Right? Wrong!!!
So, boys and girls, here is a little quiz for you. Name the senator who pushed the bill to ensure that rape victims are not forced to pay for the rape test kits? Since I dont want you to knot up what you just unknotted, here is the answer. Senator Joe Biden, pushed hard to get the bill through to prevent rape victims from having to pay for their rape test kits.
Onto the next question. Which senator voted 'no' to prevent the bill? Here is the answer: Sen. John 'Maverick' McCain!
Go figure.
Setu Madhavan
Why dont you people just get to the true facts as to why Sarah Palin felt compelled to charge rape victims, instead of chasing your tails regurgitating make-believe theories till the cows come home.
Here is the real reason why Sarah is justified in charging rape victims. Amen. Read on, you unholy heathens.
One line item in the cost towards the rape test kit includes money towards EMERGENCY CONTRACEPTION (typically used if the victim was ovulating during the rape to pre-empt pregnancy. Remember pre-emption. Yes the same pre-emption from the 'pre-emptive strike, definition of the Bush Doctrine, that caused Sarah 'pitbull' Palin to give Gibson the 'why are you doing this to me, Charlie,' look). Now Sarah believes that any form of contraception, that prevents/pre-empts conception is a sin. Do you think such a pro-life person as her (that loves to shoot wolves from the air, fire at bear cubs on trees, and anything that moves on four legs in Alaska for pleasure- even as she is doing her best to deny the eskimos and native Alaskan population their right to subsistence hunting/fishing) would be able to face her lord on the day of judgement when she is asked how she allowed Wasilla to pay for 'emergency contraception' for such sinful people as the 'contraception demanding rape victims' of Wasilla. So Sarah decided to take the moral religious high road.
Setu Madhavan
Haven't you heard, only SOME life is sacred, and the extremist s in government decide which is which. They tend to lean toward the unborn life, and not really care so much for the born life. That's why you're screwed the minute you take that first peek outside the womb.
Thanks for getting more facts to back this up! We added a link to this article to our post, "Why Sarah Palin is Bad for American Women" at the CA NOW blog: http://www.canow.org/canoworg/2008/09/why-sarah-palin.html
I love what they call the "victim pays" policy. Is that code for "its really your fault that you got raped, ladies"?
Her condesencion, arrogance and just the sound of her voice make me want to kick the TV in. I'm going to have a heart attack before this election is over, I can just feel it. She is sooo unqualified, I don't have the words or the will to express it.
I think Chevy Chase expressed it for all of us when he commented on the Palin parody on SNL. Go watch it!
Outrage piled upon outrage. How much more can this country stand? Is it any wonder that even stalwart Republicans from Karl Rove to Alan Greenspan are jumping ship and criticizing the stinking McCain campaign? Republicans are asking "At long last, sir, have you no decency, no decency at all?"
This Gov Palin is beyond belief. Did she also charge victims of burglary for "housecalls"? Anyone who votes for the McCain/Palin ticket just isn't paying attention.
Am i wrong or did she us federal money to extend a water main for a wal mart in a town where 70% of the people dont have public water.
The only 'change' McCain/Palin is for is 'change' the subject off of the economy!
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