Palin: Fund Violates State Law

By Rebecca Palsha

ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- After 15 months of investigation, a state investigator has found that former Gov. Sarah Palin's legal defense fund was illegal.

Tim Petumenos, who investigated Palin's defense fund for the state ethics board, said Thursday that the fund violated state law -- requiring the return of money given to the fund by several thousand donors.

Ethics

Petumenos says the use of the word "official" on the fund's website suggested Palin endorsed it as governor. He also said that fund trustee Kristan Cole should never have been involved with it, because she's a public official.

The announcement comes 15 months after a complaint was filed against the fund.

"The independent counsel in this case has found two grounds for finding that the defense fund, as written, does not comply with the Alaska Ethics Act," Petumenos said.

The decision means Palin's legal defense fund must return more than $386,000 to donors, all of it raised while she was in office.

"The two grounds found was that the language of the website that was accompanying this defense fund trust constituted using public office to obtain a private benefit," Petumenos said.

Another issue Petumenos found was that the fund's benefits weren't just limited to Palin, and could also be used by members of her family.

A new defense fund for Palin has been created.

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Comments

[sjohnson]

"A new defense fund for Palin has been created."  And that would be because she is so poor as she only made 12-15 million dollars in the last year?  So people who make CONSIDERABLY LESS per year need to contribute to her fund and bail her out?  So she incurred how much in legal expenses specifically related to ethics complaints (not lawsuits)?  AND didn't she also choose to not use the legal help offered by the state at the state's expense? 

Now, tell me again (speak slowly and use single syllable words) why I should help to bail her out for her planned stupidity?  

[ken]

the fund was started by private citizens for a person,theres nothing they can do about it,they would have to make all funds like these illegal,this is just another case of over zealous liberals/socialists demanding their petty way,

[sjohnson]

(cough, "bullshit")  You should probably read the actual decision before you spout off.  It would also be a good idea to familiarize yourself with the conditions of the fund.  Oh yeah, and just for laughs and giggles, do some research on Kristen Cole.  You will find that she lies just as well as Sarah does.

[Syrin from Wasilla]

.....zealous liberals/socialists demanding their petty way?????????? What kinda of flippin comment is that Ken? I know! Idiotic, uneducated and pathetic!!!!

This has NOTHING to do with liberals, it has everything to do with the fact that Sarah is unethical, a fraud and a liar. She has continued to enrich herself by means of this illegal scam.. How could you defend this immoral, dishonest, unscrupulous, unprofessional, disreputable behavior? Why would you?

[ken]

everybody and anybody can set up a fund to do with as they see fit,i can set up a fund to free the mushrooms and theirs nothing anyone can do about it,this is just another thinly vieled attack,if she has no money,she won't be able to do anything,to bad the acorn money wasn't seen as illegal,too bad the slush funds for obama wern't seen as illegal,too bad the money they ask for at my corner grocery store arn't seen as illegal,this is just petty liberal/socialist nitpicking,they should feel shame..................

[sjohnson]

Earth to Ken.  No you can't just do whatever you want in setting up a legal fund.  There are federal and state regulations that have to be followed.  That's the part you don't get.  The yahoo in Virginia who set up the fund wasn't familiar with Alaska's laws regarding a sitting governor using her position to beg for money.  Her own lawyer advised her to run it by the AG, but not Sarah.  She's going to do what she wants even if it is illegal.  Do you get it now?  It has nothing to do with liberal or conservative, so don't try to twist it into a partisan scam.

"If she has no money..."  What the hell is that?  She made 12-15 million dollars last year.  Where did the Acorn comment come from?  Talk about a tangent!!  What slush fund for Obama?  What are you spewing about?  

It would be really helpful to the conversation if you would actually do some real research instead of repeating the conservative lies.  You are all rant and no substance.

[ken]

bull,if i want to set up a fund to pay off someones legal funds,i can run all over town asking for money,this fund was started before she started making money,so some good samaritan started a fund to help her,if it was a general fund,or a fund to further her political carear then they could do something about it ,but it wasn't,so now its some left wing loonies trying to take a pot shot at palin,how cheap will you liberal/socialists allow yourself to become............