Todd Palin's Snowmobile Team Sponsored by Venezuelan Oil Company

Todd Palin, the husband of US Vice Presidential Republican candidate Sarah Palin, watches the crowd as she speaks during a rally at Saint Louis University after the Vice Presidential debate Thursday, Oct. 2, 2008, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Kyle Ericson)

/ AP

Political blogs in Alaska are harpooning former first couple Sarah and Todd Palin for associating with a Venezuelan oil company, in spite of former Gov. Sarah Palin's condemnations of the Venezuelan government and her calls for energy independence.

Sarah Palin's husband Todd was part of an Iron Dog snowmobile racing team this year sponsored by Mystik Lubricants, a division of the Venezuelan oil company Citgo.

"Yes, that same Citgo that's owned by Venezuela. Socialist Venezuela. Socialist, Hugo Chavez lovin', Venezuela," wrote Jeanne Devon of the blog the Mudflats.

As the 2008 GOP vice presidential candidate, Sarah Palin called Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez a "dictator" and called for "energy independence ... to allow us to be less and less reliant on someone like Hugo Chavez," the Washington Post points out.

Todd Palin's snowmobiling team ultimately dropped out of this year's Iron Dog race because of injuries and mechanical complications, the Post reported, but Sarah Palin nevertheless appeared in a video promoting the Iditarod sled-dog race in front of a snowmobile with the Mystik Lubricants logo.

The Alaska blog Palingate, which first noted the association with Citgo, points to conservative blogs calling for boycotts of Citgo, including a post from prominent conservative pundit Michelle Malkin who writes about the boycott movement as a way to "protest sulfur-sniffing Hugo Chavez."

[JC3_IN_HUDSONNH]

There are all "war pigs", the US government. Hugo takes care of its people and its enemies poorest; USA bomb the sh_ _ out of the world until compliance. Sanctions killed 100,000s of small children and the elderely in Iraq, over a ten year period. They all take whatever money then can get; they represent the Ultra rich, not average people. JC3

[pfesser53]

Way to go, Jeanne! You Alaska bloggers are exposing the desperate housewife and her scams, whether they be Babygate, Bridge to Nowhere, Ear Baby, or hundreds of inaccuracies in her "book."

Let's hear one for Mudflats! Keep up the good work!

Jim

[fifitrixiebelletoo]

Jim

Perhaps you did not know it but this story was first reported on by the blogger Palingates on Wednesday 3 2010. Jeanne wrote her story on Friday 5 2010 after being tipped off by an anon commenter on Thursday 4 2010.

You can read Palingates breaking story here:

http://palingates.blogspot.com/2010/03/sarah-palins-newest-gig-making-mystik.html

[cheeriogirl]

Why is the following phrase running all through the Citgo.com website?
"Sarah relies on Citgo to keep her family on the go".

Is Sarah acting as Hugo Chavez's spokesmodel these days?

I wonder how much she's charging her dictator business partner?

[Taloowah]

Great find cheerio. I saw that. Now that really makes one wonder what all ELSE the Palin's personally got in exchange for letting Citgo use her name? The hypocrisy, double-standards and skeletons in the closet are just unbelievable! Seems like 1 or 2 a week at least. Good thing all she'll ever be is a celebrity which is fine with me.

[Taloowah]

While half-term ex- Gov. Palin was billing Alaskans for her children's travel, hotels, room service, and for her living at her own home, Presidente Hugo Chavez sent Alaskans a ship load of heating oil.

While rural Alaskans were choosing between freezing and starving, Sarah Palin took them televangelists, religious propaganda, and a plate of cookies - and of course, a camera crew to document her act of compassion. Presidente Hugo Chavez donated a ship load of heating oil. He didn't need a camera crew.

While Sarah Palin was denying Alaskans $28M in energy efficiency funding in front of a series of camera crews, Presidente Hugo Chavez donated another ship load of heating oil. He didn't need a camera crew.

Presidente Chavez has shown a lot of goodwill to Alaskans, and enjoyed a lot of goodwill from Alaskans in return. We really need to make him aware that his Mystik brand is now being publicly associated with the quitter Sarah Palin and her hubby re:Todd. This just can't be good for his brand.

[marthadavid]

Funny $arah didn't mention this in her speech when she quit.

After all during her half term as governor, she knew that Chavez had to supply home heating oil for the native villages in Alaska so that they would not freeze to death during the winter.

She had such a long list of "accomplishments".....you would have thought that she would pat herself on the back for saving the state of Alaska so much money by have Chavez foot the bill for the native villages.

Not to mention the donations of food that constantly poured in from all over the US, Europe and Canada so that the villagers would not starve as they had to choose between heating fuel and food.

She did have Samaritans Purse donate ONE time, which included the requisite written "prayer" and a pound of lard in every box, along with the rest of the unhealthy items.

Beggars can't be choosers now can they?

I imagine that because Todd's native ancestry affords them a government run healthcare plan that they are covered under, they do not feel the least bit guilty that the members of his tribe could have frozen to death if not for Chavez..

After all...........the family that grifts together....... has no moral compass, compassion or sense of decency.

[winkwinkWA]

I'd love to hear her comments on this lie too-
http://palingates.blogspot.com/search/label/babygate

[dwilson59]

winkwinkWA

Not a Blog...............Now that is top notch reporting

[dwilson59]

Post reported, but Sarah Palin nevertheless appeared in a video promoting the Iditarod sled-dog race in front of a snowmobile with the Mystik Lubricants logo.


Ok so what your saying she is promoting the Iditarod race while actively supporting Mystik Lubricants?

Or was the snowmobile race sponsored by the Lubricants company and it just so happens that some one filmed her with a logo in the back ground.

If I race in NASCAR for a team and they pick up a new sponsor do I go to my boss and say I wont race and get fired?

Just some thoughts.

[dwilson59]

USA is BACK

It was an example thats all it was.

I think this story is a bunch of B.S.. Just like the ethics violation that was brought against palin because she had a coat with the name of Artic Cat. What else are you going to wear when you go snowmobiling.

Should we all boycott the Indy 500 because there was a lady driver sponsored by CITGO

[winkwinkWA]

Sarah had better get her lies in order when the cowpatties hit the fan..
http://alaskafreepress.com/news/3209
http://www.palingates.blogspot.com/

[dwilson59]

winkwinkWA

WOW you bring up some good News. That Blog is so full of facts that no one has ever reported on. Good for you, you must be proud.

[bassinapple]

Mystik Lubricants was the official lubricant sponsor of the entire Iron Dog event for the second year in a row. Mystik Lubricants was also the "presenting sponsor of the 2009 HYDRO-TURF APBA Watercross Nationals in Nashville, Tennessee" last September.

So in order for the argument to work, you'd have to claim that the entire Iron Dog for the last two years and Watercross Nationals was conducted at the behest of Hugo Chavez.
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/mystik-lubricants---the-official-lubricant-sponsor-for-iron-dogr-2010-82064877.html

[Everyone1]

You are missing the point entirely. This is about HYPOCRISY.

Palin calls Obama a "pal of terrorist" and causes spikes in death threats against him! Then lightly walks away from it and turns around and uses oil money from a regime she has denounced. Ugly and America rejects that behavior as well as her.

[bassinapple]

What CBS doesn't realize is that this proves she is not beholding to the sponser. Most politicians who take money from a business work behind the scene to help that company. Sarah, on the other hand, will do the right thing and criticize the hand that feeds her. A politician like we have never seen. On more note, shame on CBS for linking to a website that has photoshoped Sarah's down syndrome baby into a grotesque picture.

[winkwinkWA]

Where's the link to this photoshopped picture???

[Everyone1]

Some people are grown ups enough to realize that sticks and stones don't break their bones, and photoshopped pics come with the territory of being a politician - especially one that constantly puts her children in the spotlight.