March 10, 2010 4:35 PM

Todd Palin's Snowmobile Team Sponsored by Venezuelan Oil Company

By
Stephanie Condon
Topics
Republicans
Todd Palin

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)

(Credit: 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.

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"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."


Add a Comment See all 26 Comments
by dadirt March 11, 2010 2:44 PM EST
He was on a team. the team accepted the money, How many others did the same thing? the oil is sold by companies all over the US so I guess all of those people should quit their jobs and go on unemployment and flood your hospitals for free healthcare, go in unemployment, get food stamps, low income housing, WICA, and sue the US government for letting us import oil and other goods for sale by Ven. Anything they libs can do to come up with something on Palin. Why not report on the Obama and socialism, gore and his billions made on junk science and other things Obama and his regime are doing to ruin our way of life and our standard of living.
Reply to this comment
by JC3_IN_HUDSONNH March 11, 2010 1:01 PM EST
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
Reply to this comment
by countrycuz1 March 11, 2010 12:06 PM EST
OMG!!!! This is just such unbelievable important news!! Hey CBS, how about some real news like maybe, just once..just once.. in one of your health care bill stories make mention that public polls show the majority of voters don't want it. Quit the cheerleasding. America's not buying it anymore!
Reply to this comment
by pfesser53 March 10, 2010 11:00 PM EST
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
Reply to this comment
by fifitrixiebelletoo March 11, 2010 2:32 AM EST
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
by cheeriogirl March 10, 2010 8:31 PM EST
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?
Reply to this comment
by Taloowah March 10, 2010 8:41 PM EST
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.
by Taloowah March 10, 2010 8:08 PM EST
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.
Reply to this comment
by marthadavid March 10, 2010 7:54 PM EST
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.
Reply to this comment
by winkwinkWA March 10, 2010 7:43 PM EST
I'd love to hear her comments on this lie too-
http://palingates.blogspot.com/search/label/babygate
Reply to this comment
by dwilson59 March 10, 2010 8:05 PM EST
winkwinkWA

Not a Blog...............Now that is top notch reporting
by dwilson59 March 10, 2010 7:24 PM EST
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.
Reply to this comment
by dwilson59 March 10, 2010 7:38 PM EST
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
by winkwinkWA March 10, 2010 7:20 PM EST
Sarah had better get her lies in order when the cowpatties hit the fan..
http://alaskafreepress.com/news/3209
http://www.palingates.blogspot.com/
Reply to this comment
by dwilson59 March 10, 2010 7:52 PM EST
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.
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