Palin Pays Alaska For First Family Travel

Alaska Governor Reimburses State For Trips Made With Her Children

(AP)  Gov. Sarah Palin has paid more than $8,100 to reimburse Alaska for the costs associated with nine trips taken with her children.

Palin's attorney, Thomas Van Flein, says the governor paid $8,143.62 to the state on June 19 for the nine trips, some with more than one of her five children, taken between January 2007 and February of this year. The payment was due Tuesday.

An ethics complaint had alleged Palin abused her power by charging the state when her children traveled with her. The Alaska Personnel Board found no wrongdoing, but Palin agreed to reimburse the state for trips found to be of questionable state interest.

Van Flein and state administrative director Linda Perez sent The Associated Press copies of the check and other documents of the transaction.

The board's investigator, Timothy Petumenos, said in his report that state rules give little guidance to determine ethical standards for travel by the governor's family. But he interpreted the law to require that the state pay only if the first family serves an important state interest.

Van Flein noted that Palin had followed historical practices on first family travel and that her travel requests were processed by the same administrators who processed requests for predecessors, Frank Murkowski and Tony Knowles.

"No one challenged Gov. Murkowski's or Governor Knowles' travel practices," Van Flein said in an e-mail. "The rules were, and are, being changed in midstream for Governor Palin. However, as noted in the agreement at the time 'the Governor wants to exceed minimum legal standards."'

Anchorage resident Frank Gwartney, a Democrat, filed the complaint in late October. It closely followed a report by The Associated Press that Palin charged the state more than $21,000 for her three daughters' commercial flights, including events where they weren't invited, and later ordered their expense forms amended to specify official state business.

Palin was the Republican vice presidential candidate when the complaint was filed and after the February settlement she called the grievance "an obvious political weapon."

As part of the settlement, the Alaska Department of Law was asked to develop specific rules clarifying when the state should pay for a governor's family travel. That effort is under way, with the goal to have a final draft by the end of the year, according to Judy Bockmon, an assistant attorney general.

Also on Tuesday, the governor's office announced the 15th dismissal of an ethics complaint against Palin or one of her staff. It alleged Kris Perry - director of the governor's Anchorage office

worked on state time to benefit Palin's interests during and after her vice presidential run.

The governor's office said the complaint was filed even after Perry obtained an opinion from Perez, her ethics supervisor.

"It is outrageous to file an ethics complaint against a state employee who sought and obtained ethics guidance in advance," Mike Nizich, Palin's chief of staff, said in a statement. "This is not about ethics. This is not about holding the governor or state employees accountable. This is pure harassment

[picklepants7]

that's cool. i'll be waiting for the obama clan to reinburse the american taxpayers for michelle and the kids' european vacation, they weren't invited or nesessary were they? oh wait, obama is a dem with no ethics. nevermind, we're stuck with the bill and the obama kids got a free vacation out of it. like her or not, at least palin has ethics. the dems thought they had her, but she was found not guilty, nice try haters.

[ladypirate2]

That's exactly what I've been saying! Nothing is said when Obama takes Michelle and the girls with him and the taxpayers are stuck with the bill! I think ALL politicians, including the president, should have to reimburse their state or country when they take their families with them on trips! It's not right that one should have to, though, and the rest be allowed to get by without it!

[ladypirate2]

Everyone jumps on Governor Palin when she takes her family with her on her trips and charges her state with the cost but absolutely nothing is said when other politicians do the same thing! At least she has reimbursed her state. Shouldn't the other politicians be made to reimburse their states, too? She shouldn't be the only one! Governor Sanford of SC should be forced to reimburse his state for his trips to Argentina to see his girlfriend, too!

[dcobamaeye]

to all you Sarah bashers...dont you have a country to save? What about human rights, Oh those rights only apply to you.

[theygottago]

Hello.....did ya read the article? The Alaska Personnel Board found no wrongdoing, but Palin agreed to reimburse the state for trips found to be of questionable state interest. Not to mention that two of her predessors Frank Murkowski and Tony Knowles did the same thing. I ask you, if it were not Sarah Palin, would we even be talking about this? No! The Libs are scared to death of this woman and I think she has guts and where are her defenders?

[ladypirate2]

I am one of her defenders! I've been defending her since September! You are right! If this were anyone but Sarah Palin nothing would be said about her taking her family with her on her trips! If she were a man and a democrat we wouldn't even hear a word about it! He also wouldn't have to reimburse anything because they wouldn't ask him to! Politics is still a "good ole boys" club just as it always has been! Especially if they are democrats!

[pvperson3]

Yeah, she's so "innocent" that she keeps being forced to repay money she grafted from her state and party. If putting your children and husband on your expense account at every turn is OK, then why doesn't every governor do it? Because they know it's un-ethical and crooked, that's why?

[ladypirate2]

They do but no one says anything to them about it and no one ever files any complaints about them for this! They get by with it!

[mikekleber]

WHO CARES!!!!!

[mikekleber]

WHO CARES! ! ! !

SHE SHOULD HAVE NEVER CHARGED THE TRIPS TO BEGIN WITH

[ladypirate2]

Neither should any politician charge their state or country for taking their families with them on their trips, but they do! They all do, including the president, and yet it seems that Sarah Palin is the only one who has to reimburse her state! Nobody ever files any complaints against any of the rest for this, at least none that we hear about! That seems unfair and a little one sided to me!

[John_Merritt]

Eventually, EVERYTHING comes out in the wash. Whether it is bleach or detergent to be used, the dirt will always come to the surface. I love Sarah and her family, even though she may not be 'seeing clearly' on a few things. But thats OK. At least she is not a coward, and she always TRIES to do the right thing. Don't you Sarah?

[lawyertom1]

There are still major questions about the Palins' home in Wasilla. Was it built for free by the contractors who got the sports center job? Graft appears to be rampant in Alaska.

[mikethek]

How can you tell when a politician is lying?

Their lips are moving.

[bassinapple]

So basicaly she is quilty of loving her children, and wanting them to be with her when she travels. I say flog the woman.

[docpeter1953]

I second that.

Lets have the vote.

[texanforlogi]

She has to take her daughters with her on trips--when she leaves them at home they get pregnant.