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Showing posts with label ethics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ethics. Show all posts

Thursday, December 3, 2009

Sarah Palin: The Ethos of Ethics

Following is the complete transcript of Thomas Van Flein's post on Governor Palin's Facebook Notes page pertaining to frivolous ethics complaints:



When the Governor announced her decision to resign on July 3, she
pointed out the then 15 frivolous ethics complaints that had been filed
against her and dismissed. It was intended to explain, in part, her
decision to resign as well to educate the public about the abuse of the
Alaska Ethics Act through a repetitive stream of baseless partisan
accusations, each one seemingly more pointless and frivolous than the
next. The Governor’s message was not intended as an invitation to run
off half-cocked and file more baseless ethics complaints, but not
everyone understood that message—or wanted to understand. In August
2009, largely in response to the abuse of Alaska’s Ethics Act by
partisan shills and low level lackeys, the Attorney General issued an
opinion recommending changes to the Ethics Act ”to prevent another
potential harm—abuse of the process. Some Alaskans have argued that the
Ethics Act has been used inappropriately in some circumstances to
politically damage the subject of the complaint.” (August 5, 2009
Attorney General Opinion). That argument was asserted by the Anchorage
Daily News. “Our View: Abuse of Ethics Complaints Turns Good Law Into
Bad Politics,” Anchorage Daily News, May 3, 2009. The Attorney General
further recommended “another safeguard to discourage habitual complaint
filers who use the Ethics Act process to harass executive branch
employees. Statutory amendments could provide authority to the
personnel board to decline to process further complaints filed by a
person who has abused the Act in this way.” Though it is encouraging to
see an impartial evaluation of the problem, it is ultimately up to the
Legislature to implement any of these recommended changes. Governor
Palin has been subjected to 24 ethics complaints, several lawsuits, and
dozens and dozens of public information act requests, few of which
raised even a scintilla of a good faith issue, and most of which were
simply done to garner a headline or promote opposition research for
political gain (Van Flein, 2009, ¶1).



Recently we learned that two more ethics complaints against Governor Palin have been dismissed—complaints that were filed after
the Governor announced her plans to step down. One complaint asserted
that it was unethical for the state to follow its own per diem
regulations and pay per diem to the Governor as set forth by law. Of
course, the complainant conveniently overlooked that the Governor and
her family received less per diem than they were entitled to under
State law—why let such details stand in the way of an ethics complaint?
The other complaint that was dismissed asserted that the Governor,
through me, supposedly violated the constitution because we informed a
person who falsely implied that the Governor was “under investigation”
by the FBI, that such statements are defamatory. It is notable to watch
those who agitate on all things Palin—locally and even across the
Atlantic—as they Huff and puff falsehoods about Sarah Palin under the
guise of free speech, which brings us to a teachable moment. All too
often we hear about constitutional rights—as we should—but many forget
about constitutional responsibilities. As citizens we have both rights
and responsibilities. Though we have the right to exercise free speech,
we have the responsibility to exercise that right without defaming
people. I like the way our Alaska Constitution describes it: “Every
person may freely speak, write, and publish on all subjects, being
responsible for the abuse of that right.” Ak. Const. Art. I, Sec. 5.
The irony of filing an ethics complaint because of a reminder about the
constitutional parameters of free speech is no doubt lost on those
consumed by irrationality when it comes to Sarah Palin; but one does
not need an ethics law to know that positive political discourse
depends on a robust debate about facts and the policy implications
stemming from such facts. The nation is not helped by calumnious ad hominem attacks against Sarah Palin, matrilineal conspiracy theories, and aberrant notions of ethics (Van Flein, 2009, ¶2).



- Thomas Van Flein, Personal Attorney for Sarah Palin



References:


Van Flein, T. (2009, December 3). The ethos of ethics. Facebook, Sarah Palin. Retrieved December 3, 2009 from: http://www.facebook.com/sarahpalin#/notes/sarah-palin/the-ethos-of-ethics/188537988434

Friday, September 25, 2009

September 25, 2009 Synopsis of Governor Palin's Accomplishments

Governor Palin just returned from her first commercial speaking engagement in Hong Kong, delivering a 90-minute address that wowed friends and enemies alike. The speech covered government intervention in the economy, health care, China, terrorism, foreign policy, and investment in Alaska.

Governor Palin exclusively retained the elite Washington Speakers Bureau to manage her speaking engagements.

Governor Palin donated a dinner with herself to Ride 2 Recovery, which will be using 100% of the proceeds to benefit wounded warriors. Defense contractor Cathy Maples won the dinner with a $63,500 bid. Ms. Maples wants to see Governor Palin be President in 2012.

Her son, Track returned home from a year-long deployment in Iraq.

Governor Palin continued defining the health care debate with her Facebook postings on the subject. Obama's health care bill does not enjoy popular support and she has him on the defensive.

Another significant Facebook posting addressed the Associated Press' use of a slain soldier's image in news coverage against the grieving family's wishes.

In yet another significant Facebook posting, Governor Palin expressed her support of Glenn Beck and secured major viewership of his series on the Obama administration.

Though not physically present at the September 12 Tea Parties, Governor Palin's image and likeness dominated the events, and a 12-year-old girl inspired by her spoke at one of these gatherings.

An ethics complaint against Governor Palin's former communications director was dismissed.




Complete stories at:

http://sarahs-accomplishments.blogspot.com/

En Español:

http://translate.google.com/translate?client=tmpg&hl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fsarahs-accomplishments.blogspot.com%2F&langpair=enes

한국어 (Korean)

http://translate.google.com/translate?client=tmpg&hl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fsarahs-accomplishments.blogspot.com%2F&langpair=enko

עִברִית (Hebrew)

http://translate.google.com/translate?client=tmpg&hl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fsarahs-accomplishments.blogspot.com%2F&langpair=eniw


日本語 (Japanese)

http://translate.google.com/translate?client=tmpg&hl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fsarahs-accomplishments.blogspot.com%2F&langpair=enja

繁體中文 (Traditional Chinese)

http://translate.google.com/translate?client=tmpg&hl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fsarahs-accomplishments.blogspot.com%2F&langpair=enzh-TW

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Ethicsgate: A Post by Conservative Girl with a Voice

What happened to honesty and integrity within the Alaska Democratic Party? Where's the ethical standards of the now Obama Administration? And finally, why does the Alaska liberal blogosphere so desperately want to rip Sarah Palin's character to shreds? These are important questions that I have pondered since the presidential election of 2008. While I had my assumptions for the answers to these questions, I needed more than that- I needed concrete evidence that illustrated the link between these three groups. Recently, a reader shared a link to a You Tube video entitled "Palin, the Alaska Bloggers and 'Ethicsgate'" that I found not only astonishing, but eye awakening, so much so that I have decided to discuss what I saw with you, my readers. The report was originally put together by Naked Emperor News.com (NEN), a conservative blog that is also featured on Townhall.com. Their report was re-posted on You Tube on July 31, 2009. I will include a link at the end of this post, and I encourage all of you to view the video in its entirety. What NEN has done is show the connections between the three groups mentioned above in an attempt to destroy Sarah Palin's good name and bring her down. It is important to note that their attempts to destroy her character were fully in force as soon as she stepped onto the national stage and became the Republican Party's nominee for vice president.

You may or may not be familiar with the name Peter Rouse, but you should be. Rouse, an Alaskan, is a senior advisor to Barack Obama with an office between David Axelrod and Rahm Emanuel. While being advisor to the president is a huge honor in itself, it is how Rouse got the job that is the main issue at hand. Rouse's mother grew up in AK and Rouse once served as chief of staff to former Lieutenant Governor Terry Miller. He is also good friends with fellow Alaskan State Senator Kim Elton, the individual who began the whole Troopergate investigation. This is an important link as NEN reports. NEN has uncovered audio of an interview Elton did with a reporter prior to the 2008 presidential election:

Elton: "So this has been a fascinating year watching what's been happening back East.

Reporter: So you're an Obama man, Senator Elton?

Elton: I'm a big fan.

Reporter: Are you? Really? Is that an official endorsement?

Elton: I guess we can call it that. I've not done it any place else, but I kind of weighed in with a contribution, a couple of contributions this last year, but yeah you can make it official now.

So, the same individual who started Troopergate, was a "fan" and ardent supporter of then-candidate Obama? Elton is the kind of guy who doesn't seem to be able to keep his mouth shut. NEN uncovered another audio tape in which Elton admitted to talking to Rouse a couple times a month about the election: "One of my great friends, somebody I talk to a couple times a month is Pete Rouse who is chief of staff to Barack Obama." How ironic that an advisor to Obama be in such close communication with the individual, a democrat, who started the first ethics investigation against Sarah? But for the Obama campaign, one investigation was not enough. In typical Chicago-style politics, Sarah was a threat, so the Obama campaign continued on its mission to destroy her. NEN reported that the Obama campaign contacted the union for Alaska State Troopers, which is the union Mike Wooten (Sarah's ex-brother-in-law and trooper identified in the investigation) belonged to. This communication resulted in another ethics complaint- this time by the union for Alaska State Troopers. What a domino effect of sorts, but the connections don't end there- not by a long shot.


This is where AK bloggers come into play. Remember shortly after Sarah was picked as the VP nominee, a large number of media outlets sent reporters to AK to find out more about this little-known governor? Well, their excuse was that they just wanted to learn more about Sarah and her time as governor, but many, including myself, KNEW what these reporters were really doing: They were sent to AK to dig up whatever dirt they could on Sarah. NEN found that the media gave "unquestioned credence to the Alaskan blogs." the media took it upon themselves to use various blogs as factual; therefore, they become the media's sources to all things Sarah Palin. What is important to note is that these blogs were not objective by any means; instead, these bloggers were actually organized liberal political activists and liberal radio talk show hosts according to NEN. While watching this report, one blogger can be heard saying in regard to the bloggers and their blogs that they were in the "right place at the right time." These bloggers saw destroying Sarah Palin as their ticket to fame.


Some of you may have heard of the PAC Alaskans for Truth. While this group's name implies honesty, this PAC is far from honest. This group was created as a way to, "hold Palin accountable." Many board members of this PAC are the very members who have filed ethics complaints against Sarah. The following is a list of the prominent members of this PAC and a little more about each of them: 1) Shannyn Moore- liberal blogger ("Just a Girl From Homer") who can be seen as an analyst on MSNBC, active participant of Alaskans for Truth PAC. 2) Linda Kellen Biegel- liberal blogger ("Celtic Diva's Blue Oasis"), Deputy Treasurer for Alaskans for Truth. 3) Joanne Devon- blogger ("Mudflats"), wife of the treasurer for Alaskans for Truth, 4) Camille Conte- also known as "CC," host of AK show Demo Memo, chairperson for Alaskans for Truth. These members not only became sources to media outlets, but they also held protests collected recall signatures and filed ethics complaints. (Remember the Arctic Cat complaint, well that complaint was filed by Celtic Diva herself, Linda Kellen Biegel.) While the ethics complaint filers claim to be "independent, concerned citizens," this is far from the truth as you can see. These individuals all pal around at the same day care center. Perhaps the most dramatic piece of evidence that illustrates how close these bloggers are comes in the form of a July 4, 2009, radio show featuring Biegel and "CC" that has been uncovered by NEN. During the show, several so-called "unconnected" ethics complaint filers happen to call in during the show. Pure coincidence? I think not. It is clearly evident that these callers got together and arranged this. One of the callers, "Val," is non other than Val Henning, wife of Zane Henning who has filed not just one, but two ethics complaints against Sarah. Yet, the listeners did not know this. Instead, viewers are introduced to "Val," who acts as if she is a concerned citizen, not a woman with a conflict of interest. The following is what she said on the show in regards to the filed ethics complaints: "What Palin calls frivolous, the things I've read don't seem frivolous. To me, it is a clear violation of the Ethics Act." Gee, Val I wonder how you came to that conclusion? How objective of you. It is sick how corrupt some individuals can be.


Not only did NEN find connections between the Obama campaign and the liberal bloggers, but also the connection among these two groups and AK democrats. I have already discussed the link between Rouse and Elton, but there are other lawmakers involved as well. NEN has linked the following AK democrats: 1) Mark Begich- United States Senator from AK, worked closely with Rouse on the Natural Gas Pipeline. 2) Patti Higgens- Chairperson to the AK Democratic Party. 3) Tony Knowles- democratic AK governor candidate Sarah defeated in the 2006 gubernatorial election, so-called "Alaskan Mythbuster" for the Obama campaign, good friend to Rouse. According to the NEN report, Rouse is also connected to various prominent Alaska bloggers, one of whom is Linda Kellen Biegel (Celtic Diva). The majority of these individuals not only are connected to Rouse, but to the bloggers and radio talk host mentioned above. "CC's" connection to these AK democrats is very interesting. NEN reports that, oftentimes she would not only discuss her Alaskans for Truth PAC with top AK democrats on her show, but she would use her show as a soap box for actions to take against Sarah. NEN uncovered audio from one of her shows, which aired prior to the 2008 election, in which she told an AK state politician,

"Well, she's (Sarah) thinkin' 2012, you know she's probably salivating because she's thinking to herself 'either way, I win.' If I win this election, yippy-eye-A, somehow I got to be vice president of the United States. If I lose this election, there's a possibility she'll end up being the senator of the state. Worst case scenario in her mind, she comes home and continues her cushy job of governor, but you see Governor Palin made a fatal error when she slammed the democrats along the troopergate trail. She made a fatal error when she slammed the party that basically helped her achieve most of the success she achieved in her 21 months as governor because when she does come back as governor, and when she doesn't become the senator because Mark Begich wins, she's gonna deal with the democratic majority, and I hope that you guys give her a run for her money, see because the democrats, we like to play nice, we like to do it, but you know what, that would be extremely inappropriate because she came out and she slammed you guys during the troopergate, and let's play ball, let's play ball with her, and it will be interesting to see how the democrats work with the governor when she comes home. I hope we don't play nice because that will not be appropriate."

"CC" got her wish because we all know how Sarah was treated when she came home from the campaign trail. We have seen and read the stories. Sarah was treated like an outsider by not only the Democratic Party, but the good ol' boy network of the Republican Party as well.


Not only did NEN uncover a photo of "CC" standing next to Kim Elton and another photo of her standing next to Mark Begich and his wife, but she also spoke at an AK democratic event. She is not alone. Some of the bloggers mentioned above have also been photographed with high-ranking members of the AK Democratic Party: Shannyn Moore ("Just a Girl from Homer") in a photo with Begich and his wife. Linda Kellen Biegel ("Celtic Diva") in a photo with Begich that NEN reports was taken at Begich's home. Not only has Biegel had contact with Begich, but with an individual named Jonathan, who was Obama and Begich's connection to rural AK.


Perhaps one of the most petty attacks by these ankle biters comes from blogger Shannyn Moore. Following Sarah's decision to address an Indiana Right to Life group, Moore went on MSNBC and spoke with David Schuster, in which she said in regards to Palin, "And she's choosing to go speak, basically in a pandering move to her base, an anti-choice group." We all know the harsh treatment Sarah received when she decided to go speak to this group. Although she spoke during a time that in no way affected the state legislature, she was attacked endlessly, which had nothing to do with her job as governor and everything to do with partisan politics. Sure enough, a woman by the name of Sondra Tompkins, who was a fixture at the Alaskans for Truth protest rallys, filed an ethics complaint because Sarah chose to travel to Indiana to speak to a group Tompkins called, according to NEN, a "right-wing ultra conservative group that supports her." When you don't think anymore could happen to Sarah, they throw the kitchen sink at her.


It is important to discuss what the NEN found in terms of the payoffs many of the individuals discussed above have received from the dirty work they have performed. While the payoffs may not have been financial, what they got in return has paid off big time for the following individuals: 1)Troopergate investigation starter and Peter Rouse buddy Kim Elton- resigned as AK state senator and paid handsomely as he was appointed by Obama to the Department of the Interior's director of AK. 2) Demo Memo Host Camille Conte ("CC")- received national attention when she got the award of "Most Valuable Local Media Personality" of 2008 from "The Nation" Magazine. 3) "Just a Girl from Homer" blogger Shannyn Moore- in her own words: "I had a radio station show, I was fired, and I started blogging and because I was starting to write, I was able to get back on the radio. I was on Air America every night as a reporter." So, when you hear these individuals say they have not been paid for the blogs they have written or the stuff they have talked about, we KNOW the truth.


Thank God for outlets like NEN. They have done what the msm are so afraid to do or simply won't do. NEN has uncovered what they describe as "new evidence" in regards to their report. According to NEN, "It is illegal to break the confidentiality of ethics complaints or knowingly file a false complaint. It is also a crime to get others to commit crimes under AK solicitation laws." Maybe it's time these bloggers realized this. NEN has found audio of Moore saying the following: "Um, you know, I actually talked to someone who was putting in an ethics complaint, and I wanted to know a little bit more about it. They had wanted me to write about it or talk about it on the air. I said 'Wow, well, that's got a lot of holes in it, and they said, 'Well, I don't really care, I just want to be a pain in the ass to the governor.'" This statement pretty much sums up what these so-called "independent concerned citizens" have been toward Sarah. Not only have they cost the state and her hundreds of thousands of dollars, but they have illustrated just how hateful, unhappy and immature they are. Don't these people have anything better to do than file complaint after complaint? With each filed complaint, comes a dissmissed complaint, which illustrates just how out of touch these individuals are with reality. I know this post is long and may have to be re-read in order to fully understand all of the connections, but I felt it was very important that I share this information with my readers. You may be asking, "Why does this matter now that the election is over? My response to that question is that this does matter because it is important to see the lengths the Obama campaign went to win an election and their attempt to destroy a good woman's character in the process. Sarah is a threat to everything the Obama administration stands for, and she will continue to be a threat the more she speaks out against his policies that could change the America we have come to know and love. It is important that we stand by Sarah for it is a guarantee that she will continue to be tested. Let's stand with her and her amazing family and support them as they continue the good fight for truthfulness and fairness, for Sarah is speaking for US!!!


(Please watch the You Tube video in its entirety at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnyrP8qQlpU)


(I'm a Conservative Girl with a Voice. Check out my blog and become a follower: http://conservativegirlwithavoice.blogspot.com)

Friday, July 31, 2009

Randy Evans: Palin's Trust Fund Does Not Violate "Any Law - Alaska, IRS, or Federal"

Ethics expert Randy Evans attested to the legality of Sarah Palin's legal defense fund, which he created, in an op-ed published yesterday in the Fayette County News. Attorney Evans disclosed that "the Alaska Fund Trust, was drafted and created to mirror the language used by the John Kerry Trust fund," and he says "the Alaska Perkins Coie attorney found that the trust fund document (which it had drafted for John Kerry) was in fact ILLEGAL. In Attorney Evans's opinion, "the only illegality in the matters surrounding the Alaska Fund Trust is the illegal leak of the 'CONFIDENTIAL REPORT" in direct violation of Alaska law."

Randy Evans also wrote an op-ed about Sarah Palin on The Political Vine during the 2008 election. In it he discussed the obstacles women have faced in politics and the criticisms that have been (and continue to be) leveled at Sarah Palin. A memorable quote from his article is this: "Barriers are built over time and they do not fall easily. Sometimes, it takes a political earthquake. Hurricane Hillary meet Earthquake Palin - it is a new day in American politics." A new day indeed!

A blogger at the Atlanta Journal and Constitution reported that at breakfast at the state GOP convention in Savannah yesterday morning, the GOP chairman announced that Attorney Evans would no longer serve as legal counsel for the Georgia GOP Party. As Jim Galloway reports, "Evans was leaving her for Sarah Palin, she said." According to Galloway, Evans acknowledged that he is "now doing legal work for Palin" but declined to state in what capacity.

This led to a lot of speculation in the blogosphere about the role that Attorney Evans will play. However, Sean Cockerham at the Alaska Daily News, which habitually publishes slanted headlines and articles critical of Sarah Palin, reported that he had questioned Meg Stapleton, who said that Attorney Evans was one of several attorneys consulted to make certain that the Alaska Trust Fund met legal standards but that he was not working for Sarah Palin.

Celtic Diva, who runs the Blue Oasis blog and is a bitter opponent of Sarah Palin, is up in the air about Attorney Evans's involvement. She blogged, "Sarah Palin has hired the biggest gun YET" and called Evans “the equivalent of a legal bazooka.” It appears the anklebiters are afraid their little game is just about to be over.

Whatever his role will be, Governor Palin couldn't have asked for a more qualified attorney to be involved. Attorney Evans has a formidable resume and is a prolific writer and frequent speaker on ethics in government and politics. Evans has been recognized as one of the “Best Lawyers in America.” If he does indeed serve as legal counsel for Sarah Palin, as he has for many other political figures, including Newt Gingrich and Dennis Hastert, her cause, and ultimately, that of the country she loves, will be well-served.


The Palin trust fund: the rest of the story

Fayette County News
2009-07-30

By Randy Evans

Having created The Alaska Fund Trust, I can tell you that the suggestions of illegality referenced in various Associated Press stories (which were then repeated on various cable news stories) are absolutely untrue. The truth of the matter is that the trust, which was created to help pay and defray the legal expenses associated with endless frivolous attacks against former Gov. Sarah Palin, was specifically patterned after a number of well recognized legal expense fund trusts of prior Presidential candidates as well as other high profile public servants - both Democratic and Republican.

As with the other trusts (which were subject to intense media scrutiny as well as scrutiny by well-financed political opponents and experienced lawyers of both parties), there is and was no impropriety in the creation or operation of the trust and any suggestion to the contrary is candidly absurd.

So, as Paul Harvey would have put it - here is the rest of the story.

The Alaska Fund Trust, was drafted and created to mirror the language used by the John Kerry Trust fund (named the "Fund for Truth and Honor"). This was by design (although the name "The Alaska Fund Trust" was not as clever). The idea was that if it was good enough for the leading Democratic candidate for President of the United States, then it should be good enough for the Republican Vice Presidential candidate.

Here is what the media does not report. The John Kerry Trust Fund was drafted and created by a very well respected international law firm named Perkins Coie, a huge presence in Washington, D.C. Indeed, Perkins Coie is the lead counsel for the Democratic National Committee, President Obama, and many other national Democratic leaders. Its website touts its reach and expertise in political law matters on behalf of a virtual who's who of Democratic politics.

Given its expertise, when an outside firm was selected to spearhead the investigation of The Alaska Fund Trust, it was not surprising that Perkins Coie's Alaska office would be selected. Aside from the political implications of having President Obama's and the Democratic National Committee's law firm review a trust aimed at helping with the legal expenses associated with defending the Republican Vice Presidential nominee, the Perkins Coie firm seemed like a reasonable choice. (Of course, this is like saying, other than that Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play?)

Then came the surprise. On July 14, 2009, eleven (11) days after Palin announced that she would resign, the Alaska Perkins Coie attorney submitted his conclusions about the Alaska Fund Trust. In a "CONFIDENTIAL" report (that was promptly leaked to the media in violation of Alaska law), the Alaska Perkins Coie attorney found that the trust fund document (which it had drafted for John Kerry) was in fact ILLEGAL.

Make no mistake, the Alaska Fund Trust is the exact same structure and fund created for and used by President Bill Clinton, Secretary of State and former Presidential candidate (then Senator) Hillary Clinton, former Presidential candidate (then House Minority Leader) Richard Gephardt (also represented by Perkins Coie), Senator Ted Stephens, and many, many others - from both political parties. (At the time of its creation, the Alaska Fund Trust posted all of these trust fund documents on the Alaska Fund Trust website for easy comparison and validation.)

So how could President Obama's law firm conclude that the trust fund it drafted was illegal? Well, the gist of the "CONFIDENTIAL REPORT" is that any payment of legal fees incurred defending against frivolous complaints necessarily involved an illegal personal benefit. Of course, no explanation is given why such funds were not illegal for John Kerry, Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, Richard Gephardt, Ted Stephens (from Alaska), and so on.

Significantly, NO ONE with any experience in legal expense trust funds (including the Perkins Coie attorneys experienced in this area) has ever contended (or even suggested) that the trust fund as set up (following the Perkins Coie model for legal expense fund trusts - indeed the gold standard for legal expense trust funds) violates any law - Alaska, IRS, or federal.

The fact is that, as evidenced by the detailed legal memorandum released by the trust, the numerous trust agreements (including those prepared by Perkins Coie itself), the legal writings on the subject, and the positions of every governmental agency to consider such trusts, the Alaska Fund Trust is not only legal, but it is the most restrictive and transparent trust of any well-known public servant in history.

In the end, the only illegality in the matters surrounding the Alaska Fund Trust is the illegal leak of the 'CONFIDENTIAL REPORT" in direct violation of Alaska law, not anything to do with the trust itself.

But then, no one reports on that. Welcome to the world of Sarah Palin.

(Evans is a columnist for this paper and a longtime Georgia attorney with strong ties to the Republican Party)

http://www.fayettedailynews.com/article.php?id_news=4001


See also:

A new lawyer for Gov. Palin? (Updated with Palin saying it's not true) http://community.adn.com/alaska/node/141180

Atlantan Created Palin's Defense Fund http://www.11alive.com/news/national/story.aspx?storyid=132865&catid=166

From the state GOP convention: Sarah Palin’s new lawyer http://blogs.ajc.com/political-insider-jim-galloway/2009/05/16/from-the-state-gop-convention-sarah-palins-new-lawyer/

The Palin trust fund: the rest of the story http://www.fayettedailynews.com/article.php?id_news=4001

Randy Evans http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Randy_Evans

Randy Evans http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Randy_Evans

Randy Evans: The man behind Palin's legal defense fund http://www.gop12.com/2009/07/randy-evans-man-behind-palins-legal.html

Report: Can Sarah Palin Defend Herself With Defense Fund? http://www.newsmax.com/insidecover/palin_defense_fund/2009/07/22/238900.html

“Sarah Palin is a nice enough person, but…” http://politicalvine.com/politicalrumors/political-boxers/sarah-palin-is-a-nice-enough-person-but/


Thursday, July 23, 2009

Atlanta Attorney Who Set Up Palin's Legal Fund Is Ethics Expert

Atlanta attorney Randy Evans has stepped forward to vouch for the legality of Governor Sarah Palin's legal defense fund, which he created. Attorney Evans is an expert in the field of ethics in government and politics and, as stated here, "has lectured on attorney ethics in over thirty states and has published hundreds of papers and articles regarding professional ethics and malpractice". What an excellent choice of attorney to set up a legal defense fund to defend Governor Palin against ethics complaints by her political opponents!


Atlantan Created Palin's Defense Fund


Posted By: Jaye Watson
11Alive.com
Updated 7/22/2009 8:08:44 PM


ATLANTA -- Atlantan Randy Evans created the legal defense fund for Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin. Evans is former general counsel for Georgia's Republican party and a senior partner at McKenna, Long, and Aldridge.

He said, "There were some folks who reached out to me who knew I had some experience preparing legal defense funds." Evans stepped forward, revealing it was he who prepared the fund, just days the release of a report that found Palin should not be able to use the money.

Thomas Daniel, an investigator for the state personnel board writes in the report, "That the fund was trading on Ms. Palin's status as a public official to solicit donations and that contributions to it could amount to improper gifts under Alaska Law."

Evans calls the report "absolutely ridiculous."

"This is the gold standard in legal defense funds. It parallels the funds created by John Kerry, Dick Gephardt, Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, Senator Ted Stevens who's from Alaska. It meets every provision for both the IRS, federal election laws and the laws of the state of Alaska," Evans said.

Evans says Palin's decision to resign has nothing to do with the report and her announcement came more than a week and a half before the report was even released.

"The governor cares deeply and loves the state of Alaska and that all of the things associated with her became a distraction. It became a distraction in terms of being able to get anything done," he said. Evans is in Washington, D.C. for the next few days to make the cable news rounds.

http://www.11alive.com/news/national/story.aspx?storyid=132865&catid=166


See also:

Arnall, Golden, Gregory, LLP Just Lost Their Entire Political Law Practice...
http://www.politicalvine.com/news/newsview8963.html

Randy Evans
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Randy_Evans

Sunday, June 21, 2009

Anklebiters...or Obama Operatives?

The following article provides a perspective on the anklebiter complaints that have been filed against Governor Palin by a group of Alaskan bloggers. Our author Gary did an excellent job identifying these bloggers and their connections in his previous post. We can only speculate where their funding comes from at this point, but when those dots are connected, it may be an eye opener. Listed beneath the article are several other articles that provide additional details about the anklebiter issue.


Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin receives deluge of ethics complaints

POLITICO

By ANDY BARR 5/3/09 11:28 PM EDT


Since entering the national spotlight, Palin has been inundated by ethics complaints. Photo: AP

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin’s life has changed in a myriad of ways since she became the Republican vice presidential nominee last August, but one aspect of her newfound fame has been more bracing than the others: Since entering the national spotlight, Palin has been inundated by ethics complaints, most of them filed against her after she agreed to become Sen. John McCain’s running mate.

The complaints run the gamut, ranging from the governor’s use of state funds and staff to the workings of her political action committee and even to a jacket she wore to a snow machine race involving her husband.

It’s difficult to pinpoint exactly how many complaints have been filed because the state doesn’t keep count and the complaints are kept confidential by the attorney general’s office unless the state moves forward with a public accusation of wrongdoing. But in total there have been more than a dozen, and most of those have surfaced in the last seven months.

That much is clear because the complainants have a habit of notifying the media and bloggers each time they lodge a grievance. It’s evidence, say Palin’s defenders, that there is a clear political component to them.

“As we've been saying, the number of ethics complaints filed against the governor and her staff — as well as the tortured logic they contain — continue to constitute the most disturbing trend in Alaska politics,” said Palin spokeswoman Sharon Leighow in a recent statement after one ostensibly confidential complaint was sent to the Anchorage Daily News and other news outlets.

“In the past several months, we have seen an orchestrated effort by the governor’s opponents to make differences of opinion and ideology almost criminal,” said Mike Nizich, the governor’s chief of staff, in a statement. “Governor Palin has spent a considerable amount of time and money fighting ethics complaints – and no charge has been substantiated. I hope that the publicity-seekers will face a backlash from Alaskans who have a sense of fair play and proportion. I served six previous governors, and I’ve never seen anything like the attacks against Gov. Palin.”

The deluge of complaints is, in part, a reflection of the ease with which they can be filed. Any Alaska resident can submit a complaint in writing as long as it is signed under oath and contains details of the alleged ethics violation.

Judy Bockmon, who as the state ethics attorney at the Alaska Department of Law conducts the initial review of all complaints, said the state doesn’t keep track of how many are filed. “It’s not information that is useful to anybody,” she said, adding that the number of complaints seems “unusual.”

Many of Palin's opponents have taken advantage of the low bar for filing and used it as a license to highlight their grievances with the governor.

“The number of complaints is a function of the misconduct of Governor Palin, Todd Palin and certain state workers,” said self-described government watchdog Andrée McLeod, who has filed four complaints alone. “Governor Palin constantly blurs the lines between her personal and political interests and the interests of Alaska and Alaskans. Alaskans are fed up and are finally doing something about it.”

Bob Stern, president of the Center for Governmental Studies, a California-based think tank that studies government reform and campaign finance issues, noted that Palin’s high-profile may be generating the extra scrutiny since Alaska’s ethics laws aren’t all that different than many other states.

‘It’s not just Alaska,” he said. “She’s an interesting official and attracts a lot of attention.”

Alaska Republican Party Chairman Randy Ruedrich, who tangled with Palin when both served on the state Oil and Gas Commission before she became governor, said Palin may be more susceptible to attacks on her ethics from opponents because she “raised the ethics issue years before she came into office and made a major point of working to change the state ethics laws and regulation.”

“Some of the complaints over the last several months have been frivolous,” he said, “but others have been brought about by the high level of interest in ethics issues around Palin.”

Former Alaska governors “all did extremely similar things” that did not lead to ethics complaints, Ruedrich added, referring to the number of complaints as “unprecedented.”

The business of defending against the claims has been expensive. In late April, Palin was forced to form a legal defense fund in an effort to pay for more than $500,000 in legal debts accrued by the governor — though much of it stems from the “Troopergate” episode surrounding her attempts to fire a state trooper who was once married to her sister.

"Over the past months it became increasingly clear that supporters of Gov. Palin needed to help defend against the onslaught of frivolous attacks against her,” said Trustee Kristan Cole, a Wasilla native and Palin friend, in a statement. “These baseless accusations are designed to inhibit her ability to focus on the issues Alaskans truly care about and force massive personal debt on her and her family.”

To avoid additional accusations of impropriety, the fund set an unusually low, self-imposed cap of $150 per donation. It also volunteered to disclose the names and dollar amounts of each donor, leading Cole to call it “one of the most restrictive and transparent legal funds in history.”

Three days later though, another ethics complaint was filed — this time against the legal defense fund itself.

An Eagle River resident who had recently joined a federal lawsuit against Palin for failing to issue a proclamation commemorating the Juneteenth emancipation holiday in 2007, complained that Palin is misusing her office and receiving improper gifts by setting up the fund, accusing the governor of intending to raise much more than she needs to pay her legal debts.

“Governor Palin has at least 500,000 supporters between her Facebook, TeamSarah and other groups in support of Sarah Palin,” the complaint read. “If each of them were to contribute an average of $100 it would equate to $50 million. If they contribute an average of $50 it equates to $25 million. If half of them send $10 it equals $2.5 million. That’s personal wealth created for Gov. Palin by putting a for sale sign on our Alaska Governor’s Office.”

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0509/22022.html


See also:

Sarah Palin 14...Ankle Biters O http://sarahpalininternetcoalitionblogger.blogspot.com/2009/06/sarah-palin-14ankle-biters-o.html

Another McLeod Ethics Complaint Fails - Officially Found to Lack Merit http://www.gov.state.ak.us/news.php?id=1869

Palin Slams 'Bogus' Ethics Complaints http://www.newsmax.com/insidecover/palin_ethics_complaints/2009/03/25/196016.html

Who Would Want To Run For Office? http://caffeinatedthoughts.com/?p=2349

Alaskan bloggers brag about their attacks on Sarah Palin http://progressivealaska.blogspot.com/2009/04/paralyzing-state-government-or.html

More Anklebiter Scheming http://palingates.blogspot.com/2009/06/sarah-palins-tax-questions.html

An Anklebiter’s Letter http://community.adn.com/sites/community.adn.com/files/perry-ethics-complaint.pdf

Monday, June 1, 2009

Surprise! George Soros Behind Ethics Complaint Against Governor Sarah Palin



I’m shocked, shocked I tell you!

Remember the flap Governor Sarah Palin had to endure during the election cycle over her wardrobe? Did you ever wonder how such a non-story was turned into a big deal?

Let’s review the facts: Governor Palin was vetted for months as a potential running mate for Senator McCain, however, the decision to choose her came very late in the campaign – almost on the eve on the Republican National Convention.

While Sarah and Todd Palin make a nice living, they are not wealthy by any stretch of the imagination; this is a middle class family. When one considers that Alaska’s climate and culture is a tad different than the lower 48, it makes sense that some new duds, fit for the campaign, and her position in it, were certainly required.

Constructing a wardrobe and assembling a team to prepare a political candidate for the national spotlight is not uncommon, in fact, it is ‘business as usual’ in every campaign, with virtually every politician for national office. The media ignored that fact and focused on Michelle Obama’s frugal clothing expenditures (a public relations stunt that the media endorsed and supported) and, at the same time, needlessly and shamelessly attacked Governor Palin.

This is what happened: The GOP and a man named Jeff Larson, who is a longtime Republican advisor, and was the chief executive of the host committee for the convention, decided the wardrobe was a good idea. It was Jeff Larson who bought and paid for the clothes. Campaign finance laws, of course, dictated that the GOP reimburse Larson for his expenditure, and they did.

What the critics of Governor Palin, who just wouldn’t let this go and sought to portray her as a "shopaholic," missed is the fact that most of the wardrobe purchased was actually sent back almost immediately, because they were the wrong size, indicating the Governor didn’t do the shopping. Most people know what sizes they wear.

But why was this even a story, let alone a 24/7 circus?

Two words, George Soros!

For those who don’t know who George Soros is, think Ernst Stavro Blofeld, the super villain from the James Bond movies, or if you will, a less endearing version of Mike Meyer’s "Dr Evil".

Soros is an Eastern European socialist who made billions of dollars through currency and commodities speculation. He is credited with the serious devaluation of the British pound note back in 1992. He is said to be the man who "broke the Bank of England."
In 2002, Soros was convicted of insider trading in France, a felony, and fined $2.3 million dollars.

Recently, Soros was quoted as being very pleased with the current economic situation in America. Could it be that he is speculating on the American dollar?

What does this mean?

Well, politically, George Soros is an extreme leftist. He, of course, is a huge supporter of President Barack Obama.

The way Soros works, in my opinion, is a bit nefarious – at best. Rather than be out front and advocate his socialist policies, Soros funds dozens of far-left front groups; some with innocent enough sounding names, but, based on my research, these groups promote left-leaning schemes, nonetheless.

These groups and foundations support everything from open borders, to the legalization of most drugs, to abortion on demand. George Soros’ funded "programs" also promote the liberal agenda being taught in schools.

Some of Mr. Soros' endeavors include: MoveOn.org, The Open Society Institute, USAction, Center For American Progress, Americans United For Change, and many more, including Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW).

CREW is the group who filed the clothes complaint against Governor Palin, and, in conjunction with Soros’ many activist organizations, as well as "friends" in the media, kept the story going well past its normal shelf life.

CREW is a shadowy group. Depending on the source, you will find that CREW was either founded in 2001 by left-wing activists Norm Eisen (an attorney) and Louis Mayberg (a prominent Democrat donor, and co-founder of the Maryland-based mutual fund management firm ProFund Advisors LLC).

Or...

CREW was founded by Melanie Sloan, in 2003. Ms. Sloan is listed as the Executive Director on CREW's website. As you see, she references 2003. "CREW was founded in 2003 by Melanie Sloan, a former U.S. Attorney."

Confusing at best.


CREW's "Form 990" IRS filing for 2001 lists Mr. Mayberg as one of its three Founding Directors; the other two are Daniel Berger (a high-profile Democrat donor who in 2004 made a $100,000 contribution to America Coming Together, another Soros-funded entity) and Mark Penn (a fellow at the New Politics Institute, yet another Soros foundation, and a top Democrat strategist and pollster who not only played a key role in Bill Clinton's 1996 presidential campaign, but also served as head of "message and strategy" for Hillary Clinton's 2000 Senate campaign)

Although CREW denies any ties to George Soros, they indeed receive funds from the Democracy Alliance, the Tides Foundation, as well as the Open Society Institute – all Soros front groups.

CREW seeks to construe itself as "non-partisan," however, most of their efforts target Republicans.

This group is not exempt from its own ethical quagmires: One issue involves an ethics complaint filed against The Center for Union Facts, an anti-union group, and its sister organization, the Center for Consumer Freedom, which CREW claimed are "front organizations for for-profit industry entities."

The problem is that it appears this effort was funded by the Service Employees International Union; a group with heavy. ties to ACORN and to Soros himself in the form of contributions amounting to $75,000.

Perhaps CREW should take a good look inside its closet before filing unwarranted claims about someone else’s wardrobe.

Back to the issue at hand: like every other resolved ethics complaint filed by the unruly left against Governor Palin, this clothing ethics complaint filed with the FEC by CREW was shot down: the FEC ruled that no laws were broken.

Upon investigation, it appears that CREW prefers filing ethics complaints over actually litigating them. In fact, CREW actually changed its mission statement several times, pointedly de-emphasizing litigation.

CREW's main purpose seems to be to file ethics complaints against a prominent, high profile target with the primary intention of seeking negative media exposure as opposed to pursuing real issues.

The "target" is marked for attack; CREW gains its destructive publicity, and then moves on to the next target. What is the purpose of this strategy if there is no successful prosecution of claims? CREW knows that the charges will be plastered on the front page of every newspaper and will be the lead story on every news channel, coast to coast, for days or even months. Of course, when the charges are thrown out, that little bit of news gets buried in a tiny blurb, deep in the newspaper, on page A18.

This has most certainly been the strategy used against Governor Palin. Numerous phony, and, sometimes, almost comical "ethics complaints" have been filed against Governor Palin since she has become a national figure and the front runner for the 2012 Republican nomination for President.

The filing of these nonsensical complaints (13 of which have been thrown out), made huge headlines nationwide, and yet little, if any, news coverage has been devoted to their resolutions.

Finally, it’s been established that George Soros is a committed socialist. It is very troubling that such a rich man can use his wealth for such un-American activities; and it is even more troubling to see many Americans either unaware or unconcerned while these anti-American actions take place.

Americans can and should hold public officials accountable for their actions. However, it’s unethical (and an oxymoron) for groups like CREW to use a valid legal procedure to damage careers and harass their political targets with phony ethics charges and feigned outrage.

Is this the America you want to live in?

Do you want an America where a far left socialist has access to the highest offices in the country and the ability to get his anti-American agenda enacted?

Well, sadly, with George Soros, that’s exactly what you have right now.

The question is, what are you willing to do about it?

Now is a time for choosing.