So, because she’s a public figure, Sarah Palin can’t raise money to defend herself against frivolous ethics charges filed against her because she’s a public figure?

by B. Daniel Blatt | July 21, 2009 9:50 pm

As yet another piece of evidence to show just how biased the MSM have become against outgoing Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, take a look at the first sentence of an article[1] which Yahoo! featured earlier in the day as one of its news headlines, Investigator rules against Palin in ethics probe[2]:*

An independent investigator has found evidence that Gov. Sarah Palin may have violated ethics laws by trading on her position in seeking money for legal fees, in the latest legal distraction for the former vice presidential candidate as she prepares to leave office this week.

Emphasis added. “May have”? So, they lead with an article where there’s just speculation. Wonder if Yahoo! ever ran an article focusing on the attempt of that good woman’s adversaries to create legal distractions for her by filing frivolous ethics complaints–and her need to retain lawyers (who don’t come cheap) to defend herself. You know, offering a headline which was sympathetic to the Governor.

When AP reporter Rachel D’Oro writes that “most of” the ethics complaints “have been dismissed,” she doesn’t point out that this is the only one which might possibly stick.

So, here’s the nub of the latest compliant which “may have” merit: Kim Chatman is upset that Palin was misusing “her official position” to accept gifts for a legal defense fund to fight the frivolous complaints. While it’s okay to file ethics complaints about her supposed misdeeds, it may not be okay for Palin to raise money to clear her name:

An ordinary citizen facing legal charges is not likely to be able to generate donations to a legal defense fund, [investigator Thomas Daniel] wrote. “In contrast, Governor Palin is able to generate donations because of the fact that she is a public official and a public figure. Were it not for the fact that she is governor and a national political figure, it is unlikely that many citizens would donate money to her legal defense fund.”

And were it not for the fact that she is a national pubic figure, it is unlikely that many citizens would file frivolous ethics complaints against her.

The AP didn’t tell Mrs. Chatman is a busybody obsessed with complaining about Palin[3].

So, once again, we have the media making much of a (at most) minor indiscretion. While the headline makes it appear Palin is guilty of some major ethical lapse, the story at least does provide some balance. Maybe it was because of that balance that Yahoo! decided to remove it from its home page:

John Coale, a Washington lawyer who helped set up the [Alaska Fund Trust], called the probable cause finding “crazy,” adding that if upheld, it would mean that no governor could ever defend themselves against frivolous ethics complaints.

“If this complaint is true, there’s no way to defend yourself” as governor, Coale said. “Anybody can keep filing ethics complaints and drive someone out of office even if you’re a nut.”

Coale said that unlike other states, Alaska’s governor has no legal counsel’s office to defend the governor from allegations brought against the governor in her official capacity.

*In the past such headlines have also included stories about her ex-son-in-law-to-be, causing me to wonder if Yahoo! had ever featured stories about the ex-in-laws (or ex-potential in-laws of an other political candidate).

Crossposted[4] at GayPatriot[5].

Endnotes:
  1. an article: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090721/ap_on_re_us/us_palin_ethics_complaint
  2. Investigator rules against Palin in ethics probe: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090721/ap_on_re_us/us_palin_ethics_complaint
  3. complaining about Palin: http://alaskapride.blogspot.com/2009/04/here-we-go-again-kim-chatman-of-eagle.html
  4. Crossposted: http://www.gaypatriot.net/2009/07/21/so-because-shes-a-public-figure-sarah-palin-cant-raise-money-to-defend-herself-against-frivolous-ethics-charges-filed-against-her-because-shes-a-public-figure/
  5. GayPatriot: http://www.gaypatriot.net/

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