(CNN) – The two new ethics complaints filed against Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin in the past week should be ‘a wake-up call,’ the former Republican vice presidential candidate says.
In a statement released late Friday night, Palin’s office announced that two more ethics complaints had been filed against the governor in the week since she made her surprise announcement that she plans to step down later this month -including one complaint filed on Friday.
“Although the governor would not have thought it possible, the latest complaint rises to a new level of absurdity in alleging that she has been paid for interviews that she has given to the news media,” Palin’s chief of staff Mike Nizich said in a release announcing the filing of the recent complaints.
“It is amazing to me that anyone could think that, let alone put their name behind it and once again seek to distract state officials and needlessly increase their work load. The state is losing the value of some of its expenditures when public servants are pulled away from important assignments to deal with far-fetched and mean-spirited allegations,” added Nizich.
For her own part Palin used the leveling of two more ethics complaints against her in a week’s time to call for a more productive political discourse in her state.
“The only saving grace in this recent episode is that it proves beyond any doubt the significance of the problem Alaska faces in the ‘new normal’ of political discourse,” Palin also said in Friday’s statement announcing the complaints. “I hope this will be a wake-up call – to legislators, to commentators and to citizens generally – that we need a much more civil and respectful dialogue that focuses on the best interests of the state, rather than the petty resentments of a few.”
Of the total of 19 ethics complaints that have been filed against Palin or her staff, “15 have been resolved without any finding of wrongdoing, and four are now pending,” Friday’s statement from Palin’s office also said.
From CNN Politics
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I really don't care about her ethics. The White House should utilize the soon to be former govener, as the new special envoy to North Korea. There her special talents, could be used to their fullest extent.
Oh, as if Gov. Palin engaged in either "civil" or "respectful" dialogue herself. She is the prizewinner when it comes to blaming everyone else for her problems.
go away...just go away
This is sad. The "left" is so terrified of Sarah Palin that they will resort to almost anything. It's ironic to see that CNN features her or her family almost daily as one of it's headlines. Why is the main stream media (liberal) so consumed and afraid of her.....?? They will dig back 20 years to find a DUI of her husband, but will ignore any story that deals with a Democrat... (i.e. John Edwards, all the tax-dodging Dems, etc.). Very sad commentary on the news. No wonder the are losing the ratings battle.
Dont worry Sarah,im sure ExxonMobil will foot the bill.You have been a great spokeswoman and bagman for them.
I thought Miss Alaska was the Champion of the AK Ethics Laws. Wasn't that recently listed as one of her accomplishments of her reign ? Well, she will soon give up her Title and just be a regular person, wink, ya betcha ! What a gal !!!
Great that the Cracker Jack CNN news team discovered the "content" of ONE of the TWO new complaints. Is that half the story or the majority of the story ? Recent CNN poll results draw confusing results from their colossal 1000 person survey of AMERICA.
Why dont they publish the names and bio info on the "people" filing these complaints? It would be very interesting to know their political affiliation.
How many other Republican Govenors are put through this treatment by the Democrats?
Obviously Dumber than a Neanderthal. STOP WASTING $$$MONEY$$$
Ms. Palin bows out gracefully and never had a qualified chance at a high executive branch level job. End of story. Let her speak for small towns and special needs constituents.
That's inaccurate CNN, remember Palin had to pay back money for family travels for which she billed the State.
Also instead of giving us Gov. Palin spin, why don't you give us the details of the ethics charges, then later give us Gov. Palin response, isn't that what good journalism does?
Hmmm, if there's nothing to these last 2 ethical complaints, then the better thing to do is actually go into detail why they're not true. Maybe they're real, maybe they're bogus - but going into detail if they're not true would cut the guts out of them and Americans would know Palin's innocent. Instead, her and her team are only saying they're not true without addressing them, and that looks suspicious.
“I hope this will be a wake-up call"
...to those who still believe Palin is a viable politician or candidate for any office, much less the office of President of the United States.
the hateful smear machine of the democrat party continues to disgust me and most Americans. keep it up, and soon all the power you have cheated & lied to achieve will be gone. the far left has no morals, no standards, and no soul.
So now Ms. Palin wants a "civil and respectful" dialog – a pretty big change from her completely baseless claim during the campaign, that Obama was "palling around with terrorists." All I can think of in response is that if she can't take the heat, she should get out of the kitchen.
Bravo for the good folks who are filing these ethics complaints against Sarah Palin, America's trailer trash pinup queen. We'll nail her one of these days.
And almost all filed by a Republican. HMMM shouldn't this be mentioned in her comments to the people of Alaska and the media???
Hangonasec – here come the haters
This is what Demcrats do. They claim that palin is not significant – but go on and on and on with this kind of stuff trying to destroy her just in case – all the while claiming you must be stupid if you do not believe as they do. Americans will soon grow tired of all of this and vote the idiot Democrats out of office and bring some sanity back in politics. Meanwhile however, Obama and our rubber stamp congress will spend this nation back into the dark ages. Palin is smart to quit and get away from all of this lunacy. Write a book, cash in and live free while she can.
The loony Left will go to any length to damage or destroy anyone who has morals, ethics, or beliefs contrary to their own. Palin's ability to connect to and bond with mainstream America, scares the radical Left to death. Middle America believes in the same principles that were voiced by Palin in the 2008 elections, only the East and West Coasts regard her as the enemy that has to be destroyed.
This is getting absurd. It's about time that people who file frivolous ethics complaints are subjected to civil sanctions much the same way that attorneys are subject to sanctions under Rule 13 of the Rules of Civil Procedure.
"Of the total of 19 ethics complaints....15 have been resolved without any finding of wrongdoing, and four are now pending,” Friday’s statement from Palin’s office also said.
What happened to the one that requested her to pay back $8,500.00 for using state funds to pay for her kids' travel expenses? Does that one not count?
It seems reasonable to me that since she has been found guilty of a previous ethics charge, allegations will continue to determine if she is indeed innocent or guilty of similar actions.
Sarah was absolutely right and correct to resign under these conditions. They need to revise the ethics complaints and make the complaintant be responsible if there claims are deemed frivolous such as the "holding the fish in a picture" and wearing a certain logo on her jacket, how RIDICULOUS!!
America has some rather pressing problems on it's plate right now. Can't quite figure where Palin's ethics violations fit in, but I am sure she will eventually explain why I should care one way or another what is happening in her little world.
I find it interesting that the soon to be ex-governor did not deny that she was guilty of these new ethics complaints. Moreover, stating that she had been cleared of all previous ethics complaints that have been levied against her is an outright lie!!!
It is becoming quite apparent to me that many elected republican officials find it difficult to manage their responsibilities within the confines of the law and the rules of ethical conduct. I believe we're just beginning to learn how corrupt the Bush-Cheney era was, particularly with regard to the illegal goings on within the CIA.