Mon Sep 8, 11:20 PM Pacific • posted by Jed Lewison
Palin Billed State For Nights Spent In Her Own Home
This one should have legs. Washington Post:
ANCHORAGE, Sept. 8 -- Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin has billed taxpayers for 312 nights spent in her own home during her first 19 months in office, charging a "per diem" allowance intended to cover meals and incidental expenses while traveling on state business.
There's a lot more detail in the article, including questions about why she billed the state $25,000 for expenses related to her daughters. She also was reimbursed for attending a basketball game. Perhaps the kicker is that she charged the state over $2,000 for a three-night stay at a $707 per night hotel room in New York City.
The problem here is obvious: Palin's lavish spending completely undercuts the moosehunter maverick myth being spun by the McCain campaign. This is exactly the kind of politics as usual that they claim to be running against.