Friday, July 03, 2009
Palin resignation speculation revolves around alleged federal probe
by Larry Geller
As you watched the video of Sarah Palin explaining her decision to resign, I wonder if you had the same reaction that I did. I felt that Palin was even less coherent than she has been in the past. No short, succinct, two-minute speech for this gal. Like everyone else, I wondered what was really behind her sudden announcement. The timing was perfect, though, in that it was too late for Comedy Central to pile on to her.
Speculation on the Web was rampant (sample), but nothing seemed to ring true to explain Palin’s unexplainable rush to resign. In time, the truth will come out, no doubt, but one is understandably curious. Heck, Palin could have been a heartbeat away from the presidency…
Is this it? Brad Blog claims an exclusive:
Sources say embezzlement scandal, federal indictments may soon break concerning use of Wasilla Sport Complex building materials for Palin's home...
The article has several updates. This snippet will fill you in on the theory:
One logical place to start looking is the affair that has Alaska political circles buzzing: an alleged scandal centered around a building contractor, Spenard Building Supplies, with close ties to Palin and her husband, Todd.
Many political observers in Alaska are fixated on rumors that federal investigators have been seizing paperwork from SBS in recent months, searching for evidence that Palin and her husband Todd steered lucrative contracts to the well-connected company in exchange for gifts like the construction of their home on pristine Lake Lucille in 2002.
If that’s it, then that’s it for Palin as a presidential candidate. One would think. It would be yet another blow to the former Grand Old Party that was willing to put her on a track to the White House.
Update: This, of course, is a hot story around the country. At this time, the news is that the FBI has denied it is investigating Palin:
"There is absolutely no truth to those rumors that we're investigating her or getting ready to indict her," Special Agent Eric Gonzalez said in a phone interview Saturday. "It's just not true." He added that there was "no wiggle room" in his comments for any kind of inquiry. [Los Angeles Times, Sarah Palin not under FBI investigation, agency spokesman says, 7/5/2009]
At the same time, investigation or none, attention has been refocused on the old matter of the Wasila Sports Complex. Even if the blogosphere had not revived that controversy on its own, Palin’s attorneys did so as part of their news release yesterday (this copy posted on Brad Blog). Details on that issue are available for the googling, for example, this Anchorage Daily News story that appeared in advance of the huge settlement.
This story may be ongoing, or perhaps the FBI denial ends it. We shall see. Comedy Central is off this week. We’re on our own to follow any new developments.
We might never know. Actually if there is an FBI probe that could explain it, and it is often SOP for the FBI's anti-corruption unit to "informally come to an understanding" that if one does not resign, then the investigation will continue and be referred to the US attorney.
: July 4, 2009 at 10:23:00 AM HST Not only are Daily Show and Colbert Report “off” on Friday’s but both are on vacation next week, as were Conan and Letterman yesterday. Given that the only reason for quitting that she actually stated was the ridicule of comedians, the timing was anything but coincidental.
Yup.
I texted the news to Nanette, and the first thing she said to me is that Jon Stewart and Colbert are off next week. Probably Tina Fey is also not interested in doing any more Palin, though I wonder if she might offer to just replace Palin for the unused portion of her term, no one would know the difference.
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