Ethics probe finds Palin legal defense fund illegal; she will return donations
By Rachel Doro, APThursday, June 24, 2010
Ethics probe: Palin legal defense fund was illegal
ANCHORAGE, Alaska — An investigator for the Alaska Personnel Board says a legal defense fund set up for Sarah Palin when she was governor was illegal.
Investigator Timothy Petumenos said Thursday the Alaska Fund Trust inappropriately used the word “official” on its website, wrongly implying Palin’s endorsement as governor.
Palin’s attorney says she will return the funds.
Petumenos, however, found the 2008 GOP vice presidential nominee acted in good faith and relied on the advice of lawyers when setting up the fund.
A preliminary, confidential report also implicating Palin was issued last July, less than two weeks after she announced she was resigning. In announcing her resignation, Palin cited the toll of the ethics probes as one of the reasons she was stepping down.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP’s earlier story is below.
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — An investigator for the Alaska Personnel Board plans Thursday to release the findings in an ethics complaint filed against Sarah Palin when she was governor that claimed a legal defense fund set up for her was illegal.
Another board investigator last summer found evidence that Palin — the 2008 GOP vice presidential nominee — may have violated ethics laws by trading on her position as she sought money to pay legal expenses in multiple ethics complaints filed against her. Nearly every complaint has been dismissed.
The confidential report on the Alaska Fund Trust was issued less than two weeks after Palin announced she was resigning from office last July.
In announcing her resignation, Palin cited the toll of the ethics probes as one of the reasons she was stepping down.
Tags: Alaska, Anchorage, Barack Obama, North America, Sarah palin, United States
