From Malia Litman's blog
The letter below is being sent to every legislator in Alaska. Please urge the legislators to appoint a legislative committee and hold Sarah Palin accountable to the taxpayers in Alaska.
December 16, 2011
Re: Appointment of Legislative Review Committee
One million two hundred thousand dollars is the cost to Alaskan tax payers for the making of Sarah Palin’s Alaska. Two million dollars is the income Sarah Palin received as a result of starring in and serving as the executive producer of Sarah Palin’s Alaska. The outrageous thing is that in making the show and earning two million dollars Palin was taking advantage of legislation she signed into law before she resigned as Governor. By profiting during the two years after she served as Governor from this film, Palin clearly and irrefutably violated violation of A.S. 39.52.180. That particular statute of the Ethics Code prohibits the Governor of Alaska, for a period of two years after leaving office, from profiting from a matter that was under consideration while she was Governor. “Matter” expressly includes “proposal or consideration of a legislative bill…or other legislative measures…” A.S. 44.33.236 is a piece of legislation considered during Palin’s short term as Governor, which she approved and signed into law, and which allows a film company to receive a tax credit of the very type Jean Worldwide received for the making of Sarah Palin’s Alaska. Several facts make the award of this tax credit even more offensive than the mere fact that Sarah Palin violated the ethics code by profiting from legislation she approved while Governor.
During the time Palin served as Governor, she met with film companies and discussed the possibility of making a film in Alaska. (See tab 5) Alaska tax payers paid for Palin’s expenses for her trip to California to meet with these companies.
Palin resigned from her position as Governor within two weeks of the date the film tax incentive program became operative. (See tab 5)
Sarah Palin’s Alaska should never have qualified for the film tax credit because the film was political in nature. Sarah Palin admitted this in a public interview. (tab 1). Twenty three specific examples of political comments were cited to the film office to bring this matter to their attention (tab 1) and they ignored the information. (tab 2)
Sarah Palin’s Alaska should never have qualified for the film tax credit because it was against the best interest of Alaskans. The film promoted unhealthy eating, allowing children to ride in motor vehicles unrestrained in contravention of Alaskan laws, and the film promoted pregnancy of unwed teenagers. (tab 1)
John Burns, the Attorney General, denied the ethics complaint, asserting that “legislation” was not “legislation,” even though the statute in question was specifically amended to include “legislation” before Sarah Palin relied upon this tax credit legislation to make millions of dollars. (tab 4)
Two additional films have already applied for film tax credits that feature Sarah Palin or members of her family. (tab 5) Sarah Palin and Todd have recently been reported to be shopping the idea of another show featuring Todd Palin on his snowmobile.
Governor Sean Parnell has been contacted regarding this ethics complaint. Randy Ruaro, his Deputy Chief of Staff, has identified the appointment of a legislative review committee that could be appointed by the Alaska Legislature as the appropriate way to address this problem. He cited Art. II, Sec. 11 of the Alaska Constitution. (tab 6)
It is time to hold Sarah Palin accountable for the ethics violation of A.S. 39.52.180. She was found to have violated the Alaska Ethics code in the Troopergate matter, but later claimed she had been vindicated.
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