UPDATE: UGH! AOL's Political Machine crunches some grisly numbers:
I reported earlier today that during Sarah Palin's term as mayor of Wasilla, AK, her police department had a policy of charging rape victims for the forensic evidence collection kits, or "rape kits," at a cost of $300-$1200 each. Then-Governor Tony Knowles told me, on today's press call, that Palin's jurisdiction was the only one in Alaska that used this practice. In 2000, Knowles signed a law protecting victim from having to pay for their own evidence collection.
This comes on the heels of the news that Palin billed the state over $16,000 in per diem travel expenses for nights that she spent at home.
A quick analysis of available crime statistics for Wasilla shows that, even at $1200.00 each, the town could have paid for all of the rape kits while Palin was in office, and still had a good chunk of change to give Palin for traveling around her home.
Now that's an ad. Cut it NOW.
The rape kit story's gonna get some air, it looks like:
Two state leaders lashed out at the public record of Gov. Sarah Palin on Wednesday as witnesses in a new "Alaska Mythbusters" forum coordinated by supporters of Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama.
Speaking to a teleconference audience of reporters around the nation, former Gov. Tony Knowles and current Ketchikan Mayor Bob Weinstein -- both Democrats -- accused Palin of misleading the public in her new role as the vice presidential running mate of Arizona Sen. John McCain.
While some of their complaints have already been aired, Knowles broke new ground while answering a reporter's question on whether Wasilla forced rape victims to pay for their own forensic tests when Palin was mayor.
True, Knowles said.
Eight years ago, complaints about charging rape victims for medical exams in Wasilla prompted the Alaska Legislature to pass a bill -- signed into law by Knowles -- that banned the practice statewide.
"There was one town in Alaska that was charging victims for this, and that was Wasilla," Knowles said
This is big news, you guys. Having the former state governor who passed the bill banning Wasilla's disgusting practice of having rape victims pay to get their rapists caught get this out there means it will go somewhere.
McClatchy might just be the beginning. Stay tuned.