The part of the Washington Post story that's not a surprise:
Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, who has made a crackdown on gift-giving to state officials a centerpiece of her ethics reform agenda, has accepted gifts valued at $25,367 from industry executives, municipalities and a cultural center whose board includes officials from some of the largest mining interests in the state, a review of state records shows.
Politician Full of Shit. Film at 11. A dog pit bull bites man story, if ever there was one.
This bit, on the other hand, has me interested:
Palin has also reported as gifts two fact-finding trips that mining companies sponsored for her husband, Todd. The trips were among several sponsored by mining companies for state officials.
Todd Palin accepted an $805 charter flight from Barrick Gold and a $200 flight from Red Dog Mines. Both companies are clients of Chamberlain, a top lobbyist with Legislative Consultants, which led the state in lobbying income last year.
Apparently, Todd just loves facts. He's like a collector.
Oh, are there facts that a Vice President should have found for her? I should go find some. What? Facts in Hawaii? For five nights? Really? I'm so there!
"Seriously," you may say, "he's not a state employee. What's he getting facts about? For what reason?"
What an elitist view of facts you have! Facts, my friends, are for everyone! Especially rugged individualists like Todd, over there.
That crisp $100 bill in your hand, for example? It's a fact! I'd like to find that fact right about now, myself. Are there any more facts in your wallet? In fact, why don't you just leave a sack full of facts for me to find right here on top of my desk?
If that's a problem for you, another fact I've found is that I accept credit cards.
Nah, it's not much. The high dollar stuff went to Sarah. But not to worry. A mere "courtesy," says her administration.
Really, it's the Vice Presidency that could be more fun than a barrel of monkeys for Todd, what with his love of facts, and so many honest Americans in Armani suits down in DC willing to help him find them. Is there a better place to be for a guy who loves stalking his enemies and pulling at the official levers of power to bury them?
Heck, in Washington, you don't find facts so much as facts find you!
Change!