An FBI spokesman, Special Agent Eric Gonzalez, said “it is not true” that the FBI is investigating Sarah Palin or preparing to indict her.
Although the FBI has been active in other cases involving Alaskan lawmakers receiving money, free construction work or other special favors, Gonzalez said there was “no wiggle room” in his comments for any kind of investigation involving Palin.
Palin has also come out to deny that there is an investigation into her dealings with the Wasilla Sports Complex. Indeed, through her private attorney, Thomas Van Flein, she even threatened Alaskan blogger Shannyn Moore, Huffington Post, MSNBC, New York Times and Washington Post with legal action because they propagated “defamatory material.”
Without referencing specifics, Van Flein stated that the claims made that the investigation was a fact would not go unanswered. The Van Flein statement seems unusually strong given the circumstances of Palin’s resignation. Politicians get worse dirt written about them all of the time, some true, some not so, why the thin skin on this one?
After Palin’s rambling speech on Friday, she followed up with a Facebook posting that left more questions unanswered. Some parts of her posting did not even make sense, as when she wrote, “The response in the main stream media has been most predictable, ironic, and as always, detached from the lives of ordinary Americans who are sick of the “politics of personal destruction”.
I don’t get it. What is ironic about the mainstream media’s response?
She also made a vague patriotic remark that her resignation was not a personal choice but one for the betterment of the country. “How sad that Washington and the media will never understand; it’s about country,” wrote Palin.
Yet, in her Friday speech she emphasized how important her family was in making the decision. Hopefully, she will explain this one at a later date. “It’s about country” is a bit odd of an explanation.
In her Facebook page, Palin claims that she is going to a higher calling, even suggesting that it is “honorable” for her not to finish out her term.
That makes about as much sense as her statement Friday that she is a “lame duck” governor and needed to resign. According to her definition, every President who is reelected is a lame duck and should resign at the beginning of his second term.
According to the Anchorage Daily News, just about every politician in Alaska and close associate of Palin was caught by surprise with her resignation. Even the Lt. Governor Even Parnell, did not find out until Wednesday of her impending resignation. Yet, her comments on Facebook run counter to the stunned reactions of Alaskan officials.
“For months now, I have consulted with friends and family, and with the Lieutenant Governor, about what is best for our wonderful state. I even made a few administrative changes over that course in time in preparation for yesterday.”
Whomever Palin consulted with kept an unusually tight lip. If she made administrative changes, then her staff was no aware of its true nature. None of them gave any indication of beforehand knowledge of her resignation. Even her chief spokesperson was not in Alaska for this stunning announcement.
As others have pointed out, her resignation means four things.
One, it is a political calculation to run for President in 2012. If so, it is one of the dumbest political moves in years. Quitting is not leadership, and she will be raked over the political fires by it.
Two, she is trying to avoid a brewing scandal.
Three, she is walking away from politics to make money. To do that in the middle of gubernatorial term that the people of Alaska entrusted her to finish is both selfish and greed-driven or an example of her kooky nature.
Finally, four, her blow-up with David Letterman and now a scathing Vanity Fair article might just be too much for her thin-skin. Politicians have to learn to take insults, both fair and unfair ones. More and more, it looks like Sarah Palin doesn’t have toughness to weather the often mean-spirited banter of political life. That might explain why she seems shaken and out of balance over the last few days.
Here is an interview Shannyn Moore gave to MSNBC. It is one of those that riled Palin.
