AP writer gets most of the facts right about the ethics complaints against Palin, but leaves some important facts out. Here allow me to help.

This article was written by AP reporter Rachel D'oro, who did a fair job. My additions are in bold and filled with snark. You can't miss'em!

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin says her political enemies are abusing state law with a flurry of frivolous ethics complaints against her, putting her more than $500,000 in legal debt.

Those filing the grievances — there have been at least 18 cases so far — say it's their legal right to hold the Republican governor accountable for what they see as abuses of power.

The truth is probably somewhere in between. (If by "in between" you mean definitely slanted toward those filing the complaints then we agree.)

"Are Alaskans outraged, or at least tired of this yet — another frivolous ethics charge by a political blogger?" Palin asked in one statement. (Uh nope. So long as you keep behaving unethically then this is one Alaskan who is all for ethics charges being filed against you. And I know numerous Alaskans who feel the exact same way.)

Most of the complaints have been filed since last August, when GOP presidential candidate John McCain picked Palin as his running mate. And most have been denied.

Palin's office has called the multiple dismissals "mounting evidence that accusations of wrongdoing by the governor lack merit and have been politically or personally motivated."

Even some of Palin's critics question the validity of some of the complaints, and her supporters have waged a weeklong Webathon to raise money for a legal defense fund set up for the governor, ringing up more than $109,000 by day seven, Sunday. ("Sorry kids no vacation for you this year, your mom has sent all of our savings to help that Palin woman again!")

But the number of filings may also reflect a broader awareness of ethics law in Alaska, where any citizen can send in any number of complaints. Some say they're taking Palin up on her own challenge to Alaska voters. (Yep! Just being good citizens.)

"She said she was going to be open, transparent and wanted people to hold her accountable," said Kim Chatman, an Eagle River resident whose complaint against Palin is among the few still pending. "I took her for her word."

All the complaints have been brought by Alaskans, except for one filed by Washington-based Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics alleging the $150,000-plus designer wardrobe the Republican Party bought to outfit Palin in her national quest violated the Federal Election Campaign Act. That complaint was dismissed.

One complaint, in which the Alaska Personnel Board found no wrongdoing, concluded with the governor agreeing to pay the state $10,000 for trips taken by her children — money that is due Tuesday. (Of course this is after they dismissed 31 of the trips with no explanation as to why those trips were inappropriate and the remaining 9 were not.)

Another complaint, filed by Democratic blogger Linda Kellen Biegel, said Palin wore a jacket that promoted the sponsor of her husband's snowmobile racing team. That complaint, dismissed June 2, prompted Palin's statement about "frivolous" ethics charges. (Of course now we learn that our Governor is desperately trying to keep from having to disclose how much of a "discount" she and her husband received for that gear which sounds suspiciously like somebody who has something to hide. Oui?)

Elected in 2006, Palin enjoyed an unprecedented 18-month honeymoon with Alaska residents and lawmakers alike until last July, when she fired Walt Monegan, the state's popular public safety commissioner.

Monegan believed he was terminated over his refusal to let go a state trooper who was involved in a contentious divorce with Palin's sister. Palin cited budgetary disagreements.

State lawmakers investigated, ultimately concluding the governor broke an ethics law that prohibits public officials from using their office for personal gain, although the firing itself was considered lawful since Monegan was an at-will employee.

Days after being named McCain's running mate, Palin said the legislative probe had become too political (Translation: They were going to find her guilty.) and filed a "self disclosure" with the Alaska Personnel Board, whose three members are appointed by the governor. The day before the presidential election, that investigation concluded that Palin violated no ethics laws. (You all remember that don't you? She was guilty, and then "POOF" she wasn't guilty. Who needs a genie in a lamp when you have your very own Personnel Board to make the bad things go a way?)

Palin was wrong to publicly criticize the complaints before the appropriate government body — the personnel board in most cases — had a chance to analyze them, said Gregg Erickson, a Juneau economist and longtime watcher of Alaska politics. That's simply bad politics, he said.
"She rises to the bait fairly quickly when they troll these things by her," he said. "I think it's a weakness." (Gee ya think?)

Chatman said she voted for Palin to be governor, but now sees her as unethical, sacrificing the state's interest to advance her national ambitions. Palin is widely believed to be considering a 2012 presidential run. (Proving that some people simply cannot learn.)

Chatman's complaint alleges Palin is misusing the governor's office for personal gain by securing unwarranted benefits and receiving improper gifts through the Alaska Fund Trust, which was established by supporters in April to help Palin pay her legal bills.

Alaska law mandates that ethics grievances remain confidential unless a public accusation is filed or the accused person agrees in writing to make it public. However, most complainants have ignored this requirement and have publicly discussed their grievances without any legal consequences. (This is false and was explained away quite effectively by Linda Kellen Biegel on her blog Celtic Oasis. "The confidentiality piece in the Ethics Act does not apply against private citizens who file ethics complaints--The spirit of the confidentiality portion of the Alaska Executive Branch Ethics Act (while the verbiage is rather nebulous) seems to be geared towards the Department of Law, employees of the State and the Personnel Board in its normal role with personnel issues.")

"Why is confidentiality so important? So the process does not become a forum for partisan attacks, headline seekers and disgruntled wing-nuts," Palin attorney Thomas Van Flein said in an e-mail. "This is exactly the type of political gamesmanship the confidentiality clause was intended to prevent." (And so that the voters don't learn how unethical their Governor is behaving while supposedly representing them.)

Chatman said she spoke with an attorney and learned she wouldn't breach confidentiality if she talked about her grievance before filing it in late April. She said she did just that, based on a lack of trust in the Palin administration.

"I thought it would be swept under the carpet if the public didn't know about it," she said. (BINGO! And that is exactly why the Governor keeps bringing this up, in the hopes that they will be thrown out or that the next ones will not be publicized.)

(Thanks ProChoiceGrandma for bringing this article to my attention.)