Yesterday I wrote a story about what I saw as the real issue with Sarah Palin’s availing herself personally of at least a hundred thousand dollars in film tax incentives for her reality TV show (the show got 1.2 million in taxpayer funds), a subject which had made the rounds of conservative media and so irked Palin that she took to her Facebook Page to correct it on March 30, 2011.
Naturally, in order to write the article I wanted to view the exact legislation that was passed by Palin. But when I went to the Alaska Film Office tax incentive and credit page, via a Google search, it took me to a dead 404 page. I tried multiple searches and multiple links to find the files to no avail. In order to find the date the legislation was passed, for example, I ended up having to search news articles from that time period. Luckily, I had the two PDFs from their film office from which to work, as I had previously written about this topic.
At any rate, my article focused on the specific types of projects that were ineligible for a tax credit, as Sarah Palin’s Alaska was noted to be political in nature and was certainly received that way by many, with Ms Palin herself noting in a TV interview that she got in her political statements. Political ads were specifically prohibited from receiving benefit of tax credits, as would make sense when using taxpayer funds. Furthermore, Ms Palin appeared to deny that this legislation benefited her personally, insinuating that if it benefited anyone it was the producer. However, I have been in the TV business for a long time and have worked with state tax film credits and incentives, I am aware that her statement was perhaps disingenuous, given the money paid to her as talent and the probability that a production company would be more inclined to work with her and pay her a higher amount knowing that they would ultimately get 44% (or 1.2 million dollars) back in tax credits.
Sarah Jones so got under the skin of those who are trying to protect Palin from scrutiny and potential bad press that Dave Worrell from the Alaska Film Office e-mailed her to tell her that she was wrong in her assertions.
As it turned out she was not.
I encourage you to click the link at the top to see how Sarah Jones used a little thing we call facts to educate Mr. Worrell and push for more information to satisfy the questions that many of us have concerning just how much Alaskans paid for Sarah Palin's nine episode politic advertisement.
Really good article not to be missed!
ReplyDeleteWhy We Laugh At Fox News and The GOP Clowns
...I laugh because you all are so sick, so cruel, so reprehensibly pushing for a civil war, so personally destructive to the people you pick out as enemies, so disrespectful of a sitting president, so racist, so bigoted, so sexist, so morally repugnant, so ethically devoid and such a poison imposed on this country that I love, that I have no choice but to laugh.
http://www.politicususa.com/en/laugh-fox-news-gop-clowns
I have asserted from the beginning that Sarah Palin was angling for her own show when she resigned in the middle of her first term as a statewide elected figure.
ReplyDeleteHer junkets all around the State since she announced her intention to leave office didn't make any sense as she was abandoning her post - why did this entitle her to a Que Sarah Sarah statewide tour?
She used State time and dime to outfit her official entourage with professional photographers and videographers to polish an image of an iconic and beloved politico in the field. I guarantee you she had people pitching these images at the State's expense to producers. She knew the law would be an added incentive.
Other than the minimal effort of posturing she put into Oil & Gas, ethics legislation and faking a special needs pregnancy to catch whoever was going to be the 2008 GOP front-runner, this was a stroke of genius political and social maneuvering to land a bigger, more lucrative and powerful job outside of some stuffy old office.
What a conniving, self-serving so called servant's heart.
Snakes in the background trying to protect the biggest snake of them all which is Mrs. Todd Palin.
ReplyDeleteJessee Ventura says she will be the republican nominee for president, and that she will be controlled and told what to do.
This country really is headed in the toilet if she is the nominee, as she has no moral compass and is the symbol for an uneducated airhead with a background of lies, hate, hypocrisy, racism and the ethics of a troll on meth.
Here is Sarah Jone's first article calling BS on Palin's Facebook screed.
ReplyDeleteSarah Palin Cover Up? Alaska Removes Film Incentive Page
http://www.politicususa.com/en/sarah-palin-film-incentive
Gryph, in the last two paragraphs add "Jones" after "Sarah"
ReplyDeleteGreat article by Sarah Jones.
ReplyDeleteIts all about the money---always has been. Palin hates real politics 'cause that would mean real work. She just likes the heckling and grifting parts.
They don't believe granny Grifter could posture the bill she signed for her own personal greed yet they believe obamas parents put ads in a Hawaii paper so he could fake a presidency.
ReplyDeleteAre they letting palin sort the emails also, too.
ReplyDeleteAnd like I shared with Sarah Jones in the comments section of the updated story, she needs to compare HER COPIES of the previous guidelines .pdf's to the "latest updated" information.
ReplyDeleteWebsite maintainance, my azz.
IF the information has changed, even ONE IOTA, it's time to call the Feds. That would be collusion. Not that they shouldn't have been brought in months and months and months ago...
Ooooh!! Well done, Sarah Jones.
ReplyDeleteWhatever happened to SP trying to trademark her name? Why haven't we heard anything about Bristol's radio show? = This photo of her (SP) shows her true nature... the vindictive and downright mean girl barracuda.
ReplyDeleteAnd wasn't $carah listed as a producer in the credits, anyway? Ego coming back to bite you, $carah?
ReplyDeleteThe stench is always HIGH when Sarah and the Palins are around.There is always a $$$ to anything they do.One can only imagine what we do not see or know.It is amazing that all these "christians" cover up the filth that embodies this woman. Let's see she was listed as a producer, every member of her family got a part and probably got paid as well, never ending shamelessness
ReplyDeleteAnon 5:20 Jesse Ventura can say what he wants, but should she run she would have to get past Mitt,TP who will not be kind...and best of all we get to vote..that's the great part!
"...Ms Palin appeared to deny that this legislation benefited her personally, insinuating that if it benefited anyone it was the producer."
ReplyDeleteAnd just who was listed as producer, anyway?
From IMDB.com
"Sarah Palin's Alaska (TV series) (executive producer - 3 episodes) "
And there you have it. The producer benefitted, from the horse's mouth (so to speak)
The Palins has always benefited from Sarah's political contacts and job positions. If it did not benefit her, it aint worth doing.
ReplyDeleteThe Palins have always benefited from the fruit of Sarah's labor as well as the sweat of fellow Alaskans.
If your son destroyed school buses and endangered the lifes of Alaskan school children, do you think your child would have the option of joining the Army for a year as a chauffer for officers to pay for his crimes instead of going to jail? While Sarah demanded other parent's kids goes to jail for guessing her password, her criminal son receives a pass while Sarah declares that Track was a combat veteran. What about Willow, the Alaskan governor's daughter? Sarah gets that 3am phone saying that her daughter was picked up for breaking and entering and vandalizing a house in Alaska and after a few phone calls Willow is not charged and released. No jail or Army time for Willow.
What about Sarah's husband Todd? He paid cash for his visit to a prostitute and for others Johns as well and her contact with the Anchorage Police covers for him.
Just does not seem fair, Sarah who pretends to believe in small government and every man for himself turns around and passes a law that later benefits and lines her pockets with tax payers money. What a lady that Sarah is.
I left this over at PoliticusUSA and thought I might leave it here too...
ReplyDelete~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Isn’t it rather strange official representatives of various arms of Alaska government spontaneously keep coming forward to defend / explain Palin, her family and their actions?
Consider this: Malia Litman, ( MaliaLitman.wordpress.com ) a former attorney has been pursuing a story on her blog regarding the actions of Lt. Dave Parker of the Anchorage Police Department. He came forward on January 25, 2011 with a spontaneous, unsolicited press release about Todd Palin not being part of a “prostitution ring.” Strangely, this particular press release was requested by a Partner at $arah Palin’s often-utilized Anchorage law firm. Stranger still, it was only released to the National Enquirer & TMZ.com – and to none of the usual Alaska media outlets. And, it does NOT appear on the Official Anchorage Police Dept. “Press Releases” page http://www.muni.org/departments/police/pressreleases/Pages/default.aspx?p=2
In fact, the story was updated – again, by Lt. Dave Parker – again, off the record, yet on the record – when facts were presented finding that indeed, the claims Lt. Parker made were NOT factually TRUE as represented by him in the January 25th Press Release. Malia Litman then sent a registered letter to Anchorage Police Chief Mark Mew asking him to respond to Lt. Dave Parkers’ reversal of the erroneous January 25th press release. Was the Anchorage Police Department acting above and beyond the call of duty in this particular case, given the parties involved? She has heard nothing but silence. Deafening silence. No reply.
BTW – Dan Sullivan, the Anchorage mayor is a very, very close friend of and strong supporter of the Palin family…
$arah and her family continue to receive – and benefit from – extra, EXTRA SPECIAL TREATMENT from representatives of government in Alaska.
Things that make you go hmmmmmmmmm….
Didn't Sarah and her family benefit from Alaskan taxpayers when she had her governor trip request falsified to say that the First family was requested at events when in fact it was only Sarah that was invited? Then she was caught lying and was forced to pay the money back like when she was caught trying to hide her cabins to avoid paying taxes. The Palins took advantage of us when she was in office as well as when she was out of office after she quit on us.
ReplyDeleteSarah keep your trailer park hill billy hands out of our pockets.
"Whatever happened to SP trying to trademark her name?"
ReplyDeleteshe AND Bristol were denied.
It is not just Sarah who benefits from Sarah. What about her BFF who was put in charge of agriculture because her only qualifications for the job was that as a kid she liked cows?
ReplyDelete"Franci Havemeister (a high school friend) as director of Alaska's Department of Agriculture at $95,000. Asked for her qualifications, the former real estate agent said that she loved cows as a kid."
http://www.realchange.org/palin.htm
While you are at the web page above, ya might as well read about her:
1)Abuse of Power
2)Luxury Shopping with Public Money
3)Cronyism - Hiring Unqualified Friends for High-Paid Government Jobs
4)Liar
5)Supports Right-Wing Terrorism
6)Coverup
Good article. Stay on it, Sarah Jones.
ReplyDeleteYou wanna know why Alaska government officials still covers for Sarah Palin and her family?
ReplyDeleteCuz they owe her and they owe her big time.
"Once Elected, Palin Hired Friends and Lashed Foes"
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/14/us/politics/14palin.html
Thanks to Sarah, instead of flipping burgers or being an office assistant sharpening pencils like Bristol did, Sarah's BFFs commanded jobs paying $100,000.
Not bad for just going to Wasilla High School and knowing Sarah Palin.
I also think there is a lot more to this than Squirmer wants us to know. It is far from a coincidence that the incentives and regulation files were taken from the web site and hidden on the state server where the public would not be able to access them. On the day that this brouhaha surfaced? The continuing depth of corruption and intimidation of the Palin mafia needs some serious investigative journalism. Squirmer needs to be in a federal prison, not in the press. You go Sara Jones!
ReplyDelete>>>Whatever happened to SP trying to trademark her name?
ReplyDeleteHere is the information from the USPTO. As of 3-30-2011-it has begun moving through the process.
Apparently the paperwork issues have been fixed to USPTO's satisfaction.
(words only): SARAH PALIN
Standard Character claim: Yes
Current Status: Approved by the examining attorney for publication but has not yet published for opposition. The opposition period begins on the date of publication.
Date of Status: 2011-03-30
Additional information on opposition to a trademark:
PUBLICATION FOR OPPOSITION
If the examining attorney raises no objections to registration, or if the applicant overcomes all objections, the examining attorney will approve the mark for publication in the Official Gazette , a weekly publication of the USPTO.
The USPTO will send a NOTICE OF PUBLICATION to the applicant stating the date of publication. Any party who believes it may be damaged by registration of the mark has thirty (30) days from the publication date to file either an opposition to registration or a request to extend the time to oppose. An opposition is similar to a proceeding in a federal court, but is held before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board, a USPTO administrative tribunal. If no opposition is filed or if the opposition is unsuccessful, the application enters the next stage of the registration process. A Certificate of Registration will issue for applications based on use, or a Notice of Allowance will issue for intent-to-use applications.
Link for above information
http://www.uspto.gov/trademarks/process/afterapp.jsp
I was wondering if anything regarding a SP "reality" show would show up in the e-mails being released in May. Then I realized, if the government is willing to deny access to public information to protect her, those e-mails will be scrubbed clean.
ReplyDeleteBristol Palin's trademark application also too.
ReplyDeleteBristol Palin's application was for:
Class Status: Partially Paid
Educational and entertainment services, namely, providing motivational speaking services in the field of life choices
The application status at the USPTO site:
(words only): BRISTOL PALIN
Standard Character claim: Yes
Current Status: Approved by the examining attorney for publication but has not yet published for opposition. The opposition period begins on the date of publication.
Date of Status: 2011-03-24
Any and all of those emails are about to be 'accidentally' erased.
ReplyDeleteCan Alaska resident pursue this legally? That is tax revenue due to the state, right?
ReplyDeleteso nice that all the things palin did to benefit herself are coming out into the light. it's an education for everyone and makes her popularity sink lower and lower, as it should be. all those darn chickens coming home to roost. i love all the investigating so many people have done on our behalf to shine the spotlight on palin's dark little corner.
ReplyDeleteThere's nothing wrong with film tax credits as an incentive to production. Film work brings jobs and lots of money to the locations they shoot. The problem is that SPA exploited the political aspect in a way that went end around on the intent. Unfortunately, what she did was typically tasteless, but arguably legal.I suspect there are some great stories to be had from the production crews that worked this piece of crap, but they are probably all bound by non-disclosure clauses in their contracts.
ReplyDeleteTrue, there is nothing wrong with the tax credit. Nor do I think Palin was in a position to "forsee" future benefits to her at the time of signing the bill, or at least I doubt one could be proven.
ReplyDeleteBut it is a problem that she turned the series partially into a political advertisement, I do think that worth a challenge. To refund the taxpayers of Alaska.
I also think it a problem for Sarah politically, given her stand on "government handouts." She has also whined about the National Endowment of the Arts funding, has she not? How is her accepting, as Executive Producer of the show, any different?
After all, a lot of viewers found some of the content in SPA quite upsetting and anathema to some of their deeply held core beliefs regarding wildlife, violence, etc.
MicMac
Alaska government continues to be as corrupt as corrupt can be. Why doesn't someone submit an article to the Alaska Daily News about Palin doing this, or why isn't one of their journalists on top of this subject? (I use the term 'journalist' loosely!)
ReplyDeleteInteresting that the web page has been taken down by the State of Alaska. But, others have proof of what it actually said as to movie making and what does and does not qualify.
Palin, once again, appears to have broken the law with Parnell protecting her.
I honestly don't believe she'll be a candidate for President of the United States on the Republican ticket...they don't like her any more than we do.
Don't forget that we have two books coming out soon by McGinness and Dunn that will provide more proof about her wrongdoings.
Plus, the emails done during her administration, even though I'm sure the Parnell group will try to cover up her wrongdoings as much as possible. But, they will be researched and reviewed as to previous emails that have already come out. I so hope the Bailey book (with all his emails) is published soon...that one will really have proof sources as to her evil ways.
Mrs. Todd Palin and her husband should put on trial and end up wearing the orange suits.
Might an FOIA request to the film office find those pesky little emails that show she was using state resources to fish for a series?
ReplyDeleteSuch things of course will be redacted from the emails parnell is supposed to release in May. Too many will show that he collaborated with Snowbank Snooki to embezzle state resources.
What we really need to focus on is getting the emails, and the legislative investigation into the Goose Creek Prison. It is there that I think you will find verifiable fraud and corruption that should bring her down.
ReplyDeleteCould it be that people are covering for her right now? Why did Todd and Meg supply last week's responses? Anyone could tweet for her and write posts for her FB account. Is she with Bristol, helping with the baby (Tripp, of course)?
ReplyDeleteExecutive producer(s) Mark Burnett, Sarah Palin
ReplyDeleteStarring Sarah Palin, Todd Palin, Bristol Palin, Willow Palin, Piper Palin, Track Palin, Trig Palin, Tripp Johnston
Wages paid to Alaska residents receive an additional 10% tax credit
Palin's bag of crazy response and subsequent feud with
ReplyDeleteTucker Carlson drew
everyone's attention to the issue.
Palin's hysterical rants brings to mind the line from Hamlet ,
" The lady doth protest too much .."
This whole thing doesn't pass the smell test
and definitely has
the appearance of corruption.
It looks like a kickback .
Knowing they would get the tax rebate from Alaskans might have made it easier for TLC to agree
to Palin's huge salary demand for her kids and relatives.
SPA was not a travelogue nor a documentary ,
unless it was documenting the Alaskan sect of the Irish Travelers.
A more appropriate title than SPA
should have been
Kodiak Con Artists.
This overtly sleazy deal should definitely be investigated.
And if the Alaskan media is too timid, hopefully an investigative journalist from the lower 48 should start lifting rocks.
Wouldn't it be the ironic if it's Palin's reality show
that finally
exposes the amoral and deceitful nature of Palin to the world
and causes her to face serious legal consequences ?
There have to be execs at TLC questioning why they ever got in bed with this dingbat.
Parnell is the problem if you are trying to investigate Sarah Palin. You will not get help from the Alaskan government looking into the crimes Sarah committed against the state and citizens of Alaska because her partner in crime, Parnell, holds the keys to the investigation period. Why would Parnell incriminate himself? That's like asking Palin's handpicked Ethics board to find her quilty of all her ethic charges. It's not going to happen.
ReplyDeleteWhat needs to happen is when the emails are finally released, the people who have copies of the emails hidden by Parnell needs to be released to show how crooked the Alaskan politicians really are.
Can an Alaska governor pardon Alaskan criminals who commit crimes against the state?
ReplyDeleteIf yes, that's probably what Parnell is going to do for Sarah and then she will leave the state with her ill gotten goods.
Sarah is in a marriage of convenience with several partners.
ReplyDeleteWith Todd, they may not like each other, but what holds them together is money and how much is still out there to get. The other thing that holds them together is if one turns on the other, the other one has info to get even with the other. You can bet Todd and Sarah are hiding incriminating evidence against the other.
Sarah's other marriage of convenience is with Alaska's governor Parnel. What holds them together on the same team is M.A.D.
It is Mutually Assured Destruction! If one goes down so will the other. You can bet they each has criminal documents hidden against each other.
So don’t expect much from Sarah’s emails when they are released. She already knows what is going to be shown to the public. Don't expect Parnel to go against Sarah unless he is making a plea agreement.
Can an Alaska governor pardon Alaskan criminals who commit crimes against the state?
ReplyDeleteIf yes, that's probably what Parnell is going to do for Sarah and then she will leave the state with her ill gotten goods.
To get to a pardon there are a few things that come first. Investigation, indictment, prosecution, conviction (or plea deal), and sentencing.
Why wonder if there will be a formal pardon. Start wondering what if anything might be investigated.
If you think about details like
marital confidences privilege and spousal testimonial privilege things get interesting. If anyone has done anything chargeable that is. It does depend where you are, unless the charges are federal.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spousal_privilege