However since Levi has not provided his financial statements that number is based on internet rumor and speculation.
The legal documents go on to claim that Levi has only paid $4,400, which is about $367.00 a month since Tripp's birth. I have no way of knowing if this is true, but since there was no court order Levi would have only been able to estimate how much child support he would be asked to pay.
Clearly the $1,750.00 is an unrealistic amount. Even if Levi did manage to make $105,000 this last year there is certainly no assurance he will be able to continue to make that amount in the future. Van Flein is well aware of that, and this is just another attempt to impact Levi financially and keep him off balance and on the defensive.
Remember Van Flein is being paid out of a much larger pool of money than Levi has at his disposal. Van Flein can file papers all day long on Palin's dime, each of which need to have a costly legal response from Rex Butler, and slowly drain Levi's financial resources while Sarah keeps refilling her coffers with speeches to teabaggers and money from her Fox News gig. And if Levi takes any more modeling or interview jobs to pay his legal bills he will be accused of once again abandoning his child.
THIS is why it is important that this case remain open to the public. If this were happening behind the scenes it would get even worse and we would never know the kinds of BS the Palin legal team was pulling.
Besides this there is also rumor that somebody has been paying Levi's acquaintances to sell pictures of him partying, or doing anything illegal or embarrassing. I do not have any evidence as to who is making these offers but if I had to venture a guess I know where I would start.
This is going to get very ugly, and I hope that before too long somebody on Team Levi decides to take the gloves off so that Palin can finally reap what she has sown.
(You can read the legal documents for yourself, courtesy of TMZ, by clicking the title.)
UPDATE FROM TMZ: Levi Johnston's manager, Tank Jones, tells TMZ Levi has paid Bristol more than $10,000 since Tripp was born. Jones also says Levi does not make money off of every interview he does, though he did not say exactly how much Levi has made.
Hmm does that mean that Van Flein was a little dishonest in his legal filings? Nah, we would never accuse him of fudging the facts now would we?
ANOTHER UPDATE FROM TMZ: Levi Johnston is baffled at Bristol Palin's demand for child support, because he's offered her money in the past but she hasn't taken it -- this, according to Levi's lawyer.
Attorney Rex Butler tells TMZ, Levi has told Bristol on several occasions he wanted her to come to his house to pick up checks for Tripp's support. Butler says Levi also told her "it would be nice" if she brought Tripp along when she picked up the checks, because Levi wanted to spend time with his son. Butler says on each occasion Bristol was a no-show. Butler says Bristol is partly to blame for the fact that she hasn't gotten the support she wants.
Butler tells TMZ on one occasion Levi was prepared to hand over $3,000 ... but Bristol never showed.
As for those who wonder why Levi did not go out to the Palin house, perhaps you have forgotten how "hospitable" the Palin's can be.
I think THIS might be my favorite part of the TMZ story: And, Butler says, Bristol's been driving around in a $60,000 Cadillac Escalade that he believes Sarah Palin bought ... and he thinks Sarah is controlling Bristol and is behind the latest legal move.
Who says my sources are not good?
A REAL Christian family would be looking for ways to make agreements away from the courts, to make sure the baby knows his Daddy and that Dad is a full partner in the child's life.
ReplyDeleteIN fact, Christians like her say that kids NEED a mom and a dad and that is why gay people should be barred from adoption.
We need a new term because hypocrisy doesn't cover what these people do.
At 19 yrs of age, Levi may not be the best father in the world, but so far I have seen nothing to suggest that his rights as a parent be stripped from him just because Sarah Palin has enough money to make this happen by way of the courts.
ReplyDeleteShe dragged this kid onstage and gave a false impression of a young couple who were in the process of "tying the knot" when the relationship was already finished at the time of the election. When he served his purpose he was sent packing.
The fact that these are two misguided, uneducated, immature teens who should have been left in Alaska as she sought fame is unfair to the child as well. Unless it can be proven that Levi is totally unfit as a parent, and I do not think this is so, then Palin needs to retreat from this relationship altogether. If not, then I would hope that Levi brings out the stuff he has threatened to reveal.
I am sick to death of her lies and fabrications doing anymore damage to those around her. She needs to be stopped.
Sarah is taking Levi's reluctance to out her and to say bad things about Bristol as weakness. In other words, she doesn't think he'll really spill any beans. Otherwise, this nonsense would have stopped a long time ago. There is only one way to stop her and that's stand up to her.
ReplyDeleteBristol didn't make the claim again that Levi hasn't visited. I wonder why? When does Bristol have to reveal her income?
ReplyDeleteSarah has Levi as afraid of her as everyone else. She is pretty sure her secrets are safe, and with good reason.
ReplyDeleteI just don't see how they can make retroactive from birth. I've applied for child support before and the retro starts from the date of filing for support. So, if bristol applied on Jan. 10th, thats as far back as they can go for back support. Also, support was calculated on both parents income, if bristol makes more than Levi, he may pay very little support. My neice lives in Wasilla and she makes more than the father, the father has no job, no income, so they gave him $100.00 for support. Also, at anytime there is a change in financial/job status, either parent can go and have the support modified. What a joke ms. b. palin has become. That is alot of money for a monthly support payment for a 19 year to pay. Good luck Levi, I hope that what ever is coming your way in this is fair.
ReplyDeleteHas anybody suggested to Rex or Levi that perhaps that they can get donations from people too? If bloggers like you or AKM can get some contributions from people like us, why not he?
ReplyDeleteAll he has to do is start a page-make sure that somehow we all have a way to know its the legitimate. It shouldn't be that hard.
Looking at the Alaska Defense Fund and all that PAC money pouring through- his to me would be lot more legal than Palin clan has been doing so far.
Any legal experts who can suggest if Levi can do it or not?
Believe me, I will give $10 or so-if not more. I am sure there are people here or Bree or AKM or Shannyn or Palingates who would donate for this cause??
Gryph, can you atleast tell if this has been discussed or have you suggested to Rex or Levi? I am sure you have Rex's number.
Levi needs to tell the truth about everything he has on Sarah. I mean EVERYTHING, including and especially the illegal tidbits. If he doesn't, she will crush him, relentlessly and mercilessly. And then she will destroy his son.
ReplyDeleteTime for Levi to torpedo the SS Palin, once and for all. Even if he won't do it for the sake of his country, he should do it for the sake of his son. That woman is evil. I would think he'd want to keep Tripp away from her and little Miss Sarah Lite.
TMZ shows an update:
ReplyDelete"Levi Johnston's manager, Tank Jones, tells TMZ Levi has paid Bristol more than $10,000 since Tripp was born. Jones also says Levi does not make money off of every interview he does, though he did not say exactly how much Levi has made."
You're right, this may very well get ugly.
I totally agree with anon 6:10. She is someone who plays dirty and perceives Levi to be weak or just maybe she is making it very difficult for him so that she can buy his silence forever if she puts an end to this shenanigans. She may not be book smart but she is cunning.
ReplyDeleteIt's just weird that Sarah is doing this to Levi, considering all the dirt he has on her. You'd think she'd be oh-so-sweet to him, turning on the sexy charm, stroking his cheek and seducing him into keeping his mouth shut. But the problem is, no one has ever stood up to Sarah. She ALWAYS gets what she wants and it simply doesn't occur to her that someone could stand up to her. Unfortunately, she may be right.
ReplyDeleteShe's taken Levi's measure. He may be willing to face up to a grizzly bear, but evidently he's not willing to take on Miss Wasilla Big Lake. I don't understand it, myself. Surely he's bright enough to realize what growing up in the Palin household will do to Tripp? To understand that Sarah and Bristol will be hard at work, turning his son against him? That Tripp will grow up to be as damaged as his mother and aunts and uncles?
And if he really is the father of Trig--or knows something that could save that child from the abuse he's enduring--then it's almost criminal that he's keeping his mouth shut.
This courthouse fiasco is Exhibit A of Sarah's craziness in both motherhood and policy-making. If Bristol had been taught about birth control either at home or in school, this entire scenario would never have developed – and Bristol, Levi, and Tripp would all have been spared the lasting emotional scars that will surely affect them all. This tragedy stems directly from the stubborn and misguided belief – propagated by Sarah and adhered to by her minions – that the abstinence only policy is either wise or effective. Multiply it by several tens of millions and you have an entire nation in tragedy. I am not advocating teen-age promiscuity. But responsibility while being sexually active should be the required norm, just as responsibility while using cars, alcohol, or firearms is the required norm. Sarah herself keeps saying that the status quo is not acceptable. Well, THIS (her daughter's out-of-wedlock childbirth and the circus that it entails) is the status quo and, yes, it is unacceptable.
ReplyDeleteQUOTE: Johnston's manager, Tank Jones, said his client has paid Palin more than $10,000 since the child was born, and noted that Johnston doesn't make money off of every appearance.
ReplyDeleteWhen Bristol filed a petition for full legal custody of Tripp in November, she claimed that, "Levi is not yet mature enough to take on significant parental responsibilities."
http://www.nydailynews.com/gossip/2010/01/22/2010-01-22_sarah_palins_daughter_bristol_charges_playgirl_model_levi_johnston_is_a_deadbeat.html
GO TEAM LEVI!!
Isn't that Bristol in one of those pictures, wearing a dark sweatshirt, with her back to the camera?
ReplyDeleteThe Palins are SCUM, white trash SCUM, and Levi and family have been nice far too long. I am sure there are tons of photos out there of Bristol partying. The Palins are disgusting people and Van Flein is an unethical ambulance chaser.
ReplyDeleteLevi , why do you hold back what you know. When will you get that the Palins won't hesitate to destroy you and your family. Why protect Sarah, TadBully, and Bristol?
At least this filing proves to me that Tripp really was born in December--I was sure he was born at least a month later than that, but surely even a Palin wouldn't try to get support for a baby that she couldn't prove was born on that day.
ReplyDeleteWhen my daughter was going through her child issues, I helped some, but her lawyer told me to stay out as my help could become an issue and my salary and support moneies could be order as part of her financial support.
ReplyDeletecan they do this in Alaska? If Bristol is receiving any kind of support from Osarah, Osarah money can become part of the financial disclosure. they need to be careful of that.
Levi watch out... Sarah is going to charge you for rent for the time you lived there... then she will say you never lived there or say you are a deadbeat if you do not pay the bill.
ReplyDeleteI do hope Sarah is pissing Levi off enough that he opens up and tells all...
Sarah is accustomed to overwhelming the men around her. The only one we're sure confronted her, Curtis Menard the younger, died shortly after the confrontation. Levi might have a problem with scholarship, but he's not stupid. His infant son lives with an evil, crazy woman.
ReplyDeleteIn order to keep his son alive, he is keeping within certain limits. Until he has legal custody of his child, he can't safely expose this evil woman. I'm praying for his book to come out soon. And sooner, I'm praying for the judges who have been threatened. May they be protected. May they enlist every possible law enforcement agency and tromp all over the threateners. May Trip and Trig be loved and raised in safety by sane people.
I went over to Bree's site and someone there re-posted the picture of Bristol with Mercede in her prom dress. Bristol is wearing a dark "Arizona" hoodie with her hair up just like the girl in one of those party pictures, with her back to the camera. I think she was at that party.
ReplyDeleteHere is the FAQ page for computing child support in the state of Alaska. The first thing I notice is the "retro to birth" bit. According to the AK site, child support goes back to the date the parents split.
ReplyDelete"The custodial parent may request child support from the date the parents separated (even if that was long ago).
The order will tell you when you started owing child support, and when payments are due. "
So....I guess we can assume, according to Van Flea, Bristol and Levi were split up PRIOR to Tripp's birth on Dec. 27th 2008, since he is asking retro to the birth date, rather than their official "split" date. Things that make you go hmmmm......
From the AP report regarding the split March 11th, 2009: "WASILLA, Alaska -- Levi Johnston and Bristol Palin, the teenage daughter of Gov. Sarah Palin, have broken off their engagement, he said Wednesday, about 2 1/2 months after the couple had a baby."
Also, he is basing this child support request on the formulation for "Primary Custody". Defined as "The technical term for when the child(ren) live with one parent more than 30% of the year, which comes out to 110 or more overnights and the other parent less than 30% of the year, or 110 or fewer overnights. If the child(ren) live with each parent more than 110 overnights, the technical term is shared custody. Please remember these are technical terms that should be applied only after the parents have decided on what the best overall schedule, or parenting plan, is for of their child(ren). "
As far as I can see, the "parents" have yet to agree on custody arrangements, so I guess it would be a bit premature to base even interim child support payments upon "primary" custody guidelines, until they either reach agreement on their own, or the courts do it for them.
Added, from the same AP report above: "Star magazine's Web site that quoted Levi's sister, Mercede, as saying Bristol "makes it nearly impossible" to visit the teenagers' infant son, Tripp. The baby was born Dec. 27."
My prediction: Bristol/Van Flea/Grifter Granny will NOT get this support request based on primary custody retro to birth. It is clear, and has been clear that there has been some interference with Levi having "shared custody". If the courts find no compelling reason for Bristol to have primary custody vs. a shared custody arrangement going forward, I highly doubt they would base the retro child support on primary custody computations, especially if that primary custody was not an arrangement agreed to by BOTH parents.
http://www.courts.alaska.gov/supportfaq.htm
There's a lot I don't like about SP, but I don't see much sinister in this request for child support. I doubt Van Flein is expecting it, but he has to start somewhere. Standard procedure would be last year's income at the CSSA rates. Child support is largely formulaic.
ReplyDeleteAlso, assuming child support in Alaska is reasonably similar to that in my state (and given federal "guildelines" it probably is), Bristol's income, be it scant or enormous, is largely irrelevant to a court's decision. Non-custodial parents of rich custodial parents still have an obligation to support their children. (I suspect there may be negotiations to deviate from support guidelines if one party has a lot more money, but if the court is making the decision, it's not that relevant.)
There are times when time-sharing of the child is such that there is a deviation from the Child Support Standards Act. Note that "joint custody" is not the same thing as "shared custody" which is generally not a legal term, but implies relatively equal time for the child with each parent. In my state, and I presume other states but please correct if me it's not true in your state, "joint custody" has primarily to do with decision making for the child (on the big issues of health, education and religion generally).
You people are friggin crazy. Get a new Topic man.
ReplyDeleteAre you all so perfect that you Can put someone under a microscope like this?
I am glad she is, if in fact she is, going after that little shit.
Do you have proof of any of what you spew or are you like your president throwing shit out there in the hopes that something sticks.
You should really read your comments it's like an elementary school yard.
You should be ashamed of yourselves.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but wouldn't Van Flein's legal fees also be considered "income" if they are being paid by someone else? That would be a "gift", no?
ReplyDeleteI hope Rex gets himself a very sharp family practice attorney to clean Van Flein's clock.
Levi would be better off doing nothing, showing he has less income than Bristol, then demanding custody and child support from her.
Sarah live on Oprah is over by now. Oprah must have tossed more soft balls, or there'd be news about it. I won't be watching. I haven't even watched a youtube since the Beck encounter.
ReplyDeleteI am sorry, I know that you want to be something to bring Sarah down, but let's be realistic here. If there really was something to the allegations, the best time to have made these charges public (naturally you would need proof) would have been before her book came out, right after she announced that she would be in Fox News, and/or before she had all those speaking engagements lined up. If people really had proof and facts of any malfeasance the best time would have been then. The fact that none of these "icebergs, hurricanes, etc." were made public is that they DO NOT exist. After all that, I wish you well and may you get whatever you deserve.
ReplyDeleteso bristol files more papers based on lies. there is no doubt at this point that she is just as f-ed up as her mother.
ReplyDeletepoor tripp, frankly he is doomed being raised in the palin house of horrors. given that they are willing to lie in their court docs, they'll be willing to fill tripp's head full of lies about his father. that is a sick, sick family. let's hope that for tripp's sake the judge will see that and do what's REALLY right for the child at this point - remove him from the palin house altogether.
Levi should fight for joint custody, and not back down. Sons need to be with their father.
ReplyDeleteI must respectfully disagree with Anonymous 6:31. Bristol Palin did not get pregnant because she and Levi–of painfully average intellect though they may be–didn't no how to prevent it. And although I don't doubt she had little to no guidance to equip her in navigating her burgeoning sexuality, but I suspect that has less to do with ideology and more to do with the disastrously poor, if non-existent, parenting in the Palin household.
ReplyDeleteNo, Bristol's pregnancy was a mechanism for acting out. It doesn't take, well, a me to intuit the amount of rage present in that mother-daughter relationship. Look at the dynamic in the Van Susteren interview; the body language alone is brimming with pathos. There is plenty of evidence to suggest that Bristol resented Sarah's ambitions, I don't think one need be a dyed in the wool Freudian to contemplate how a unplanned, unwed teen pregnancy would be an exceptional means of publicly, though passively, repudiating her mother.
Anon@6:55-
ReplyDeleteHaving gone through Child Support proceddings, although not in Alaska, I would say Bristol's income is entirely relevant to the Child Support formula.
Using the Ohio model,If Bristol makes more money than him, it does decrease the amount he is liable for. I imagine the formula is pretty standard in all the states.
@ Anonymous 6:56
ReplyDeleteSomebody get up on the wrong side of the bed this morning?
Gryphen do you know the date of the first court hearing? I am sure Levi is concerned for his son which is why is is cautious about when and what he says. I hope the judges in this case are smart enough to realize that no child should have to live in Sarah Palin's household. She is absolutely the worst excuse for a mother I have seen. She cares nothing about any of her children. It's all about money and Bristol is just like her. It doesn't matter what kind of trash you are as long an you are raking in money.
ReplyDeleteAnon @ 6:58 you state that the best time for the proof of any allegations to bring Sarah Palin down should have been before the book tour. I disagree. The time to bring her down should have happened when McCain VETTED her. Oops, he didn't do that, did he? Anytime will be a good time now.
ReplyDeleteWell frankly this is GOOD NEWS.
ReplyDeleteI was afraid that the issue had been settled amicably and would get swept under the bed. Now we know that Levi is not happy and that's what we need.
GO LEVI
GO MERCEDES.
I agree with TrigmundFreud's must respectful disagreement with Anonymous 6:31. First, they went to public school, so I'd bet that they learned all about birth control in health class. Second, they went to public school with other sexually active kids, so I'm sure there was plenty to learn from peers. Third (and most important), I recall Bristol saying in one of her interviews that they did usually use protection.
ReplyDeleteThe mother's income is not relevant. If it were, every deadbeat dad would simply quit his job and claim he had no income so, therefore, he didn't have to pay anything.
ReplyDeleteBristol is claiming in a court filing that Levi has only paid $4,400. You can be very sure she can prove that. Levi's bodyguard tells an internet gossip site that he has paid $10,000. Perhaps he has in which case he simply needs to provide cancelled checks to the court. He might also explain why he went almost a year without paying a dime and why the level of his support payments seems to have increased since the custody filing.
Levi hasn't paid his child support but he does have a new truck, fancy clothes, a new apartment.
The courts don't much like guys like this.
Anon @ 7:29, this is anon @ 6:55. If you go read the link posted, it spells out clearly that in primary custody, only the non-custodial parent's income is used to compute child support. Only "shared custody" uses a formula that computes based on both incomes.
ReplyDeleteChild support computations vary widely from state to state. In WA state, both parents income is always used and plugged into a pre-determined state support schedule to determine the actual support amount. From there, they then compute what percentage of that support amount the parent pays based on how much time is spent with each parent.
All things are not equal, depending on where you live!
She's accused of saying "I chose life". Well, she did not choose marriage. One typically precedes the other. Engagements are a legal contract to marry. Choosing to honor one's promises is a mark of integrity as in integrating one's alleged values into one's life. One does not casually walk away because one is a selfish, or in a blue mood, with hormones askew. She if she is wise she quite possibly should pursue her options with this young man who has apparently a sincere desire to live supportively regarding his son and he has shown some backbone about publicly refusing to humiliate her overmuch. In my humble opinion she would be wise to work it out with her son's father and make a family with him. It will be much more rewarding for her to amalgamate his/her funds toward the best interests of their child. Then she needs to retire from the public and try to find opportunities for happy memory building for her own family which is her son and it should for best result include the child's father. She should emancipate herself from supporting her mother's life. Her mom was a big girl and could find her way quite nicely before Bristol got here and she can figure it out again.
ReplyDeleteI think Team Levi has waited to long to take the gloves off, anything that comes out now is going to look like vindictive lies unless they have documented proof. Sorry but I think Levi is up shit creek without a paddle unless he has something damaging with proof, or someone else in the know starts to talk.
ReplyDeleteKnow matter how the custody turns out the Palin's are in the drivers seat unless he gets full custody, which will never happen. He would have to prove Bristol an unfit mother. With joint custody Levi will be paying support and Bristol can still make excuses for not giving him access to his child and he will constantly going to court and mediation and a waste of money because it never gets settled when the mother is in total control if she's not willing to compromise.
I know my son went thru this for the last 10 years. The oldest is now 18 and can visit whenever she wants but the younger is 16 and still under mama's control. Very sad for the children.
Gryphen,
ReplyDeleteAn article up on TMZ also too, you may want to add a link.
Go Levi!!!
It does seem to me that Tripp is earing his own income when his mother Bri$$$$$$$tol pimps out his pictures to different magazines.
Maybe Levi and his lawyers have been waiting for this custody battle to let loose on the ex-governor. If they had done it before the book tour, they would have no leverage now. By waiting, they hold all the cards.
ReplyDeletePerhaps Van Fleabag has NOT given the green light for these interviews. We know SP does whatever the heck she wants and does not take anyone's advice. She's vindictive and on a mission......
Furthermore, Bristol will need counseling for a while or the rest of her life because of the great demands on her during her youthful years when her personhood should have involved exploring and pursuing her own interests rather than becoming the family cleaning lady, cook, babysitter, au paire. That's not what develops a person. Since that isn't what happened, she needs to step away. She and Levi are spiritually free to marry each other and (kiss the lawyers au revoir) say goodbye to her scullery maid duties and constant computer searching of private citizens for pie sky and get real. It will be hard to extricate herself from her mom's entanglements but the sooner she does it the better for her. She probably doesn't even think about herself. She needs to start. It's an appropriate, if early time to marry Levi if he'll still have her and dissassociate herself from her family of origin. And, she should recognize she needs supportive counseling, Levi needs less counseling; he needs to tell her parameters for allowing Sarah into their lives and Bristol needs to comply. You can go to school and be married. She is missing happy memories during this baby's precious early life 'cuz she won't let the father share the experience possibly because it is not expedient per her mom. Mom had her day in the sun, you'd better believe. Bristol, take yours. Get married and mean it. You're not a princess; he's not a prince but you can treat each other kindly. Try it you might like it and then the lawyers go "byebye". :) They're no fun anyway. $.
ReplyDeleteI don't like reading the negative remarks about Levi. He was thrown into this public thing. He is young. He didn't start the trahing, the Palins did. He only went on interviews to defend his family I think more than himself. Actually he has been pretty closed mouthed about what I am sure he could say about the Palin household. And, why accuse him of being a deadbeat dad when Bristol won't let him see the baby. This baby will grow up and read all of this stuff and will be angry at the Palins for dragging his dad through all of this BS.
ReplyDeleteDamn. Bristol made as much money in a magazine shoot that Levi made in an entire year and she's bitching?
ReplyDeleteShe is ss$carah's Mimi-Me. She comes off as just as selfish and greedy as Mommy Dearest.
I can't believe she'll just jump on anything regarding Levi, even if it's lies or truth, after Levi has been so good to her. I'm sure he could really dog her in the media if he wanted to. But he constantly says good things about her. One of these days, they're gonna push Levi beyond the limit.
Levi has a lot of patience. You got to give him a lot of credit, especially how the Palin's just keep on bad mouthing him.
But from 'Going Rogue', you can see that that is the Palin's SOP. They would be so much better off if they kept their personal feelings to themselves.
ss$carah doesn't seem to grasp that issue.(Along with many other issues.)
To Anonymous @6:56 - I agree with you...to a point! We seem to have an excess of Monday morning quarterbackers, as well as wannabe-attorneys-in-the-making. There is so much repetition that it appears few are reading prior comments, and if they are, then they just want to also get their comments posted.
ReplyDeleteThe topic has been beat to death with little of substance coming out of it, other than the few postings that cite Alaska law.
Now.....I disagree with you when you refer to Levi as "that little shit". I doubt you, or any of us, really know all there is to know about his relationship with Bristol, and she could just as well be a "little shit". So why must anyone bringing themselves to the lowest levels of civility with name calling when the majority know next to nothing, other than what they read that often has little substantiation as to the truth.
The other thing that concerns me about your statement was when you referred to President Obama as "your president throwing shit out there in the hopes that something sticks."
Is he not your president also, or do you live outside of the US? If you are an American, then he is also YOUR president, whether you agree with his actions or not. I rarely agreed with the Bush administration, but he was still MY president and I made every attempt to accept the fact and respect the office.
If you are that unhappy with the president, then move out of the US. If you are unhappy with this website and its postings, then speak your opinion, but try to be more civil.........or just don't come here anymore.
Levi is obligated to make sure the money gets to the child, period.
ReplyDeleteYou don't tell the mother of your child to just 'stop by' to pick up her check...........courts frown on that since too many times, the man puts the check on the bedroom dresser.
I thought the father of the child was always responsible for paying medical bills. So I am wondering if Tripp receives free medical care as being a portion Alaskan Native Indian.
ReplyDeleteSecondly, who gets to claim the child on their income tax as a dependent? Does the person paying child support have a right to that tax claim?
It seems that Van Fleabag is asking Levi to keep his finances confidential so that Bristol can keeps hers confidential, too. I say to hell with Bristol (which is where she is going) and make it public, Levi. Force the hand and have Bristol reveal her finances. Let's see how much she has made pimping out Tripp, and where her money is coming from. The Palins are banking on the idea that you will never say anything bad about Bristol.
ReplyDeleteEnough is enough. It is clear that Bristol has no problem saying bad things about you.
Levi. Blast the woman with all you have. Playing decently with Granny Palin makes no difference to Tripp.
ReplyDeleteShe needs to be taken down for his sake as much as the countries sake.
She is a divisive and evil person.
Anyone who thinks she is a good woman has scrambled eggs for brains.
Getting media attention for the baby fraud will get easier as she over-exposes herself and does crap like InTouch and TMZ.
ReplyDeleteI bet a few outlets are looking into this story and might be ready to be pitched now that Miss O'silla is a Celebrity.
Where is Bristol's accountability?
ReplyDeleteAre we writing her off as a victim, incapable of making responsible, adult choices?
True, she chose not to use birth control. True, she apparently failed to demand Levi use condoms. Unless her raped her - which no one has ever alleged - then, her choice was not to make responsible decisions regarding sex and pregnancy. Unless of course, she wanted to get pregnant to embarrass or hurt her mother.
Bristol seems to have decided to ride the victim train to fame and fortune just like her mother. Sarah has influence over her kids, but Bristol can say no. She is old enough, but does she really want independence? Why would she? She'd have to accept real responsibility for her choice to have sex and the ensuing pregnancy. Why not continue as a child, letting Mommy and Daddy provide the room and board and business opportunities?
Perhaps the temptations of money, fame, a house, a car, a business are all too much for little Bristol. After all, the only decision she made on her own was to have sex. That worked out well, right?
Maybe she is unable to tell right from wrong. In that case, is she capable of raising a child?
If she is even half as responsible as her carefully crafted public image says she is, she is capable of making responsible, adult choices. Choices that would include allowing her son to know his father even when she herself doesn't like him.
Choices that would let Sarah know that she can't be bought. Choices that would prove to herself and others that she is an adult in her own right, not in Sarah's shadow.
I think we make a mistake when we let Bristol off without any responsibility for her choices. She has become a role model of sorts. She is the beneficiary of her part in Sarah's saga. Most importantly, though, she has a duty to become a responsible mother to her child. As long as she lives in Sarah's house, uses Sarah's cars, lets Sarah's attorney fight her battles, and accepts a setup business and paid appearance fees that are tied with Sarah, then Bristol is not an independent adult. She is a dependent child letting someone else make her decisions and support her. Could it be that she is as conniving as mommy? Time will tell.
I had been sympathetic to Bristol until now. She is obviously making a choice to make no real choices. She seems quite content to become a carbon copy of mommy dearest.
Two comments,
ReplyDelete1. This story was well placed by someone on SP's payroll to distract from the fact that today was supposed to be the day that Diane Palin was to be sentenced. Her sentencing was postponed however. So, one would guess that the next date of her sentencing, which I think is January 29th, there will be another stink bomb landing in the press.
2. Levi could of and should mailed the check either directly to Bristol, or through to her lawyer. This 'come and get it' will not play in his favor.
Go Team Levi!!!!!!
ReplyDelete<3
This is all so unfortunate. And, Levi has my utmost sympathies. Am certain too that Rex Butler is on top of the matter.
ReplyDeleteOne thing that is strange on the cheques. Usually, if a father wants to give a support gift or money, it would be wise not to just hand over a stash of cash. To do it legally and binding, and on the books, wouldn't it have been better to "send" the cheques. Receips, or copies, or some form of proof that money was sent, received, any exchange of money should have a lawyer's notification. Levi knew all this time, this past year, that the Palin's might play dirty.
I just hope SP puts her foot in her mouth on Oprey's taping, just enough to spill some inkling to the public that she is a monster. And, that she has her daughter on a leash.
Gryphen...
ReplyDeletewhat do you think would be happening with the Bristol & Levi situation if McCain/Palin had won the election?
Would the need to keep up appearances on a national stage have kept Palin's thirst for payback in check?
It seems like she quit public office so she can live out this sordid cheesy soap opera via her daughter's private life.
If you really want to pay for something like this child support. You send the check, registered mail, to prove the recipient got it. Rex Butler is a smart lawyer, he knows that. You dont make "deals" and ask the parent to come over on a pretense that you are going to pay money. Like Nike says "Just do it"
ReplyDeleteEvery time Sarah Inc. goes after Levi like this she will loose several thousand male supporters who have been treated the same way, or who think they were treated unfairly in a custody fight.
ReplyDeleteNot to mention that van Flein knows he has a sucker on the line and he will bleed her for all she is worth and then some.
Sarah's spending her money like water, she'll end up broke.
Go, SInc. Go.
I've heard about the Escalade--guess Bristol is busy showing it off since $arah is in the Big Apple living the "Hey, I'm Every Real American on Main Street" life. At least I think she's still in NYC, no? And with a $60,000 luxury SUV plus the new compound and all the $$ from the PAC, the book and Faux, Bristol/$arah's asking for child support from Levi? I'm sure the $1750 would just about cover the Palin family's Taco Bell bill every month. Glad this is all public and hope it gets to the Enquirer crowd. I wish Levi all the best in thwarting this.
ReplyDeleteI just posted this at Bree Palin:
ReplyDeleteI am not a lawyer, and I don't play one on TV. But, I've seen enough family fights over money to know a few things.
1. Rex should be requesting a gag order, no TV appearances, no interviews, no twits, tweets or face book, no announcements from a third party or spokesperson, zero nada nothing from all of the people involed in the custody fight. Please do not try this case in the court of public opinion.
2. Rex should insist on a court ordered and supervised DNA test regarding Tripp. (OK, Trig-truthers, Trig too, but he really isn't part of this case unless Levi wants to show that he really is Trig's father, and this is the Palin's hold over him and his family. In short, if he is Trig's father and they are blackmailing him into silence, this is the time to say so).
And just remember that John Edwards was trying to fake a DNA test to prove that baby Quinn wasn't his.
3. There have to be full financial statements made to the court for both parties regarding earnings, potential earnings, future deals. There also has to be an expense report submitted by Bristol that shows how much money is required for the support of Tripp every month. It looks like his room and board don't cost her anything. Rex has to point to the room full of presents that were received, meaning he has lots of toys and clothes. Tripp's medical expenses may be covered under that native heritage rule. Tuition? Is he already enrolled in an expensive university! Come on, Bristol has very few expenses as long as she is living rent free at Mommy's house.
4. Levi should have his own residence and a regular job. I don't think he can depend on his celebrity because one of his arguments is that Bristol's income comes from paid photo sessions using Tripp. For the good of the child, he should not be the subject of a public fight, paid photo sessions or interviews on TV.
5. Rex ought to submit the warning from the judge who presided over the Wooten divorce, admonishing Sarah and Todd to shut up and sit down. Rex should use that, along with the In Touch article, tapes of Sarah's appearance on Oprah with Brisol that Sarah is very much involved in raising Tripp, and that she and Todd have a history of devisive behavior.
6. I'll even say it again. Levi, DNA test for Tripp and Trig. If the Palin's are using any document that was signed when Levi was under age, and he feels that this is a constant threat over his head, this is the time to speak up.
Perhaps Levi wanted to catch a moment alone with Bristol and that's why he asked her to come over to his house.
ReplyDeleteSarah, by now, has audio/video security set up at her house...
"You don't tell the mother of your child to just 'stop by' to pick up her check"
ReplyDeleteYou do if you're not welcome at her house, and she has already refused you access to your child.
To all the people saying that he should have sent the check-- remember, no court-ordered support had, or has, yet been ordered. Two people trying to informally work things out might well choose to do it this way. It's a sign of our intimate knowledge of Mrs. Todd Palin's vengeful ways that we assume that a check is the only way that two teenagers can handle their joint responsibilities for their baby.
Gles-I know for a fact Levi can say Tripp has Native Health care, if Bristol chooses not to use it she is responsible for the cost unless it is something Alaska Native BIA would not cover. Also the person who provides primary custody gets the tax write off, no matter how much the person paying child support pays.
ReplyDeleteMy daughter saw Bristol picking up SP at the Wasilla Target a couple of days ago - in the Escalade. Looks like someone wanting pics needs to hang out at Target!
ReplyDeleteI went to c4p yesterday just to see what was being said. Those people are crazy, one woman was going to buy a bed, but sarahpac needed her money, so she was going to sleep on her blow up bed a little while longer. Are they insane, sarah is making millions and they are sleeping on blow up beds. I hope this woman has no children or she would be spending the formula money on Sarahpac. Of course these nuts do not know what child abuse is (see trig, no shirt, no shoes, etc.) do they delete anything that is anti palin, i did not see any posts that were against her.
ReplyDeleteHe could start a Levi pac and make up a company to work for.
ReplyDeleteLevis old girlfriend said Levi always used a condom.
ReplyDeleteWho knows Bristol may have wanted to become pregnant for her own reasons.
Diana Palin is Todd's half-sister. She was raised by a different mother and was 8 when Todd left home. He barely knows here.
ReplyDeleteOh and wait until interest and penalties are applied to Levi's child support.
ReplyDeleteIt will also be interesting to see how he intends to support himself and his child going forward.
"How much do you have in current assets, how much are you going to earn in the next year, how much do you owe to your attorney?"
"How much do you have in current assets, how much are you going to earn in the next year, how much do you owe to your attorney?"
ReplyDeleteI'd love to see Bristol's answers to those same questions. After all, she, too, is responsible for bringing up Tripp. She has a house, for now, that's in her mother's name-- how long will that last? What kind of housing does she plan to provide on her own? How much does she owe to HER very expensive attorney?
Looks like the trolls are abounding today and know about as much about modern child custody law as the Palins. Here's the deal trolls - family courts try very hard to not break up families. They generally do not give exclusive primary custody to mothers unless the father is practically an axe murderer. More often then not, courts rule for joint, equal custody. In that case, the mother's income matters very much. If she makes substantially more money than he does, and they share equal custody, it is more than likely she would pay child support to him. Come out of the 1960s trolls! The Palin's Wooten intimidation redux isn't going to work and since the judge ruled the proceedings would be public, she realizes what the Palins are up to.Your precious Palins are really just back-woods thugs.
ReplyDeleteAnon at 9:44 -
ReplyDelete"Levi knew all this time, this past year, that the Palin's might play dirty."
At the time of their break up, Levi seemed to be hurt. I really think he cared about Bristol, and was blindsided by the breakup, so he may have not documented cash that he gave her. It may sound stupid now, but he might have trusted his fiance to be on the up and up. We all know how it worked out, because hindsignt is 20/20.
Those pictures of him playing beer pong are old pictures, and include Mercede when her hair was darker, and Bristol. I think they were taken in February 2008, shortly after Trig was actually born (his announced date was April 18, 2008, but that's a lie, IMO.)
So, those friends who sold the pics are probably people who Levi doesn't even hang with anymore. They are probably being paid by Palin.
OT, but Gryphen, wait til you see Sarah's hairdo on the Oprah show (pic posted at Palingates). Now, lately, I have not been wanting time to be wasted on what her hair looks like, or how she is dressed, or how much makeup she has on (except when I know the Grifter was trying to hide what she spent some of the SarahPac $$ on) BUT this is hilarious. Today she looks like some of the fundamentalist women who are supporting her, well, except maybe for the makeup. She looks like the lady business owner who paid the big bucks for the "dinner with Sarah Palin," (and probably has not gotten it)! What happened? Did the hairdress who got stiffed on her fee come back for revenge? Did the home perm get left in a little too long? Did the curling iron overheat?
ReplyDeleteI predict that Bristol and Sarah are going to get exactly what they are asking for. Its sad really that this boy is going to get run over by the Palin train all because no one will take this woman down.
ReplyDeleteOnce the custody order is done there will be no going back. Levi will barely have access to his son and will pay out the nose for it.
Obviously the Palins are not afraid of anything Levi knows.
That poor kid, I wish someone would help him.
Anon 10:42, Alaska law is very clear. The parent who is not primary custodian, in this case Levi, pays child support to the parent who is primary.
ReplyDeleteExpenses don't enter into it. The mother's financial situation doesn't matter - the (absent) father pays 20% of his income, period. And you don't get to have the mother pick up the money, you don't get to trade support payments for sex or visitation.
OK, unless $carah pocketed Bristol's money she made in the last year (which isn't far-fetched), Bristol made 5 times what Levi probably did. Plus, she lives rent free, etc. and has her own transportation.
ReplyDeleteI figure she needs to submit the amount she spends for the necessities for Tripp (but no rent, etc. since she doesn't pay that), the judge could use that figure, and rule that Levi only has to pay 1/5 of it.
If Bristol wants more, she needs to get a place of her own and out from under her mother's butt. She can afford it.
@11:32
ReplyDeleteAu contraire, she seems to have glommed on to the Palin gravy train quite a while ago:
http://palingates.blogspot.com/2009/12/palin-johnston-custody-trial-some.html
There have been some good legal comments here. And here's my 2 cents worth:
ReplyDelete1. Any money that Levi has given Bristol is not child support - it's a gift. Why? It has not been court ordered yet. As many men have found out it's only child support when the court orders it and it's best to pay through the court so there is legal verification of payment.
2. Custody and visitation has not been set by the court. Bristol by default has custody and Levi has visitation at her discretion. Now this has been taken to court, Levi will get regular visitation that can be enforced by the court. No more control by the Palin contingent.
3. Many states have either income shares child support calculation or straight NCP percentage of income calculation. It appears that if shared custody is ordered, then Alaska income share models will be used to calculate child support. Bristol will have to reveal all her income and it will be used in the calculations. Most likely why she is requesting sole custody. She might, if it is proven that she makes more money than Levi, be ordered to pay Levi child support.
4. Custody cases can get quite nasty and we have not seen the last of it from the Palin camp. Levi must walk a narrow tightrope of defending himself from the allegations while not bashing Bristol. Why? Custody can often be decided on the "friendly parent" theory, where whichever parent is more likely to foster a relationship between the child and the other parent, is the one to win more custody share.
That being said - go team Levi!
@ anon 07:50,
ReplyDeleteYou said "He might also explain why he went almost a year without paying a dime and why the level of his support payments seems to have increased since the custody filing.
Levi hasn't paid his child support but he does have a new truck, fancy clothes, a new apartment."
Actually, you are wrong about the timing of Levi's payments, even according to Bristol's own filing. She states Levi paid $3000 on Sept 9, 2009. Bristol did not file for custody until approximately Nov 4, 2009. So nice try, but you are completely wrong here. I suspect that Bristol finally filed because Levi had started threatening his own legal action after repeatedly being denied seeing his son.
As far as "Levi hasn't paid his child support", even Bristol admits he has paid $4400 last year. He may well have paid more including cash payments. And I believe that Levi has been generous with Tripp regarding many nice gifts he has given him. So I don't know how you can honestly say "Levi hasn't paid his child support", when there have been precisely ZERO decisions from the court thus far on how much support Levi needs to pay. Instead, he has paid several thousand before the filing ever occurred. I would also note that Bristol is having an awful lot provided for her: she lives in a big expensive house, drives a big expensive car, and so I would think that the $4400 AT LEAST that Levi paid on his own last year, without any court order requiring it, would have paid for an awful lot of diapers, formula, and other needs for the baby.
Anyone repeating the idea that Levi didn't use his best chance to expose Sara is wrong.
ReplyDeleteShould he have done it before she was nominated to be V.P.?
After she lost the election but was still governor? Don't forget the child wasn't born for some of this time.
He should have revealed all this AFTER his child was born to the daughter of this woman WHILE she was still the governor? She does have a pattern of using state employees to settle scores according to many often repeated and printed rumors.
Maybe he should have revealed this after she resigned as governor, but while her daughter still had full possession of the child.
If something damaging comes out in court, in the battle that Sara herself has been rumored to have started both by the legal filings, and the control of all involved then that is the time for it to come out.
If this legal battle (or any other involving the Palins ) gets to depositions and actual court testimony ( and cross examination),
it will be a complete fiasco.
If Sara thought Katie Couric was asking mean unfair questions ( or whatever she has said- not taking the time to look up the exact quotes-so I might be wrong:))- wait until she meets up with a competent trial lawyer.
Competent trial attorneys THRIVE on inconsistencies, half truths, and attempts to distract NEVER work.
Any word salad will have to be dissected word by word to reveal what it actually means (IF IT HAS ANY MEANING!). Not being able to repeat or remember what was said at any time in the past will be ALWAYS exploited by the other side.
Hostility, uncooperative answers, and game playing will not hurt the opponents, only her.
Many people with certain personality traits have a difficult time understanding this.
Particularly those who think they make their own rules, and may break any other rules on their own whim as they see fit.
How would you go about telling someone like this that they will LOOSE in every way in court? When they are paying you by the hour....?
The idea that Levi should have acted like someone else and spilled all these beans is wrong. I do not criticize those that wish the beans had been spilled, I wish they had too.
I hope Levi has competent legal advice, he needs it
to defend himself and his child.
IANAL, but isn't it true that Bristol's income and her new corporation's income are two separate things? I think Bristol can be earning all the money to put into her LCC then pay herself a modest salary. Then if the court wants to know how much Bristol is making she can legally report her salary as her income. If Levi hasn't started his own corporation yet, he should seriously think about it. I believe child support would be based on his personal income, not his company's income.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, I am very symp toward Levi.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, the 'trick' of you have to come to my house to pick up the child support check so I can see my child simply does not wash in any state. One cannot withhold child support on the basis of whether or not visitation obligations are met. You pay the support, via US Mail, regardless, if you want to be taken credibly by the court. Visitation is a separate issue.
May not seem fair, but Levi can't allow himself to play games like this (if true) - it will only hurt his case.
Now, in defense of Levi. Of course none of us really know who makes what. But certainly Bristol's 'takings' enter into the equation of how much support is granted. It's not based on Levi's alone.
Furthermore, whatever free housing is given either of them also enters into the mix. . .the actual cost of living for either of them.
It seems to me that Bristol, even if she is making money, appears not to have many burdens regarding housing or child care, etc.
Levi has to be careful to not try any tricks that will align him with the dirty tricks of the Palin camp.
"Diana Palin is Todd's half-sister. She was raised by a different mother and was 8 when Todd left home. He barely knows here."
ReplyDeletehe obviously knows her well enough so that she was invited (and accepted) to go to Arizona on election night. pics have already been posted at palingates of diana palin hanging around the pool with the hillbilly clan.
I seriously doubt they would have flown her to arizona if todd "hardly knew her."
When my sister and brother-in-law divorced, she was really rotten to him. She played games and told him he could only see the kids after he paid child support. He got wise to her very quickly. Every check he sent was a Certified check from the bank and sent via Registered Mail w/signature required. Levi definitely made a mistake in saying that Bristol needed to pick up the child support. I don't blame him for not going there as we don't know if Todd or Sarah were threatening him with bodily harm. It's definitely possible. But he still should have sent the money. That being said, if she is really seeking $1750 a month for a one year old, she is looking for money for herself, too. It doesn't cost anywhere near that amount to support a child, especially living rent-free w/built-in babysitting and a car to drive as needed.
ReplyDeleteIt's past time for Levi to reveal the truth about Sarah. They can't do anything about it but whatever he says, I hope he has some solid proof to back things up. It's not that I don't believe him but there are many people that won't believe a word he says without proof.
I hope the judge asks for copies of cleared checks to see just who exactly is paying bristol's lawyer bill.
ReplyDeletelevi is f-ed. if the judge awards joint custody, they will file an appeal. if that doesn't work, they will harrass him and file new papers on a regular basis. this is a CRUEL, EVIL family, and he's in for hell for the next 17 years. bet he'll probably never have another kid after this experience.
Wouldn't it be funny if the court named a guardian ad litem to represent the child and then decreed that until this child is 18, all money earned from photo shoots and PR events involving him had to be put in a trust fund in his name and for his use only, LOL. Don't know what the legal precedent is for that in Alaska, but it would certainly be interesting.
ReplyDeleteSomething that I'm finding really weird is that Family Law is not in Van Flein's area of expertise (nor anyone else in his firm; they all appear to practice insurance defense). His practice areas, from the firm's website:
ReplyDeleteEmployment Law/Personnel Matters/Ethics*
Professional Liability
Appellate Advocacy
Construction Defect
Business Litigation
Insurance Bad Faith
That's not to say that he is barred from handling custody cases, but I find it bizarre that he didn't hand off the case to another attorney, even in another firm, to someone who handles family law/custody type cases on a routine basis. I'm not even saying that it's "unethical" to him to continue handling Bristol's case, but I also don't believe that it's wise. It makes me believe that the Palin's are insistent that Van Flein continue handling the case to keep a bunch of secrets hidden.
*Does that crack anyone else up? "Ethics" as one of his practice areas ...? Yeah, we know why he's SP's attorney ... ;)
MadCityKaren, what kind of lawyer is Rex Butler?
ReplyDeleteCome on now. All struggling single mothers drive a $60,000 Cadillac Escalade. eye roll. The gas alone would kill me. If anything gets set up for Levi's custody battle count me in.
ReplyDeleteBarb
Wow! It costs $3,500 a month to raise a child in Wasilla? That's assuming Levi's half of child support is $1,750 a month.
ReplyDeleteThat must be SOME mortgage payment Sarah's got for the new house.
What a great resource!
ReplyDeleteOh, I though struggling mom's all had Bentley's with a chauffeur. That escalade sure taught me. Put a little flag or two on it. It will make your hair curly.
ReplyDelete