WORLD> America
Palin to return donations from tainted politicians
(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-09-26 14:34

JUNEAU, Alaska -- Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin said late Thursday she would donate to charity more than $1,000 in campaign contributions from two Alaska politicians who were implicated in a sprawling public corruption scandal. She's also handing back another $1,000 from the wife of one of the men.

US Republican vice-presidential nominee Alaska Governor Sarah Palin (C) adjusts her glasses as she and Cindy McCain, wife of US Republican presidential nominee Senator John McCain (R-AZ), listen during the Clinton Global Initiative in New York September 25, 2008. [Agencies]

Related readings:
 Palin kept donations from tainted politicians
 Palin defends Alaska-Russia foreign policy remark
 Palin once blessed to be free from 'witchcraft'
 Laura Bush: Palin lacks foreign policy experience

The announcement from a spokesman for the campaign of Republican nominee John McCain came hours after The Associated Press reported Palin had accepted the checks during her successful 2006 run for Alaska governor in the weeks after the FBI raided the offices of the lawmakers.

The ensuing scandal became a rallying point for candidate Palin, who was swept into office after promising voters she would rid Alaska's capital of dirty politics.

"Of course, Governor Palin has made a career of holding herself to the highest standards of ethics. As soon as the governor learned of the donations today, she immediately decided to donate them to charity," said the spokesman, Taylor Griffin.

Griffin said he did not know which charity would receive the money from Palin's old campaign fund, but expected the return to take place as early as Friday.

The two men were snagged in a federal investigation that revolves around an oil field services company once known as VECO Corp. Executives from the company remain at the center of the trial of Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens that began this week in Washington.

Palin felt so strongly about the public corruption indictment of once-powerful Sen. John Cowdery this summer that she urged him to resign, but not strongly enough to return the $1,000 he gave to help get her elected.

Cowdery was indicted in July on two federal bribery counts; the other donor, former Rep. Bruce Weyhrauch, is awaiting trial.

The contributions to the joint campaign of Palin and Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell did not suggest any wrongdoing, lawmakers typically spread donations around to other candidates, and none had any obvious connection to the rising Republican star before she took office. But they were a political liability.

   Previous page 1 2 Next Page