Sarah Palin: an earmark unto herself

Hat-tip to my son Ezra, who pointed me to this article. Lifted in toto from Wesleying's Sarah Palin: an earmark unto herself:

John McCain talks a lot about his zeal for cutting earmarks. But, could his running mate be an earmark unto herself?

As governor of Seward's Icebox Alaska, Sarah Palin not only billed the state to live in her own house, she also "charged the state for her children to travel with her, including to events where they were not invited, and later amended expense reports to specify that they were on official business," reports the Associated Press.

The charges included costs for hotel and commercial flights for three daughters to join Palin to watch their father in a snowmobile race, and a trip to New York, where the governor attended a five-hour conference and stayed with 17-year-old Bristol for five days and four nights in a luxury hotel.

As if treating her kids to a week at the Ritz while they watched daddy race a snowmobile wasn't enough, the spending blitz continues: this time, on the RNC's dime.

Politico reported yesterday that the Republican National Committee has funded Palin's haute couture since she appeared as numero dos on the Republican ticket. While it's definitely made her the sexiest vice presidential candidate I've ever seen, it sure has sapped some cash from the RNC's campaign funds:

The Republican National Committee appears to have spent more than $150,000 to clothe and accessorize vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin and her family since her surprise pick by John McCain in late August.

According to financial disclosure records, the accessorizing began in early September and included bills from Saks Fifth Avenue in St. Louis and New York for a combined $49,425.74

The records also document a couple of big-time shopping trips to Neiman Marcus in Minneapolis, including one $75,062.63 spree in early September.

The Republican National Convention also spent $4,716.49 on hair and makeup through September after reporting no such costs in August.

If John Edwards' $400 haircuts were excessive, and McCain's $520 leather shoes were over the top, how does $150,000 fit in?

McCain prides himself on cutting wasteful spending... maybe he should take a look at the $49,425.74 outfit on the woman campaigning at his side.

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