Stop Gov. Palin from misleading the American Electorate

We, the undersigned citizens of the United States, petition Senator John S. McCain and Governor Sarah Palin to stop misleading the public by making false and misleading statements regarding Gov.  Sarah Palin's record.   This request is critical since many voters are being persuaded by these misleading statements.  So that voters can make an informed choice in this election, we demand that:  

1.        Palin must stop saying that she said to "congress, thanks, but no thanks to that Bridge to Nowhere". 

      McCain must tell the truth:  The record shows that she never said "no thanks" to the federal funds promised, $233 million.  According to CBS news, "she wanted the bridge until the end and kept the money."   On October 22, 2006,  Palin said in response to whether she would support the Bridge, "Yes. I would like to see Alaska's infrastructure projects built sooner rather than later. The window is now -- while our congressional delegation is in a strong position to assist."  Earlier she said "Alaska's congressional delegation worked hard to obtain funding for the bridge as part of a package deal and I would not stand in the way of the progress toward that bridge."  http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/gop_convention_spin_part_ii.html.  According to Media Matters, "Alaska took the bridge money, and then just spent it on other projects. Palin did make the final call to kill plans for the bridge, but by the time she did [in 2007] it was no longer a politically viable project."

2.       Palin must stop saying: "I fought to bring about the largest private-sector intrastructure project in North American history.  And when that deal was struck, we began a nearly forty billion dollar natural gas pipeline to help lead America to energy independence. "

McCain must tell the truth:   There is no deal to build a natural gas pipeline from Alaska. All that the governor obtained for her $500 million in state cash assistance is a promise from TransCanada that it will try to obtain federal licensing and financing to build the pipeline - nothing more than a pledge to try. At best, the first gas through the pipe is 10 years away.  http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/gop_convention_spin_part_ii.html

3.       Palin must stop saying:  "I championed reform to end the abuses of earmark spending by Congress."  

McCain must tell the truth:  Watchdog group Taxpayers for Common Sense has reported that the small town of Wasilla, Alaska, which had not previously received significant federal funds, hauled in almost $27 million in earmarks while Palin was mayor. (McCain has explicitly criticized several of the Wasilla earmarks in recent years.) To help obtain these earmarks, Palin had hired Steven Silver, the former chief of staff for recently indicted Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens, as Wasilla's lobbyist.

And Palin continued to solicit federal funds as governor. A request form on Stevens' Web site shows that she requested $160.5 million in earmarks for the state in 2008, and almost $198 million for 2009. 

http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/gop_convention_spin_part_ii.html

4.             Palin must stop saying that "I came to office promising major ethics reform to end the culture of self-dealing, and today that ethics reform is the law."

McCain must tell the truth: Gov. Palin is under investigation by a bipartisan state legislative panel to investigate whether Palin and her aides pressured and ultimately fired the public safety commissioner for not removing Palin's ex-brother-in-law from the state police force.  Washington Post, 8/30/2008.  Also, her behavior as Governor raises questions about self-dealing.  For example,  Gov. Sarah Palin has charged her state a daily allowance, totally $17,000 for "travel",  normally used for official travel, for more than 300 nights spent at her home, including travel costs for 3 nights in a hotel room costing more than $700 a night so that she and  her daughter, Bristol, could attend a leadership meeting.  She further billed taxpayers $43,490 for travel by her husband and children.  To which State finance director Kim Garnero said that the government covers the travel costs of anyone conducting state business and, "I can't imagine kids could be doing that."

5.        Palin must stop saying she is for transparency in Government.

McCain must tell the truth:  Gov. Palin is now reneging on her earlier pledge to cooperate with the Alaska Legislature's investigation into Troopergate.  She is refusing to let the public see over 1100 emails based on Executive Privilege when some of those emails were copied to a private citizen, Todd Palin, and many had subject lines suggesting they were not about policy matters.  Instead it appears that the emails were about Palin's political foes and a well-known Alaskan journalist. 

6.        The McCain campaign must stop saying that Palin "took on" indicted Senator Ted Stevens.

McCain must tell the truth:   In July 2008, Palin said about Ted Stevens, "I have great respect for the senator and he needs to be heard across America, his voice, his experience, his passion needs to be heard across America so that Alaska can contribute more. I again have great respect for him and I agree there's a big difference between reality and perception regarding our relationship."  Moreover, Palin served as  co-director of a 527 organization bearing Stevens' name. 

7.       The McCain campaign must stop saying that Palin gained Commander in chief experience by being head of the state's National Guard.

McCain must tell the truth:   According to Maj. Gen. Craig Campbell, "Palin plays no role in national defense action... the entire operation is under federal control, the governor is not briefed on situations."

Thank you. 

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