Posted on 02/01/2010 2:22:09 PM PST by kristinn
Sarah Palin has been using her political action committee to buy up thousands of copies of her book, "Going Rogue," in order to mail copies of the memoir to her donors, newly filed campaign records show.
The former Alaska governor and 2008 Republican vice presidential candidate had her political organization spend more than $63,000 on what her reports describe as "books for fundraising donor fulfillment." The payments went to Harper Collins, her publisher, and in some instances to HSP Direct, a Virginia-based direct mail fundraising firm that serves a number of well-known conservative politicians and pundits.
Sarah PAC spent another $8,000 on colorful bookmarks designed by a Nashville-based event branding firm. And her committee paid her publisher $20,000 for what appears to have been the cost of sending her personal photographer and another aide along on her book tour. Those expenses are listed by the PAC as travel repayment to Harper Collins.
All of the purchases took place in November and December of 2009, the records show.
SNIP
(Excerpt) Read more at abcnews.go.com ...
This arrangement may be technically legal, but it gives an appearance of impropriety. Hillary Clinton may have done the same thing. But Palin should not be perceived to have the ethics of the Clintons.
Under the category of: There is No There, There.
How disappointing for the Palin bashers.
This is standard practice by numerous fund-raising organizations and charities, as well as politicians. If you donate this much, you get a free book or video.
Only a kneejerk Leninist media type could possibly think there was anything wrong with it. No, she is not buying them for herself and piling them up in a storage barn somewhere. Her fund raising campaign is using it as a donation sweetener. Standard practice.
What is the appearance? Do you understand the difference between Sarah Palin and, say...Jim Wright?
It does ? It seems prefectly reasonable to me. I mean, what is the publisher to do with extra books? Why can't she buy them herself, and give them away ? Her PAC bought them, she ought to be able to give them away if she wants to. It's not like the subject isn't something SarahPAC donees wouldn't want to read.
She’s good!
(((PING)))
Yes, she is! Impressive work-ethic to stand there and take pictures of everyone who met the governor.
This is pretty normal practice. The PAC doesn’t own the rights to the book, in order to distribute, they have to buy them like everyone else (albeit I’m sure at a good discount). Out of the million plus sold, I doubt a few thousand would do anything to the numbers.
What appearance of impropriety? It would be inappropriate if she procured them from the publisher (the real owner) without pay. Paying for the book is the most ethical approach. Only someone with severe PMS (Palin Madness Syndrome) would think it inappropriate.
an appearance of impropriety
For a republican this is unacceptable,
for a democrat this calls for denials
and counter accusations.
That`s awfully charitable of you...roll eyes
It must suck to have your idol fall from grace. I know it did for me.
Sarah has not fallen from Grace...Get a life!!!
If the lady runs of course I’ll vote for her. I guess we all have to compromise from time to time and Sarah is far from immune to that if she wants to make a go for the WH.
Glad to hear it :)
I don’t recall seeing this mentioned anywhere with regards to the Palin story. Is it any different?
http://mittromneycentral.com/2009/12/13/romney-book-event-expects-10000-attendees/
“The Hinckley Institute of Politics (University of Utah) is hosting a book signing and lecture to discuss Mitt Romney’s new book No Apology: The Case for America’s Greatness, which is set to be released on March 2, 2010.
The event will take place at the Salt Palace on March 13 (the day after Romney’s birthday). The event [hopes to have] 10,000 attendees, all of whom will receive a signed copy of the new book. Tickets will go on sale on Thursday (Dec.17) at 10:00 AM, evidently through a new website to be launched at that time: MittRomneyUtah.com. Pricing is not yet known. We will update when we know more.”
Buy a ticket to the event, get a book.
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