Reform is a Relative Term

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Alaska Funded Palin Kids' Travel

Associated Press Writers Brett J. Blackledge,
Adam Goldman and Matt Apuzzo

ANCHORAGE, Alaska – Gov. Sarah Palin 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.

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.

In all, Palin has charged the state $21,012 for her three daughters' 64 one-way
and 12 round-trip commercial flights since she took office in December 2006.
In some other cases, she has charged the state for hotel rooms for the girls.

State Finance Director Kim Garnero told The Associated Press she has not reviewed
the Palins' travel expense forms, so she could not say whether the daughters'
travel with their mother would meet the definition of official business.

On Aug. 6, three weeks before Republican presidential nominee Sen. John McCain
chose Palin his running mate, and after Alaska reporters asked for the
records, Palin ordered changes to previously filed expense reports
for her daughters' travel.