Sarah Palin emails: Palin miffed about reporter investigating family travel expenses

In July 2008, Sarah Palin was upset when a reporter inquired about state payment for family travel.

On July 3, Palin’s deputy press secretary, Sharon Leighow, emailed Palin a note saying she had spoken “at length� with Anchorage Daily News reporter Kyle Hopkins “about First Family travel.�

“He asked about the Barrow trip and why the state should pay for Piper’s travel expenses,� wrote Leighow, referring to Palin’s youngest daughter and a trip to Barrow on the state’s remote North Slope.

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“Huh?� replied the governor, “Is he writing a story on the First Family’s invitation to attend a native celebration. The state only bought one, one-way ticket for only one other member of the First Family. ... When we’re invited to a family event I do road trips when possible, but Barrow ain’t a road trip. They were thrilled at least Piper could make it ... and we didn’t even spend the night, so no hotel!�

She added that her travel was “1/4 what Murk’s was� -- referring to her predecessor Frank Murkowski -- “despite having a large family that’s invited to all these Alaska first family events.�

Palin asked Leighow to have the reporter call an organizer of the Barrow event to verify “this was a first family event.�

“And,� Palin concluded, “flippin’a ... do they need an explanation for Trig being there also, in his snugglie?� Trig, her fifth child, was 11 weeks old at the time.

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