Recapping Palin's Secession Scandal
by georgia10
Tue Sep 02, 2008 at 06:54:06 AM PDT

If you spent yesterday at a Labor Day picnic rather than at the computer, you missed the story that broke here regarding Sarah Palin's 1990s membership in the Alaskan Independence Party (AIP).

Note I said Independence not Independent. It's not just an "independent" party--it is a party whose explicit goal is to have a vote on Alaskan independence.

So, without further ado, what we know so far (all the information, and much, much more can be found here, here, here, and here):

*As user Liz Bennett first informed us, the AIP is a political party in Alaska whose motto is "Alaska First." It's goal is to have a vote on Alaska's state status so that Alaskans may decide whether the state should secede, become a territory, become a commonwealth, or remain a state.

*The AIP has what most Americans would qualify as radical views on the relationship between the federal government and Alaska, including a belief that the federal government should be dissolved if gun rights are ever abolished or curtailed, a belief that the federal government is in breach of the Constitution, and complete opposition to environmental regulations and public ownership of Alaskan land.

*It is confirmed that Sarah Palin and her husband were members of the AIP at least in 1994. Indeed, Palin reportedly attended the AIP convention.

*In 2007, the Vice Chairman of the AIP, Dexter Clark, not only referenced Palin's membership, but also said that since she joined the GOP, "she is pretty well sympathetic to her former membership." Clark also goes on to discuss the need to "infiltrate" the major parties.

*In 2008, Palin recorded a message for the AIP's annual convention, stating that Alaska has "a great promise to be a self-sufficient state" and encouraging them to "keep up the good work."

Still no statement from the McCain/Palin camp on these developments. We'll be posting more on this story throughout the day.