Despite the Republican National Committee’s promise to donate Sarah Palin’s $180,000 campaign wardrobe to charity, word has it the Alaska governor’s clothes remain stuffed in trash bags at RNC headquarters, NewMajority has learned.
While Palin followed through on her promise to return her controversial wardrobe after the election, it seems the RNC has not followed through on its promise to give most of the clothes away.
During the 2008 campaign, GOP vice presidential candidate Palin was pummeled with accusations that she had overspent on clothes for herself, and even for her family — down to baby Trig. Palin asserted at the time that the clothes belonged to the RNC. They were not her property and would be returned at the end of the campaign. A campaign spokeswoman backed up those claims, saying, “It was always the intent that the clothing go to a charitable purpose after the campaign.” It was also understood that those that had not been worn would be returned to the appropriate retailer; those that had been worn would be used for some other purpose, perhaps auctioned off for charity or to retire campaign debt.
The expense was shared between the RNC and the McCain-Palin campaign through a joint account, but ultimately are the RNC’s problem to deal with. The final price tag for the expensive duds from the likes of Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue, as well as a number of other retailers, totaled $180,000, according to Federal Election Commission records.
But for reasons that remain mysterious, the clothes remain stashed at the RNC’s Washington, D.C., headquarters. A source close to the issue told NewMajority that the clothes are “in the process” of being donated, and an RNC spokesman corroborated, saying the clothes have indeed been returned from Palin, “inventoried and will be appropriately dispersed to various charities.” Attempts for an explanation of when and where the clothes will be donated went unanswered, and the governor’s Alaska office does not comment on campaign issues.
The fact that the clothes have not been donated or publicly accounted for, however, has angered some big donors – who want to know exactly how their money was spent, and who are already enraged by the extravagant wardrobe figure. They say it’s time for the RNC to air its dirty laundry, if you will.
“Has the party not learned their lesson?” a source who raises significant funds for the party said in response to the news of the undonated clothing. “First they make a colossal mistake of judgment by even agreeing to squander the party’s resources on these clothes and then compound the error by failing to properly dispose of them. If they think donors are going to sit by and simply accept this they are mistaken.”
Supporters of the Alaska governor should worry that the RNC’s stalling lends credence to negative speculation. Did the RNC and campaign spend more than the quoted $180,000 figure? How much was spent on other members of Palin’s family? Perhaps the RNC hopes that stashing the clothes will make the story go away. That is unrealistic; if the governor returns to the national stage, so will any unanswered questions.
Photo courtesy of dotpolka.
41 responses so far
1 joemarier // Jan 23, 2009 at 5:45 am
Yeah, I’ve done the same thing with clothes I plan to donate. I wouldn’t consider this a scandal. Methinks someone at the RNC should contact Catholic Charities.
2 MarkG555 // Jan 23, 2009 at 6:24 am
Props to the writer for surfacing previously unknown information, but — this is today’s featured post? conservatism is going to ‘win again’ by continuing the ridiculous obsession with Sarah Palin’s campaign wardrobe?
3 bethanyshondark // Jan 23, 2009 at 8:40 am
By conservatives making these comments and publishing these stories, it undercuts liberals doing the same. I hope that this story is a sign that the New Majority does not view Palin as our saviour in 2012 – that would surely be a death blow to the Republican Party.
4 DLJ // Jan 23, 2009 at 9:02 am
My wife frequently drives around with a white trash bag in the back of her Subaru containing our used clothes until she happens by the Salvation Army store. Thanks for the reminder to bust her chops. No doubt this practice is increasing her carbon footprint.
5 empirical // Jan 23, 2009 at 9:29 am
Perhaps, the clothes are remaining somewhat closeted, until the former beauty queen takes another turn on the stage.
6 beran // Jan 23, 2009 at 9:30 am
why aren’t we, as Republicans, worrying about who is financing Michelle O.’s clothes? Or is this going to be another conduit for Republican self-destruction?
7 mythusmage // Jan 23, 2009 at 9:50 am
Somebody keeps forgetting to assign responsibility for the stuff. The head of the RNC needs to point at somebody and tell him, “See that stuff over there? That’s your responsibility. You will get it donated to some charity, and you will not pass on the responsibility to anyone else.”
8 bhshore1 // Jan 23, 2009 at 9:51 am
waaaa…waaaa come on now – Palin is a “B” level player …and your Bush conservatism has ruined America as he socialized the banks, insurance, auto industries….stop crying – it’s the neo conservatives that have caused 80 % of our current mess…..Real conservatives – limited gov’t who are not on the take….
9 Tempest // Jan 23, 2009 at 11:07 am
Critical against Palin & GOP again? Did you ever ask how much the DNC spent on Obama or his wife while they were on the campaign trail. How much was Michelle’s wardrobe for the inauguration?
Palin said she’d return the clothes and has, yet you still want to hammer out negativity.
10 mdntsun // Jan 23, 2009 at 11:18 am
funny you should want to build conservatism by gossiping about clothes! Typical POP CULT
11 dadai.2 // Jan 23, 2009 at 11:40 am
A non-story conflated to hoped for importance by the author… as revealed by the last sentence which is a bit overwrought, brimming with imagined prophetic wisdom.
Ah yes, this unanswered question could come back to haunt a future campaign of the Sarah Palin… what happened to the clothes?! right.
Our Republican Party does need help.
12 Just_Saying // Jan 23, 2009 at 11:41 am
Hard to believe a “conservative site” would dredge up this information if it truly is trying to move the conservative agenda forward.
Should be ashamed for bringing it up! Sounds more like a liberal cause of action than a conservative one…
13 jobo // Jan 23, 2009 at 11:54 am
I have emailed MemberRelations@gop.com suggesting they donate Palin’s campaign wardrobe to “Dress For Success” an organization that provides a suit to women to interview for jobs. Please consider contacting them as well. I think that would be a good use for the wardrobe. Aiding people looking for work that do not have the means or knowledge about purchasing “the interview suit.”
As always IMHO and YMMV
14 Scott in Los Angeles // Jan 23, 2009 at 12:29 pm
Hear, hear! to the post and to bethanyshondark’s comment @ 8:40am.
15 psmiley // Jan 23, 2009 at 1:32 pm
Why is a “conservative” site bringing up the Palin clothes issue again? Lets talk about the waste of 175+ million for an inauguration party. She is a true conservative and deserves better. Is McCain part of this New Majority? If so, it has nothing to do with conservatism.
16 CoalMan // Jan 23, 2009 at 1:52 pm
Send the clothes to Gitmo. Give them to the poor guys we’ve been torturing so they have something to wear when we “liberate” them. Dressed like this they should be able to survive by impersonating women with beards in their “home” countries where otherwise they’d be shot for having been captured by unbelievers!!
Get Real, this the new conservative majority
17 CoalMan // Jan 23, 2009 at 2:07 pm
You know Karmic Irony, other than the cheezy manner it appears you operate under and kinda “playbook/talking point” comments you made, you’re RIGHT!! Pretty ironic huh?
18 Karmic Irony // Jan 23, 2009 at 2:20 pm
What a shock, you cons are falling all over yourselves to believe a phony, conflated claim yet again re: the $160-175M inauguration cost claim. Typical of you cons-it doesn’t matter if a claim is true, it only matters if it pushes your “happily righteously indignant” button.
First of all, the claim that Bush only spent $42M in 2005 EXCLUDES security costs, while the *as yet unsubstantiated* $160M Obama claim INCLUDES security costs. Of course, since 2005 it has been documented that the feds and DC spent a combined $115M on security for Bush’s 2005 inauguration. Gee, add those up and you come up with, err, $160M spent on Bush 2005.
Where was your righteous indignation THEN? Oh right, it was your boy being inaugurated, so that was a non-issue.
But of course the fact that Bush spent essentially the same amount in 2005 won’t stop you from trumpeting the phony claim that Obama’s inauguration cost 4X as much as Bush’s. That would prevent you from reveling in your righteous indignation.
19 CoalMan // Jan 23, 2009 at 2:43 pm
Don’t hate Karmic
20 CoalMan // Jan 23, 2009 at 2:47 pm
and by the way the reason we’re falling all over ourselves is that the vast right wing conspiracy is becoming so crowded, we’re just foaming at the mouth at tackling the BIG issues in reference to the ONE (like how much he spent on the immaculation).
21 Dennis D // Jan 23, 2009 at 4:28 pm
If you continue to post useless meaningless stories like this one I will just go elsewhere .
22 gary4205 // Jan 23, 2009 at 4:49 pm
Sorry, but this has NOTHING to do with Palin. It has EVERYTHING to do with the RNC!
Never in the party’s history has it been this FUBAR!
The moderates, country club blue bloods, and other democrats posing as republicans must go, and go now!
Governor Palin is one of the very few in the party who know what the hell they are trying to achieve!
Palin never asked for the wardrobe in the first place! She is a pretty frugal shopper, and buys a lot of things at resale shops.
Meet Jeff Larson, a friend of Norm Coleman’s. He’s a long time GOP activist, who whipped out the credit card.
What detractors of Sarah Palin forget, is that the clothes were is several sizes. That’s because Larson wasn’t sure what sizes to buy. A person buying for themselves would pretty much know!
While the moderates in the party are killing it, we need more people Like Sarah Palin to get this deal back in gear!
23 ckoslowsky // Jan 23, 2009 at 5:44 pm
WHY IS THIS A STORY?? BARACK OBAMA WAS SWORN INTO OFFICE ON TUESDAY…
24 American Voter // Jan 23, 2009 at 5:45 pm
If you are truly trying to unite conservatives, I suggest you check your motives in running this story. With so much to investigate in the new administration, I cannot see the value in re-hashing a non-issue like this. This sounds more like a liberal hack job. I may rethink becoming one of your members if this is the best you have to offer a country that is quickly being hijacked to socialism, or worse, a dictatorship. IMO. Shame on you for not having the good sense to address issues that affect all of America, and not just your “disgruntled donors”!
25 fact based // Jan 23, 2009 at 5:49 pm
anyone with any analytic skill would know why the bags were not donated. It;s no mistake. Five minutes after it was donated we would have a full inventory of the luxury clothes purchased for Sarah and family debunking any claims about the limited nature of the purchases.
go for it Mr. Frum ! “free the bags and tell us the contents !!”
26 RTaliban // Jan 23, 2009 at 6:12 pm
Before the Rooster cries three times you will denigrate the greatness of the chosen one, The Palin. She is the only one that knows what will help Republicans loose more elections in national elections by becoming even more intolerant.
The jihad against non believers in the greatness of “The Palin will begin soon, be warned RINOS.
27 Pete // Jan 23, 2009 at 8:51 pm
What on Earth does this issue have to do with Conservatism and how on Earth does repeating this Democrat propaganda help us win any kind of anything ever again? Sarah Palin is a breath of fresh air to the Republican Party . . . she scared the dickens out of the Democrats – that is why they had a full court press out to destroy her. Serving up tripe like this only strengthens their hand . . . nice work RINO
28 Rapunzel46 // Jan 23, 2009 at 8:54 pm
The only reason this is a story is to showcase one more reason why Duncan needs to be replaced at the RNC. These could have, should have, been placed in a special eBay auction in November and the money returned to the RNC or donated to chairity.
Sadly, none of these stories ever point out she didn’t go to the stores and purchase these clothes and, as promised, she returned them immediately after the election was completed — that is the clothing she even unpacked.
How many times did she say there was a lot of clothes in the belly of her plane that she never even tried on!
29 gary4205 // Jan 23, 2009 at 9:50 pm
It’s amazing you even have to bring Palin into this. I mean damn it!
This is all about the moderate, country club, loser RINO’s, like yourself, Mr Frum, in the party.
Sorry pal, but Sarah Palin is the future of the party. She represents the Ronald Reagan conservatism that wins 49 state landslide victories.
You silly moderates who want to appeal to everyone are the reason we appeal to no one.
Reagan didn’t go around pandering to every little sub group. Nope, Reagan had one conservative message for EVERYONE, and THEN went out and sold it to everyone!
That’s called LEADERSHIP, and that’s how you win elections.
As long as your ilk keeps throwing up moderate democrats like John McCain, we’re all gonna lose big, and so will the country!
RINO need to go home and stay there.
30 ladybugTS // Jan 24, 2009 at 12:38 am
Using Palin headlines to attract readers has backfired on you. Everyone is sick of the issue of Sarah’s clothes when Obama just blew 180 million bucks on an inauguration that had less than a million people in attendence.
This “garbage bag” story has no place on a conservative site.
31 mythusmage // Jan 24, 2009 at 7:35 am
Do you remember when comprehension was considered a part of literacy?
32 empirical // Jan 24, 2009 at 11:16 am
I do not understand how many of you think that Sarah Palin is a bright light in the Republican Party? Has the party slid off a cliff? Palin is obtuse at best, which, on my part, is being generous.
33 gospelance // Jan 24, 2009 at 1:10 pm
calm down everybody; we’re just getting started. There’s going to be some bugs to work out. the important thing is that we’re here and we’re talking. We’re going to have to figure out if Palin has a role in the future. She did seem to appeal to her demographic. Can we build on that or do we need someone more secular or ecumenical?
34 gospelance // Jan 24, 2009 at 1:12 pm
perhaps we could have her speak at the next RNC and guage the response—like they did with Obama in 2004.
35 senorlechero // Jan 24, 2009 at 8:31 pm
empirical….that’s very empirical of you …..or not. I’d say there’s a part of the party that’s slid off a cliff, but it’s not the part that supports Palin.
36 truth_2_power // Jan 24, 2009 at 9:12 pm
lets face it, bush was a disaster for the republicans and sarah palin is bush with a very expensive dress… yes, she may be more articulate, but an articulate incompetent is even worse… lets get palin out, for as you know, the libs love her and she has done nothing but help the libs and drive everyone but the born agains to the left
37 gospelance // Jan 24, 2009 at 10:46 pm
it seems to me the media hates her. So she must be doing something right.
38 senorlechero // Jan 25, 2009 at 6:24 pm
truth2power still has none going for him
39 brandon63 // Jan 28, 2009 at 8:16 am
“Sarah Palin is a breath of fresh air to the Republican Party . . . she scared the dickens out of the Democrats”
No, she didn’t. She scared most “middle America” voters because she flaunted her ignorance on television, a place where voters are USED to ignorance.
40 McCainNOTpalin // Jan 28, 2009 at 10:06 am
ladybugTS Get your facts straight sweety… First of all… MORE THAN HALF (IF NOT MORE) of the inauguration was paid for by campaign contributors… Read… Do your research… And… Less than 1 million people in attendance..? Clearly, you’re equipped with the same amount of comprehension and intelligence as your dear friend, Sarah Palin…
41 TashaTchin // Jan 28, 2009 at 3:25 pm
gary4205, I knew Ronald Reagan. Ronald Reagan was my hero. Sarah Palin is no Ronald Reagan! Sarah Palin is George W. Bush in a skirt! If the Republican Party plans to return to its Reagan conservative roots, Caribou Barbie won’t be asked to lead the charge. She will be staying back home in Wasilla warming up some of her dad’s leftover moose stew — if the Republican Party knows what’s good for it. If not, the Republican Party will go the way of the Whig Party it replaced and the Dodo bird — it will become extinct!
Ronald Reagan Republican (since 1966)
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