Todd Palin resigns from oil field job
Originally published Friday, October 2, 2009 at 10:16 a.m.
Updated Friday, October 2, 2009 at 1:19 p.m.
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Stumble It!ANCHORAGE, Alaska — The husband of former GOP vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin has quit his oil field job on the North Slope.
Todd Palin’s resignation as a production operator for oil giant BP PLC comes almost two months after his wife stepped down as Alaska governor and shortly before the release of her highly anticipated memoir in a deal rumored to be worth millions.
“Todd loved his union job on the Slope and hopes to return,” Meghan Stapleton, Sarah Palin’s personal spokeswoman, said in an e-mail Friday. “For now, he is spending time with his family.”
The resignation was effective Sept. 18, according to BP spokesman Steve Rinehart.
In addition to working on the North Slope, Todd Palin was a commercial fisherman and for years has participated in the world’s longest snowmobile race, the Iron Dog. He was unofficially referred to as the “First Dude” and also took part in official duties, such as hosting a tea for former first ladies of the state.
Todd Palin earned nearly $34,472 working part-time last year for BP in Prudhoe Bay and about $51,679 in the family’s commercial fishing business, according to state financial disclosures. He also had $5,600 in snowmobile race winnings and an undisclosed discount on snowmobiles from racing sponsor Arctic Cat.
Sarah Palin left office July 26 — about 17 months before the end of her first term — partly because of the toll of multiple ethics complaints. Almost all the complaints were dismissed, but Palin said she had amassed more than $500,000 in legal fees. Her resignation fueled wide speculation of a 2012 presidential bid.
Except for a recent speech at a Hong Kong investment conference, Palin has laid low as she worked with her book’s ghostwriter. “Going Rogue” catapulted to No. 1 on Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.com after HarperCollins announced Monday it had moved up the release date of 1.5 million copies from spring to Nov. 17.
Soon after Palin took office in late 2006, her husband began a leave of absence from his blue-collar job with BP. The company — Alaska’s No. 2 oil producer and major stakeholder in the trans-Alaska oil pipeline — is in constant contact with the state over regulation, taxation and environmental oversight.
Todd Palin said he was taking the 2007 leave because of the new first family’s busy schedule. He said he saw no conflict with his job because he was not in management. He returned to work later the same year.
In February, Todd Palin and nine state employees were found by state lawmakers to be in contempt for ignoring legislative subpoenas in an investigation of Sarah Palin’s dismissal of her public safety commissioner.
The investigation sought to determine if Palin dismissed Commissioner Walt Monegan after he refused to fire a trooper who went through a contentious divorce from Palin’s sister.
Palin initially agreed to cooperate with the investigation. She changed her mind after she became Republican presidential candidate John McCain’s running mate, saying the process had become too political.
The legislative probe concluded that Palin had abused her office by allowing her husband and aides to pressure Monegan, but said the firing was legal since the commissioner was an at-will employee.
Palin initiated a separate investigation by the Alaska Personnel Board. That investigation found there was no probable cause to believe Palin or any other state official violated the Alaska Executive Ethics Act.
Community Discussion
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Well Ya
she just got millions for a book deal what did you expect now they are both quiters at least they have something in command. That all Bye
If I won the lottery I would quit too. Call me a quitter all you want!
Next Kristan Cole will have their house up for sale. You know it ain't good enough now.....Well they're moving on to Minnesota, California, Montana.......just don't go looking in DC....ain't gonna happen princess.
They may be making millions soon, but it won't last them the rest of their lives. Stupid part on the Palins for being jobless now. This will be the only book sarah sells, once people read it or attempt to read it, she won't sell another book.
It's all obamas fault!
I blame the cruise ship head tax.
I'm glad for anyone who can accumulate money beyond their means, but otherwise am getting real tired of hearing about these people.
This is starting to sound like Jon & Kate.
I really don't care about what Todd and Sarah are doing...
please please please more stories about important issues...Like Levi's Mom and her troubles!!!
(...what pathetic news stories we have)
(This comment was removed by the Newsminer.com staff. Please see our User Agreement for further information.)
The Newsminer is turning into one giant gossip column. Awesome.
Who cares? Please stop the constant stories about a woman was governor for a few minutes before she quit to ride the coat tails of fame John McCaniac and Tina Fey handed her.
All the Newsminer wants is ppl to read it. Even online. Give it up, please. Or you will end up bankrupt like a lot of the newspapers around the country are doing.
Newsminer:
You are not a gossip column. We don't care what Todd Palin or Levi J., or anybody that is REMOTELY connected to Sarah Palin is doing. Please give us real news where we can have a real discussion.
I've said it before, and I'll say it again, The Newsminer SUCKS!
Yet you continue to read and post....
I'd ask for your money back for what this website costs you, squarebanks!
Actually, I only log on once a day. And that's to see your *wonderful* pictures.
Why are people knocking the Newsminer for a story that is being published all over the country? How could they NOT publish that?
There goes there health care.
Eeeeek! Make it "their health care."
"We don't care what Todd Palin or Levi J., or anybody that is REMOTELY connected to Sarah Palin is doing."
That's funny....the Palin articles get more comments than any other story in the paper, yet no body cares about them. In all reality, at least for now, Palin news is what draws the attention of the public and what sells. The public is drawn to the drama, the fame, the hatred...you name it. It may be at their own expense eventually from a social stand point but this family will make enough money off of all of this hype that they will be set for life, even as jobless as they may be. So something tells me they could probably care less what their opponents think of them as long as the cash is flowing.
TAC
I saw that! :))
some how i don't think the palins will end up in the unemployment line. with the $85,000 that todd pulled down last year and sarah's income from speaking engagements and her book they can afford to kick back and explore their options.
Don't fault him, he just following in her footsteps.
Quitting sure runs in their family.
and how is this our business?
HA! His wife isn't hot crap anymore. So he resigns.
It's been a while since we've had a good Levi story. The News Miner is slipping. I wonder if he's done his Playgirl shoot yet...
Levi called the whole "she quit because she knew she could make more money 'writing' a book" thing.
I don't begrudge her success with her book. I just wish she had cared more about Alaska...
LOL, while you Palin haters are here spewing your usual, same old tired crap about the Palins, you're missing out in accusing the International Olympic Committee of being racist for not only declining to select Obama's hometown of Chicago for 2016 but eliminating it in the first round.... The liberals are shocked, appalled and enraged! How can they turn down 'their' leader?! LOL
Now, are the tax payers going to get refunded for the two "official" jumbo jets boondoggle that the Presidential "entourage" went on to try and persuade this committee all the way across the other side of the globe? Probably not..... But Palin better darn sure reimburse the state for that box of chocolate that she received as a gift! Right?
Boy, sometimes hitting your head against a wall sounds less painful and more productive than dealing with these deranged liberals....
Gee, JET...if constantly hitting your head against a wall is typical neo-con behavior that certainly explains a great deal about Rush and Sarah and their ilk. And here I thought that was a natural backwards slope to their foreheads....
As to the news about Todd...I'm not going to say anything. After all, the guy's married to Sarah. Hasn't he suffered enough???
Now, are the tax payers going to get refunded for the two "official" jumbo jets boondoggle that the Presidential "entourage" went on to try and persuade this committee all the way across the other side of the globe?
--------------------------
Damn that Obama for trying to bring an economic boost back to the US. Damn him to hell!!!!!!
Do you guys even think about the talking points before repeating them?
dobieman,
I don't know what's the "typical neo-con behavior" since I'm not one. The only thing I DO know is that I'm NOT a Democrat/Liberal/Progressive/ whatever they'll call themselves tomorrow.....
Maybe Mr. Palin decided to leave his Prudhoe job, because his wife will be on the book tour. So maybe him spending time w/ his family is a good reason to resign his job. If I could afford to leave my job to spend more time w/ my kids I'd do it in a heartbeat. Stop being so judgemental. It's their life remember, not yours. Sounds like most of you are just a touch jealous of others good fortunes. Seek out your own.
The only "boost" the Olympics would've brought to Chicago would've been for Obama and his cronies/minions. The rest of the citizens would get their taxes raised even more. Because HOW ELSE do you think they are going to pay all the billions needed in preparation for this event? Especially with all the other BIG problems Chicago has, like public housing, etc.
Out of thin air comes the money, just like for the bailouts, stimulus and now health care? And if Obama really care to bring that "boost" to the U.S., why such late start, last minute rush to go advocating for it?
And yet another thing, if the Obama administration and their followers care so much about "foreign policies" and "foreign relations", why not just be happy about Rio and the historical significance and milestone of them being selected? Oh, I know, it's only a historical, important and deserved event when it's a liberal or liberal related cause, right?
hello. my dad asked what job ole Todd had, so i had to look it up. i read comments and i doubt anyone wants his cushy job with BP, because you are all so well off. so 'newsminer' wasted print on you, but it was good for me; except dad thinks Sarah grew up in Indiana. not enough information. i am not going to buy the book. i am happy for her capitalising on all her blessings; i only pray she can be philanthropic about it. she was/is a powerful public dynamic that more Alaskans should be proud to have developed. instead, everyone dumps on her negativity. how did she ever get elected? she is a very positive influence for women and Alaska. constructive encouragement and positive reinforcement could represent Alaska on a world stage.
Proud union workers that oppose school vouchers and right to work legislation are supposed to rescue conservatives from Obama/Pelosi/Reid? This is a cruel joke. Palin has never been a real conservative - only in rhetoric.
I think it is GWBush's fault Todd quit! I have quit six jobs, one a government job--why--for better opportunity and wages. People used to be free to work, quit, be lazy, whatever...
Do you think I wake up in the morning and ask, what is Todd or Sarah Palin doing? No, I got my own problems.
In related news, Healy_Dem just started a new job in Fairbanks today.
WHO CARES!
And we care because????? Other people have recently quit their jobs, been terminated or layed off but you don't see them making the news.
I swear, some of our news agencies including the Newsminer must be desperate for a story because this was not worth reporting....
QUITTERS!
Sarah Palin in 2012!
Wonderful role models! NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
PALIN 2012!!!!!!!!!
Obama quit being a senator, does that make him a quitter?
Obama traveled the extensively, kissing butt and apologizing for his country. All he has to show for it is chapped lips. Where is the love?
He flew in for four hours and then left before the vote, that impressed a lot of the delegates. Don't worry, he will just "blame it on Rio", or Rush, or Sean, or Glenn, wait,it was Fox News. He won't blame himself or the video of Chicago's youth smashing children's heads with 2x4's.
Todd is a great guy and I am sure he is doing what is best for himself and family. That said I would not support Sarah for a higher office.
Pat
(This comment was removed by the Newsminer.com staff. Please see our User Agreement for further information.)
Never in the history of the North Slope has one person made so much news for terminating their own employment.
Those obsessed with bashing, or praising, all things Palin are getting creepy. It's a diversion from the real important stuff.
Will Todd run Arctic Man ?
Todd's packin' up the truck, and then they're off to Beverly... Hills, that is - swimmin' pools, movie stars...
(that's your cue, OP - post pic here)
~Oh_please~ I seriously hope that you're being very, very sarcastic when you even remotely suggest Palin for presidency in 2012!
There is absolutely no way on God's green earth that Sarah Palin could become our next president. Voters try to elect qualified individuals as well as people that they can count on. You know, people that don't quit in the middle of their term.
Sarah Palin IS an unqualified person who quits when the going gets tough.
"There is absolutely no way on God's green earth that Sarah Palin could become our next president. Voters try to elect qualified individuals as well as people that they can count on.'
Two words: Obama . . .Biden
Hahahahahahahaha
How's that hope 'n change workin' for you?
Tom, my thoughts exactly!
Obama got a little to close to the sun today and started shedding feathers. Lucky for him his followers have lots of glue. Palins not actually running for president yet. Yes Hillary set the standard by beginning her campaign right after Bush beat Kerry but right now it's just a book. Read it then comment on it, if you can read that is. Wait a minute, that's it, some of you can't read. Now it makes sense, the rush to condemn the book, laughing about how it's not worth reading even before anyone's read it. You all can't read and you are prepositioning your cover stories early. "Oh, like I said earlier, I wouldn't read that book" Yeah, because you all can't read.
What Obama got was a little social justice for the IOC.They spread the wealth but it wasn't to Chicago.Good luck....Rio.
mmm mmm mmm Barack Hussein Obama
He said to make this country strong again
We all must lend a helping hand
mmm mmm mmm Barack Hussien Obama
OK..... Oh_please post something from imageshack, or did your account run out?
or maybe one of you left wing liberal nut jobs would like to post something.
in my first sentence it should be from and not for......my bad
I have to admit, if my wife got a BIG windfall from whatever, I'd quit my job too.
mmm mmm mmm
Barack Hussein Obama
mmm mmm mmm
He'll unplug your grandmama . . .
I'm a proud liberal, but nut job? I don't think so. I don't fly my liberal flag too high in this red state... only here on the good ole DNM. But since OP is indisposed, here, for your entertainment, is a pic for you, NotPC:
http://tinyurl.com/ycqwyg8
Oh Tom58 - I think that even the right realizes that the whole "Obama's gonna kill grandma" thing was an outright lie. But don't you worry. Mike Kelly's going to take care of you, too.
Here in MN, we are watching our governor...Pawlenty...gear up with a PAC to push for his presidential bid. Anybody buying it? He wouldn't raise a single tax while governor so that he could advertise that he never raised taxes while he was in office. On the other hand, he just labeled everything a "fee" and charged us anyway. Anybody up there ever heard of him? Joanne MN
SJ: What little I've heard about him has been good. I'm not really familiar with his record, but the current set of bozos in the white house have set the bar so low that, in comparison, he's bound to look like the messiah.
It seems Minnesota is famous for voter fraud and finding just enough votes in election official car trunks to elect a nut case (Franken) to the Senate.
I my wife hit it big I may quit as well. Also it opens up a job for someone who probably needs it.
I don't care wtf todd palin does, he is a normal citizen.
Watch out liberals...... us conservatives are taking back America starting next year. I think America has had her taste of the liberals. They are the worst leaders. Sarah Palin would make a great leader and I WOULD certainly vote for her! Sarah! Sarah! Sarah! (thats me doing my victory cheer in 2012)
Sarah 2012!!! Conservatives are quite no more. Socialist liberals are destroying this country,...thank you Rush, Beck, and Hanity for you patriotism.
Come on, can't we just drink from the Obama Kool-Aide?....It will all be over soon...
Wonder if Todd has some TruckNutz?
my wife sold a book for a few million I would become a stay home dad too.
Who cares??? There are more important issues at hand like universal health care.
Guess he is going to live off the money she makes from her book. Maybe he will write a book of his own.
An oldie (like you guys!) but a goodie:
http://img180.imageshack.us/img180/999/s...
Clearly I need more grapes as the Pissed-Off Old Farts seem to be coalescing (or convalescing?) on the News-Miner message boards!
And thanks for holding down the fort, hobbes! :)
Jealousy.
I think I will go rogue this weekend.
i went rogue last night.
I think all you Riff Raff are jealous. Sarah is the best thing that ever hit Alaska and all the complainers and bitchers are too stupid to realize it. Who the heck can knock her for making more money than she ever could as the governor of the state knocking her beautiful head against the wall for idiots that have no idea what it means to be the CEO of something as complicated and crooked politically as Alaska. And who appreciate Nothing she did for them. I am so happy for her and am so glad she is doing so much better than the scumbags that gave her the hard time over nothing. Hang in there Lovely Lady................
Why can't DNM just leave the Palin's along at least even the A--h-l-- are saying that. Or do you think it will sell more papers?
OlypoppersPop
Great comment. I concur 110%. She did more for Alaska in the short time she was in than most any other Governor did in 2 terms. I wonder if all the Palin bashers are really Alaskans???
Todd stepped down from his job instead of being on leave so we would not be short handed as this is a dangerous job and we we need every position filled. He is a highly skilled operations guy and will surely be missed. Todd gave up a 150k a year job. His job required him to work every 2 weeks away from home in -0 weather conditions, remote area 900 miles away and not many people people can or will do that. Thats 6 months a year away. He is no quitter it took 20 years to get where he is doin that.
We would take him back anytime.
akbob and OlypoopersPop: Did more for Alaska than any other 2-term Gov? You guys must be smoking Rogue weed! BTW - the article's about Todd, not the quitter Sarah...atleast he was working hard the past 20 years...
Sarah Palin / 2012/ Mayan prophecy
As a libertarian I make this observation:
All the self-proclaimed conservatives who love to post criticisms of liberals (& vice versa) are oblivious to how much malevolent shared values exist between the 2 camps:
Submission of the individual to the collective. Mysticism over proof. Faith over reason. Force over dissent or secession. Sacrifice for the favored cause, anything other than liberty ranked highest.
Each responds to the outrage of the other shooting a hole in the bottom of the boat by responding in kind.
Modern american conservatism and liberalism are the diet fascist and socialist flavors of collectivism. 2 sides of the same corrupt coin that buys the warfare/welfare state, lobbied for by the (R) & (D) parties.
The deepening polarization is not accidental but actively promoted to divide & weaken us. Ask yourself: Cui bono? Who benefits?
We need a ceasefire in the war to grab the reins of government to see who will shove their form of coercion down everyone else's throats.
I urge anyone of kindly disposition and open mind to research libertarianism.
www.lp.org
I won't bang on Libertarians Rick but look at the Libertarian record. Haven't won many elections. Had your exalted leader in the Pen once tho if my memory serves me correctly. I am neither party and think all parties should be done away with. I vote for the best man/woman or the lesser of the evils running. Some times we don't have much of a choice to vote for as in the last presidential election. Sarah would have been better off not running with McCain. He is a freakin liberal dressed in a Republican suit. Sarah may or may not be presidential material but anybody would be better than " Mr.I Apologize".
Why is the DNM turning into a gossip column
for the Palins? This is the most important
state or national issue for DNM to focus on?
Next will be the reports of what Sarah is wearing,
what brand of lipstick she is buying, who
Bristol is dating. Enough!
Adds to the sorry state of journalism in the US.
tugboat - "Socialist liberals are destroying this country,...thank you Rush, Beck, and Hanity for you patriotism." Did you know that none of the corporate shills you mentioned call themselves "journalist", tugboat? They can't because they lie so much they have to call themselves "entertainers" so they won't be held to the standard of truth most journalists are. It's okay for "entertainers" to lie, and lie they do. Do you really believe their main lie, that all Democrats are evil and all Republicans are virtuous? No wonder the entertainers don't have much trouble convincing such simple minds of such simple things. Like RickHoegberg said, both parties have sold us down the corporate river, and the partisan fight is just huge weapon of mass distraction while they finish the job of turning the American government into a giant corporation. OlypoppersPop has Sarah being the CEO of Alaska, as if it were a corporation already. It's a STATE, NOT a corporation. Our founders meant for state and corporations to be separate and for corporations to have no power in our government what so ever! They didn't want big money running the show any more than they wanted big churches running the show.
Todd may very well have been a good worker, but it's not news that he quit his job. I don't care! I'm tired hearing about the Palin family! They're gone! Good riddance! Let them go! I don't want to hear about every time one of them farts!
so doris, do you think that the founders wanted the state to run corporations or compete with them? are the various csars listed in the constitution? i must of missed that section or maybe it is in the standard re-vised version. i think that if corporations are able to influence government they do so by lining the pockets of people that we elect. so maybe we get what we deserve.
Careful now...
Doris, before slamming on Beck, you might want to watch some of his shows. Watch a hole segment, and not just a few moments. He has been pretty even handed when handing out criticism of the whole Congress, Senate, and White House cronyism(sp?). He backs up his views and complaints with exhaustive research. I've heard of him being referred to as a 'hate-monger'. Not so, he just doesn't like to sit back and watch our country being driven over the cliff without screaming 'STOP!!' Try watching the show, you might be in for a suprise.
@Oh_please said:"Clearly I need more grapes as the Pissed-Off Old Farts seem to be coalescing (or convalescing?) on the News-Miner message boards!"
Got anything productive to add or rebut anything that anybody has said? Or you just can't? Can't say anything valid to counter any points? Anything? Trolling for a living?
maybe todd will be better able to know what his kids are doing..
and keep an eye on all the up and cumming levi's in thier lives.
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