Sarah Palin had a direct hand in eliminating rape examinations from the Wasilla city budget — thus, rape victims were charged for the exams.
Palin, as mayor, fired police chief Irl Stambaugh and replaced him with Charlie Fannon, who with Palin’s knowledge, slashed the budget for the exams and began charging the city’s victims of sexual assault. The city budget documents demonstrate Palin read and signed off on the new budget. A year later, alarmed Alaska lawmakers passed legislation outlawing the practice.
Disgusting. And more than a little damaging to the McCain-Palin campaign. But the politics should be secondary. This is a despicable thing to do to other human beings — even in the context of a far-right Republican hack.
