Palin billed Alaska for kids’ travel

Gov. Sarah Palin charged the state for her children to travel with her, including to events where they were not invited, and later amended expense reports to specify that they were on official business.

The charges included hotel and air travel costs for three daughters to join Palin to watch their father in a snowmobile race and a trip to New York, where the governor attended a five-hour conference and stayed with her 17-year-old daughter for five days and four nights in a luxury hotel.

In all, Palin has charged the state $21,012 for her three daughters’ 64 one-way and 12 round-trip commercial flights since she took office in December 2006.

Alaska law does not specifically address expenses for a governor’s children. The law allows for payment of expenses for anyone conducting official state business.

State Finance Director Kim Garnero said she had not reviewed the Palins’ travel expense forms, so she could not say whether the daughters’ travel with their mother would meet the definition of official business.