Sarah Palin’s attorney came out swinging this weekend , threatening legal action against bloggers and various media outlets for publishing fraudulent claims about the governor, who announced her intention to resign as governor last Friday.

Almost immediately afterwards [announced resignation], several unscrupulous people have asserted false and defamatory allegations that the “real” reasons for Governor Palin’s resignation stem from an alleged criminal investigation pertaining to the construction of the Wasilla Sports Complex. This canard was first floated by Democrat operatives in September 2008 during the national campaign and followed up by sympathetic Democratic writers.1 It was easily rebutted then as one of many fabrications about Sarah Palin. Just as power abhors a vacuum, modern journalism apparently abhors any type of due diligence and fact checking before scurrilous allegations are repeated as fact.

…

To the extent several websites, most notably liberal Alaska blogger Shannyn Moore, are now claiming as “fact” that Governor Palin resigned because she is “under federal investigation” for embezzlement or other criminal wrongdoing, we will be exploring legal options this week to address such defamation. This is to provide notice to Ms. Moore, and those who re-publish the defamation, such as Huffington Post, MSNBC, the New York Times and The Washington Post, that the Palins will not allow them to propagate defamatory material without answering to this in a court of law. The Alaska Constitution protects the right of free speech, while simultaneously holding those “responsible for the abuse of that right.” Alaska Constitution Art. I, Sec. 5. “These falsehoods abuse the right to free speech; continuing to publish these falsehoods of criminal activity is reckless, done without any regard for the truth, and is actionable.”

Palin also went out on the offensive over the 4th of July weekend, decrying her critics through Facebook:

The response in the main stream media has been most predictable, ironic, and as always, detached from the lives of ordinary Americans who are sick of the “politics of personal destruction”. How sad that Washington and the media will never understand; it’s about country. And though it’s honorable for countless others to leave their positions for a higher calling and without finishing a term, of course we know by now, for some reason a different standard applies for the decisions I make. But every American understands what it takes to make a decision because it’s right for all, including your family.

and Twitter (during the Sunday AM news shows)

Critics are spinning, so hang in there as they feed false info on the right decision made as I enter last yr in office to not run again….

so I’ll make attempt to keep up w/attaching corrected info. I head 2 West AK villages today, look forward to their busy comm fish activity!

Trying to keep up w/getting truth to u, like proof there’s no “FBI scandal”, here’s link http://tinyurl.com/nzlae8 Thanks, AK!

Palin’s news conference announcing her resignation is presented in all  its rambling, uncomfortable entirety below. It’s a struggle but worth the scenic and family cutaways…

Brave New Foundation has produce in new episode in their “In their Boots” series called “Silent Partners,” which explores the effects of the Don’t Ask Don’t Tell policy on the partners of deployed service members. Watch a preview clip below…

There is a also a particularly moving clip at the New York Times.

The episode premieres tomorrow, July 4th, at www.intheirboots.com.

Oh dear, Sally Kern is at it again. The notoriously intolerant and homophobic Rep. from Oklahoma held a rally at the state Capital yesterday formally announcing her “Proclamation for Morality.” Mostly written by Kern herself, the document blames various forms of debauchery on the moral decline of the nation, and urges a national re-awakening of righteousness. Oh please.

Some of the choicer bits from the Proclamation for Morality:

WHEREAS, the people of Oklahoma have a strong tradition of reliance upon the Creator of the Universe; and

WHEREAS, we believe our economic woes are consequences of our greater national moral crisis; and

WHEREAS, this nation has become a world leader in promoting abortion, pornography, same sex marriage, sex trafficking, divorce, illegitimate births, child abuse, and many other forms of debauchery; and

WHEREAS, alarmed that the Government of the United States of America is forsaking the rich Christian heritage upon which this nation was built; and

WHEREAS, grieved that the Office of the president of these United States has refused to uphold the long held tradition of past presidents in giving recognition to our National Day of Prayer; and

WHEREAS, deeply disturbed that the Office of the president of these United States disregards the biblical admonitions to live clean and pure lives by proclaiming an entire month to an immoral behavior;

If anyone here is deeply disturbed… it’s you Ms. Kern and your supporters. Video from the rally below.

And if you need a reminder as to why this bigot is even on our radar…

Gay sailor August Provost was found dead Tuesday early morning on the Camp Pendleton base in San Diego, after complaining to his family that he was being harassed. A person of interest is already in custody but no charges have been filed. Gay activists and a local congressman, are viewing the killing as a potential hate crime. Local news coverage below…

The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) has released the following statement:

“Our thoughts are with the Provost family at this time as authorities work to learn what happened in the early morning hours this past Tuesday,” said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese.  “The Human Rights Campaign has confirmed Congresswoman Susan Davis has been in touch with officials at the base and is tracking the investigation.  We know that every day members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community are targeted for simply being who they are.  Furthermore, our gay or lesbian soldiers struggle with the extra burden of not serving openly and honestly based on the discriminatory policy of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.’ As we monitor the investigation, our community must continue to raise awareness on a law that we know hurts military readiness and national security while putting American soldiers at risk.”

Provost’s partner, Kaether Cordero of Houston, learned of the news of his partner’s death from a newspaper reporter. He said that while Provost was openly gay, he kept his life quiet for the most part. “People who he was friends with, I knew that they knew… He didn’t care that they knew. He trusted them.”

Seaman August Provost was only 29.