In 2018, former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin told a reporter from the Daily Mail that that she and her then-husband Todd were “finally in that spot where we can seize the opportunity to get outside and do more.” They had already owned one luxury home in Scottsdale, Arizona, had sold it, and were building an even bigger mansion in the same area.
“We were anchored here [Wasilla] for the kids. Now our youngest daughter is going to be out of school — she’s going to go to nursing school — she’ll be taken care of,” Palin said in an interview published that year. “And we’re ready to do a lot more.”
“We’re not going to be holed up in Wasilla, Alaska, the rest of our life,” Palin told the reporter. There was no indication they intended to sell their house on Lake Lucille, but it was clear to readers they were going to spend more time out of state; they were building the kind of home in Arizona that most would not consider an occasional getaway.
Palin’s new mansion on Scottsdale mountain property was being built after the Palins sold their other Scottsdale home for $2.275 million in 2016, according to The Los Angeles Times.
According to MansionGlobal.com, the Palins had purchased the new lot for $937,000 in 2015. With the mansion still under construction in 2018, the 30-year marriage was failing. Todd filed for divorce, and she put the unfinished project on the market. The two-story, 7,660-square-foot house sold for $6.2 million.
Sarah and Todd had been an item in Wasilla since high school. In the 2018 interview, they told the reporter they thought it was time for a change.
“I want to do something that will influence our culture,” Sarah is quoted as saying. “To really remind people how important a work ethic is and to try to erase a lot of this idea that people have that government owes them anything. Or that anybody owes them anything.”
Palin told the Daily Mail in 2018 she wanted to be more national in focus, in “some positions here to get that message out there, how important it is to be independent, get out there and work for yourself.”
“He’s more driven than I am to bust out and get some things done,” Palin said of Todd, adding, “If you see sea planes flying around Arizona or New Mexico you’ll know who it is.”
Palin, now 58, retreated to her Wasilla house for a couple of years, but appears to be spending more time out of state once again with her new beau, retired NHL hockey player Ron Duguay, who has a house in New York City and another in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. Duguay, 65, and his ex-wife, supermodel Kim Alexis, divorced in 2016.
Although she is campaigning for Congress in Alaska in 2022, Palin is rarely seen in public in her home state, or anywhere else for that matter, since the heady days this past winter when she was a regular item with Duguay in New York City, while her lawsuit against the New York Times was being heard in a Manhattan courtroom. She was being featured in newspapers in New York almost daily.
After Don Young died, she made her move to rejoin political life. She has done a few parades — the Colony Days Parade, the Bear Paw Parade, and the Golden Days Parade, but otherwise she has kept a fairly low profile.
Palin has filed for Permanent Fund dividends and she has voted in most elections in Alaska for the past decades, except for a couple of municipal elections. She has maintained her street credibility as an Alaskan.
Last week Duguay told a Canadian reporter that he and Palin were negotiating marriage. Palin appeared flustered at the comment and said it sounded like he was negotiating a hockey contract. The National Enquirer in May wrote, however, that it is Palin who has an extensive list of prenuptial demands of Duguay.
Not supposed to report this. The Palinheads will squeal.
I think she is a disgusting human being, but will vote for her because she passed ACES.
She’s also the only person I know who single-handed brought EXXON to their knees It was over Point Thompson. That was truly masterful.. Long story. They told her to pound sand, she pounded them. The effects are still in the news today–MRK Article on Black rock. To be continued
And then gave over half a billion to a Canadian pipeline company to not build a pipeline. They wasted a lot of that money. Tax and spend.
Come on, Suzanne. You can do better.
You yourself lives in a warmer and sunny ?place many months out of the year. Just like Dan Fagan does.
I would like to respectfully tell you like I told Dan Fagan. Those are our choices. It’s either Nick, Sarah, or socialist Petola.
Slamming Palin everyday does nothing to further the conservative and or Republican agenda.
We may not be happy with those choices but that’s what we have in front of us.
If you or Dan really care about furthering the conservative cause in Alaska then you would be explaining to people that we need to rank both Sarah and Nick, and not Socialist Petola.
Plotting conservatives against each other who are either supporting Sarah or Nick does not help further the conservative cause. I get that you need clicks and controversy to get those clicks. But come on, ma’am. Are you really trying to say that you prefer Petola over Sarah Palin?
Many of alaskans would love to travel to Arizona for a month or two or three out of the year if we had the money. You do it. So why criticize Sarah Palin for it?
I hope that I can afford to fly out of this state once in awhile myself down the road.
And wasilla is kind of a hole in the winter. Everyone that lives there knows that. The story rings of desperation for some reason or another. That is all, God bless and have a good day and election season.
Charlie Pierce for Governor by the way! ?
Well written Jeremy. Hawk for Lt. Governor!
Don’t be a pinhead Jeremy, Palin makes the news and Suzanne reports it. It’s that simple! This isn’t about Palin having a second home out of state (lots do). It’s about someone wanting to escape Alaska, and yet being a poser duping Alaskans for her own self gratification.
Oh ya, Charlie Who?
Jeremy Hawks sees things from a different perspective ..
Go Jeremy… (remember that I encouraged you to run for office)
You can beat these misled and confused one-worlders who
cling to political solutions
I agree.
Where’s the story on Nick “Chicago transplant” Begich who has spent way more of his life outside the state than Palin? You gonna report where he got the money to lend his campaign 2/3 of a million dollars? Certainly wasn’t by bringing visibility or jobs to Alaska. This article reads like a tabloid hit piece.
I think Begich has been here for 20 years according to the forum I watched. Sarah Palin made about 6 million dollars profit on her unfinished Arizona home (seems strange). How much has she contributed to her own campaign? Nothing.
MJB, Begich actually made his money as and entrepreneurial employer (software). In other words, he actually worked creatively and created a tangible, marketable product which sole for a profit and a considerable cut to the IRS. The skill-sets he picked up from all that experience alone makes him far more qualified than Palin.
MJB, Begich actually made his money as an entrepreneurial employer (software). In other words, he actually worked creatively to create tangible, marketable products which sold for profit with a considerable cut to the IRS. The skill-sets he picked up from all that experience alone makes him far more qualified than Palin.
Well said!
Nope you have other choices just requires a little research and courage.
I don’t think the story is about living in two places. The whole thing is about she’s a quitter and if she quit on Alaska once she’ll do it again. If I remember right, back then she was wanting to relocate down to Arizona with possibly a chance of picking up her old running mate seat on the Senate. When he got too sick they were going to pull a murkowski and appoint her but that fell through. I also think I remember right that one of her daughters bought a house down there so they were thinking about getting established and leaving Alaska forever. Oh they might hang on to the residence for a rainy day or two keep getting some permanent fun money. You people like to poke fun at people who have two residences or people that have an opinion about Alaskan politics and that’s fine. That freedom is what we fight for. But it’s more about living in two places. It’s about an agenda and motivation. Have a good day
This piece is definitely giving off mean girl vibes.
Jeremy, I think Suzanne has provided us with good information that can help the voter make an informed choice here. Sarah lost interest in Alaska soon after she entered National Politics. Her words make that clear. To be an effective Representative in Congress you better have your State’s interests at heart, and you better be informed. I believe the evidence shows that Sarah has neither of the above.
Just for inquiring minds @ the National Enquirer! Had do some Homework for this Story.
Palin who?
Sounds dominionative. Hmmm… domiciles.
Exactly.
Is it true that Nick Begich Supported Ethan Berkowitz for mayor of Anchorage? Did he also support mark Begich for Alaska state senator? If this is true he is just another politician That will say or do anything to get elected. I’m not saying this stuff is true I am just asking the question. If somebody knows the answer to both of these questions please respond.
Nick Begich has never been a State Senator and it was Palin who hired Berkowitz to write her government ethics policy! Palin endorsed Mallott and Walker over her own Lt Gov! Palin will dance to whatever tune she thinks you want to hear as long as there’s something in it for her. There’s a reason the Republican Party chose not to endorse Palin.
Yes and yes. It’s all documented. But don’t worry, he’s “a life long Republican”!
Nick did an interview with Fagan late in April where he talks about voting for Berowitz on video. He didn’t like being questioned about it. To be continued.
Is it true Sarah hired Ethan Berkowitz as her ethics advisor, and had him write a white paper on ethics? At least Nick volunteered to speak of the votes he had made, when he had no need to do so, admitted the mistake, and moved on.
Rarely seen in Alaska? She was in Fairbanks yesterday.
An Alaska Snowbird is a long tradition here when you are finally financially able to do it. Jeremy is right to the most important point: All true conservatives MUST rank Palin 1 or 2. And same goes for Nick Begich. Either order. The open question is who, if, any, will get the 2nd choice of Peltola voters. Does this favor Palin or Begich? Hmmm.
Why would anyone vote for a quitter X numerous?
Why MUST true Conservatives rank Palin at all?
She is not a Conservative, has never been a Conservative, and does not even know what it means to be a Conservative.
She is a troll who has made $millions off her gullible adoring fans, aka the Palinbots, by pretending to be a Conservative……
So I do know Sarah’s youngest son never moved and continued His education in the Mat-Su School District! So is this a Hit piece because I know it’s fact that He never left unless the young man commuted every day from AZ?
Was this the son who landed in the joint for assault? Whatever happened to Sarah’s daughter who had several out of wedlock births? How many of Sarah’s kids were involved in the melee at a private home in Anchorage? I understand Sarah and Todd were both involved in that gang banger. Thank you Congressman Palin for putting Alaska back on the map.
Ken, you sure that Gramps and Gram’s were not raising the boy?
Every successful business owner in Alaska I know has a home here there that’s what money gets you. All of Sara’s money was earned so boo hoo, witch one of us can boast they have accomplished for the citizens of Alaska. Governor Sara. It’s called winning. Sara the citizens love you and will never forget your help to us.
When are we going to start seeing articles trashing Petola?
True. Neither “Republican” candidate is completely satisfactory to my way of thinking, but what conservative minded person wants a “progressive” to represent this state in Congress? Better to stop the mud slinging among conservatives and rank the best choices conservatives have at this point. Otherwise this state could see the likes of the “progressives” on the Anchorage Assembly in Congress. We conservatives have poor choices now, but we should do the best we can at this point. Godspeed.
Why the bias? It shows.
And remember, Palin is not a quitter!
Except, um, when she quits.
Okay, she’s a quitter.
We know all reporters are fair and honest with it comes to the Palins and Trumps. Recycling an old article from 6yrs ago doesn’t tell us anything we didn’t already know. At least Sarah has a record to stand on, Nick does not.
True Palinbots can’t be convinced. Let’s face it – they’re dumb and they’ve been told they’re not dumb by calling their form of stupidity “common sense.” There is no way to reprogram them. They believe whatever they see on TV and have little capacity for reason. No litany of facts will ever convince them they are wrong because they want to be convinced they are right. In this way they are the same as the woke left.
We know Sarah has been wanting to leave Alaska for years. She has been in love with attention and spotlight and glamour. She is the sort of professional politician the founders warned us about.
We got it, Suzanne, but this “reporting” does nothing but make us wonder about all the other stories you post. Maybe you and Sarah should go out in the parking lot and have it out, once and for all. In the meantime, maybe you should consider rising above this pettiness and doing what’s right for conservatism in Alaska.
Majority of alaska’s residents with money don’t wish to stay here unless they are okay about their money funneled away into government. I’m getting
older, i can respect that professionals moving away. Eventhough!!! The contributed to our state’s problem.
Alaskans with
money don’t want tobe holed up here only watch their money drain into a bloated govenment.
I think this might be the year that the ones with the smallest donations come out on top.
You can look up on open secrets.org to find out where your candidate or what have you is getting their money from.
Great article from Susan Downing as usual. Also, I would like to offer my condolences to Ron Duguay.
Oh, please. Sarah Palin is a drama queen. She also tried to kill the oil revenues for Alaska through her left leaning staff’s misguidance. This woman is all about Sarah and her ego, not what’s best for Alaska.
Trump endorsed Palin & not Begich for a reason. After the midterms if we want to see the likes of Fauci, Birx, Comey, Wray, Schiff, Biden, Clinton, et al face criminal charges & prison then Trump will need staunch allies in Congress to make that happen when he wins the Presidency in 2024. Palin, for all her faults, will most likely stick by Trump unlike Begich who seems to be cut from the same cloth as our other RINO, Lisa Murkowski. This election is about eventually draining the swamp, one corrupt politician at a time.
The real issue here, which no one talks about, is Don Young’s ego got us in this mess.
He should have chosen and groomed a successor a decade ago. But he wanted 50 years in office.
His arrogance left us in this mess. Choosing between a carnival barker with big hair or an unproven candidate with dubious name recognition.
There are zero good choices here. One gave us Bill Walker, the other supported Berky. The Walker candidate will embarrass us on a national stage. The Berky candidate will be under a cloud of suspicion.
Thanks, Don.
We have a place outside we visit in the winter every year during the dark periods in Alaska. My brother is building a new house in the Sun county. So what.
The candidate in name only was raised, worked, and has profited all outside of Alaska.
Because of MRA my two choices for Congress will be women. Mission accomplished MRA, your blatant actions have drove many to despise the name only candidate.
your anti palin bias is showing and you’re about to lose a reader. Being ” holed up somewhere” is a figure of speech and doesn’t mean anything negative. We all get this way and need to get out and see more. Alaska is one of the most beautiful places on the planet, but the long darks get to you and it sure is nice to go somewhere and feel the heat and enjoy swimming or floating in a river, lake or ocean and still be warm. LOL
Amen brother!
Must Read Alaska is quickly devolving into a bad joke. This isn’t worth reporting or reading. MRA censored my comments on Craig Campbell’s atrocious track record. Along the lines of this despicable reporting MustReadAlaska and Craig Campbell might be in cahoots.
Is it permitted to ask:
.
what good thing(s) Palin dd for Alaska,
.
what happens to Alaska if Palin is not elected,
.
where Palin got the money to dabble in Scottsdale’s multimillion-dollar real-estate market?
The Palin cult is out in force this week, I see. Sorry, Suzanne, but you should keep your location secret.
I looked it up for those of you who can’t google hard enough: Nick Begich — born in Alaska, raised by grandparents out of state, K-12 Christian school, Christian college (Baylor), worked at Ford Motor, came home to Alaska. Married. Father. Business investor. Lifelong Republican. His uncles are hardcore Democrats, so get over it.
Unlike Sarah, Nick did not endorse Bill Walker and Byron Mallott for governor. Sarah voted for the Democrat ticket — Walker/Mallott. Your memory that short?
OK, so Nick voted for Ethan Berkowitz for mayor, at least he was upfront about it and said it was a mistake.
Nick did not quit being governor halfway through because it was too hard.
Sarah quit.
Nick did not tell Sen. Ted Stevens to resign.
Sarah, in her role as governor, did tell Stevens to resign, and through her influence made sure Stevens lost his election to Democrat Mark Begich. Unforgivable. Mark brought us Obamacare and Walker put the nail in the coffin by putting Alaska in the Obamacare system. I hate Mark Begich, but Nick is not his uncle.
But people, this is Sarah cult and they don’t want to look at their celebrity who can only say “drill baby drill” and has no way to actually get that done, no plans, no understanding, other than just tax the hell out of the oil companies and stab Gov. Sean Parnell in the back when he pulled her high taxes back.
Sarah is a traitor to Alaska. She made Walker Mallott, killed oil development by taxes, and has never apologized for what she did to the late Sen. Ted Stevens.
And last year, she’s teased a run against Lisa Murkowski but did not have the courage. She only ran for Congress when Don Young died. No courage to take on Murkowski, just an ambulance chaser.
Oh I could go on. She has quite the history and this just scratches the surface.
Bring it, bots.
Divorces tend to alter life decisions.
Thanks for yet another social gossip type journalism piece on Palin. Got a dose of Palin Derangement going on there? She isn’t the first Alaskan who likes some Vitamin D administered by the sun in winter. Don Young didn’t spend much time at his official Fort Yukon address after 1972. I like Arizona, especially during dove season. The snakes (not the two legged variety, unfortunately) are all hibernating under rocks then. Actually, they sold the place in Arizona, didn’t they?
Amen brother!
Wow Suzanne, do you think that just maybe people get old and want to get away from the winters here and as Manda said, divorce tends to alter decisions. Sarah is still a human being although based on the attacks on this site you wouldn’t think so. Pretty soon you will have to change the name of your site to “mustattackpalin.com”
The cult of Palin is strong today.
Ever wonder how an idiot like AOC got to Congress? Just watch Queen Sarah and learn
Ouch! Oh brother!
Sounds reasonable. Alaska is a terrible place to be 8 months out of the year. Smart woman!
You have no idea. Try living in the deep Bush for 15 years. I’m not saying it was terrible, but most on here don’t know what it’s like not to be able to jump in their car and go down to the Walmart anytime they feel like it.
Palin fans, you are being conned!!
“Left-wing populism, also called social populism, is a political ideology that combines left-wing politics with populist rhetoric and themes. Its rhetoric often consists of anti-elitism, opposition to the Establishment, and speaking for the “common people”.”
Palin is not who you think she is.
Darn, I used to like visiting must read ak site. Too bad Suzanne jumped the shark w/this garbage piece. I’ll read something else from MY well deservef retreat in Arizona, thank you very much.
It is very funny, pathetic and telling to see those who profess to be Northerners crying about an Alaskan winter. Many are here only for the buck and never vote because of no skin in the game!
Can’t really blame Todd. Nancy and I didn’t want to get holed up in Alaska.
The Courage, Pride, Determination, and the need to belong to the land has shaped Alaska. Today we contend over measures that cost the people their resources… Struggling “settlers” are still coming to this “Great Land” ..(greatest of land)..and the future will reveal…
I’m voting for Kelly. It’s time for a break and a clear image of what Alaska is. It was big and rugged in the 50s… When our constitution was written, there were no airlines, trains, radio station, and rapid transportation (as we have now–to a greater degree) Because the vast land had to be developed rapidly, authority was NOT delegated to boroughs.. Consequently according to the Constitution, bills and development plans for Alaska was set aside… All rules would come from Juneau! Boroughs were not permitted to bring large money to their area… Here’s a piece I wrote no long ago…
First of all, quit blaming everyone else for losing our PFD. The Governor is the representative of a State government that is a hungry beast that must grow and protect itself as it grows. Its only source of power is to take it from the people. The People of Alaska gave nearly total unlimited power TO THE STATE in the State’s Constitution. Read on…
Will Dunleavy protect your PFD? It’s doubtful that he can. There is no way to protect the wealth of Alaskans without first fixing the Constitution that allows the State to take what they want and to deny giving to the people what is theirs.
New politicians will quickly discover they have unlimited discretionary power far beyond that which is delegated in the Alaska Constitution. In fact, the Constitution as written is an “enabling document” to give power to the State to take the people’s wealth WITHOUT THEIR VOTE! Repeal Article XII Sec 8 It’s time to know and tell the REAL truth. Here it is: “The enumeration of specified powers in this constitution shall not be construed as limiting the powers of the State.”
Did you get that, folks… Residual power (that which is not enumerated) is held by the Government and not the people… and I believe that ABSOLUTE POWER will one day be held by the Government… IF THE PEOPLE DO NOTHING!!!
What does the Alaska Constitution mean to the people?
I was always instructed that the basic difference between Republicans and Democrats is in how they view the Federal Constitution. The Republicans believe in a strict interpretation meaning that the government can do only what which is allowed by virtue of specific and limited enumerated powers delegated to it. The Democrats, on the other hand, believe that government can do whatever it wants UNLESS prohibited by the Constitution.
Same document, two totally different paradigms, two different ways of looking at the power of government because of different interpretations!
Now let’s take a look at the Alaska Constitution. To see how the writers viewed government back in 1956, we have only to look at The Alaska Citizen’s Guide
‘http://w3.legis.state.ak.us/docs/pdf/citizens_guide.pdf
Here’s what it says about government power and who holds it:
QUOTE:
“Section 8. Residual Power
The enumeration of specified powers in this constitution shall not be construed as limiting the powers of the State.
This provision extends to the powers of the state the same protection extended to the rights of individuals by Article I, Section 21. It blocks application of the doctrine of expressio unius est exclusio alterius (the mention of one thing implies the exclusion of another). The provision is probably not necessary, as it is established legal doctrine in the United States that a state may exercise all the powers not denied it in the U.S. Constitution or its own state constitution. Nonetheless, inclusion of it here reinforces the principle that this constitution is to be construed by the courts expansively rather than narrowly.”
UNQUOTE
Look at a specific statement from the book: “The provision is probably not necessary, as it is established legal doctrine in the United States that a state may exercise all the powers not denied it in the U.S. Constitution or its own state constitution.” If this true, is such a view of the Constitution “established?” I don’t think so. It is time to put some limits on what the State can do. If you don’t like the State taking YOUR wealth without a vote of the people, then you’d better put it in the Constitution. The State must not be allowed to exercise unlimited discretionary power. No wonder the Governor took your UNPROTECTED PFD…
You’d think that in Alaska, of all the states, where wolverines, wolves, bears, and cats come into camp to steal the hard work of the hunters, that people would put their wealth OUT OF REACH of the hungry political critters in Juneau.
We cannot stop government by simply telling it not to take our wealth without our permission…. WE MUST BIND THE HANDS OF GOVERNMENT by making government justify the tax to be laid on us and to never forbid the vote of the people!!!
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