Aug 1, 2009 11:00 pm US/Central
Sarah Palin's Camp Denies Divorce Rumors
Various Media Reports Claim Former Alaska Governor Divorcing Todd Palin
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
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Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and her husband, Todd , greet supporters before boarding their campaign plane in Kansas City, Mo., on Sept. 8, 2008.
Robyn Beck/AFP/Getty Images
Sarah Palin's spokeswoman is denying media reports that the former
Alaska governor is divorcing her husband, Todd Palin. Meg Stapleton
wrote Saturday on
Palin's Facebook page, "The Palins remain married, committed
to each other and their family..." Two Palin attorneys are also insisting that the claims are false.
Several online publications were reporting Saturday that the former
Republican vice presidential candidate and her husband were divorcing.
Web site AlaskaReport.com cited "multiple sources in Wasilla and Anchorage" in their report.
A blog called the
Immorality Report
claims to have gotten "the explosive new information" from a close
source. The anonymous source reportedly claims Palin is "finished with
Todd."
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Stapleton slammed the allegations, lashing out at "so-called journalists." Stapleton wrote on Palin's Facebook page, "Less than one week ago, Governor Palin asked the media to "quit making things up." We appreciate that the more professional journalists decided to question this story before repeating it."
An attorney for the former governor also has denied the rumors.
Sarah Palin's attorney, Thomas Van Flein, told CBS News Saturday that the report of a divorce is "categorically false."
Another Palin attorney, Robert Barnett, also told CBS News that the divorce rumors were "totally untrue."
CBS News reports that among the points made to try to support the divorce claim was a purchase by Sarah Palin of land in Montana; the suggestion that the Palins were "noticeably not speaking to each other" during her appearance in Fairbanks last Sunday when she formally handed over the governor's office to Sean Parnell; and a report that she had been seen not wearing a wedding ring.
Van Flein told CBS News the report of a land buy in Montana is false.
As for the wedding ring, CBS News Political Director Steve Chaggaris said, Sarah Palin often campaigned without it.
CBS News producer Scott Conroy, who followed Palin on the campaign trail last year, said the story of the couple not speaking to each other appears to be untrue.
The AlaskaReport.com story also points out observations made by
NBC's Nora O'Donnell on Palin's farewell ceremony on July 27.
O'Donnell writes at MSNBC's Web site: After swearing in the new governor, Palin made a quick exit with daughter Piper and son Trigg in tow. She jumped in a Chevy Silverado twin cab driven by her security detail.
O'Donnell notes that Todd Palin was left behind and laughed it off saying, "They left me."
Flein said he had spoken with Sarah and Todd a few hours ago and discussed the rumors with them, which they called "laughable."
Palin may release a statement later, Flein said.
Palin, who had vowed to stay in the national discourse via her Twitter account, has been quiet since she officially stepped down on July 27. The last posts on
Palin's governor feed as well as on her
Political Action Committee feed are both dated July 27.
(© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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