# Sarah Palin investigated for Abuse of Gubernatorial Power. Some Questions. **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [September 3, 2008, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sarah-palin-investigated-for-abuse-of-gubernatorial-power-some-questions/461804 "2008-09-03T03:00:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2008, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sarah-palin-investigated-for-abuse-of-gubernatorial-power-some-questions/461804/21 "2008-09-09T21:40:33Z")
> [@Maeglin](#): > > There is a short story in here screaming to get out. If only I knew how to write. [Deeply Satirical Moment] **Sarah Palin: She puts the Vice in Vice President !!** [/Deeply Satirical Moment] Do we know if anyone has ever been conviced of a state crime, then been sworn in as Vice President or President ? ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2008, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sarah-palin-investigated-for-abuse-of-gubernatorial-power-some-questions/461804/22 "2008-09-09T21:49:07Z")
> [@Cartooniverse](#): > > It would put an enormous amount of pressure on that Governor. If he and only he can pardon her for a state conviction, and he were to refuse to do so, then… she would have to be impeached? Why would she have to be impeached? There’s nothing about being convicted of a crime that disqualifies you from being vice president. ---
**Author:** ![Dag\_Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@Dag\_Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dag_Otto)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2008, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sarah-palin-investigated-for-abuse-of-gubernatorial-power-some-questions/461804/23 "2008-09-09T22:05:12Z")
> [@Captain\_Amazing](#): > > Why would she have to be impeached? There’s nothing about being convicted of a crime that disqualifies you from being vice president. Being in prison might make her less effective as VP. But that’s another debate. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2008, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sarah-palin-investigated-for-abuse-of-gubernatorial-power-some-questions/461804/24 "2008-09-09T22:32:40Z")
> [@Cartooniverse](#): > > What if she WERE to be convicted? Is Abuse of Power a felony?Could she be sworn in as Vice President if she were convicted? Since the investigation may well go way past Innaguration Day, what happens if she were to be sworn in, THEN convicted of the crime? Is she still permitted to serve? **What if she were to be advanced to President? Can she serve in that capacity if she were to be convicted?** I’ve been seeing a ton of these kinds of questions come up since Palin was nominated, as well as the “do you think she’s qualified to be VP? What about President?”-type questions. The answer to all of them is that the job of VP carries the exact same qualifications as the job of president. And if you do or do not believe someone is qualified to be veep, then by default you do or do not believe they are qualified to be president. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2008, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sarah-palin-investigated-for-abuse-of-gubernatorial-power-some-questions/461804/25 "2008-09-09T22:34:32Z")
> [@Dag\_Otto](#): > > Being in prison might make her less effective as VP. But that’s another debate. Well, the prison could be in an undisclosed location. I understand the current administration has got a few of those already. On a more on-topic note, I seem to recall learning that it is possible for a convicted person to be considered ineligible to hold any office, commission, or position of public trust, but I’m not sure of the details of that, or how it might or might not apply to Ms. Palin. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2008, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sarah-palin-investigated-for-abuse-of-gubernatorial-power-some-questions/461804/26 "2008-09-09T22:52:32Z")
> [@Cartooniverse](#): > > [Deeply Satirical Moment] **Sarah Palin: She puts the Vice in Vice President !!** [/Deeply Satirical Moment] > > Do we know if anyone has ever been conviced of a state crime, then been sworn in as Vice President or President ? Uh, yes? Bush and Cheney have both been convicted of DUI offenses, which are state crimes. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2008, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sarah-palin-investigated-for-abuse-of-gubernatorial-power-some-questions/461804/27 "2008-09-09T22:52:56Z")
> [@Captain\_Amazing](#): > > Why would she have to be impeached? There’s nothing about being convicted of a crime that disqualifies you from being vice president. Well, this thread’s premise is an unlikely theoretical. But accepting it as a given, you’re right – technically, there is no requirement for Congress to impeach and convict even a vice-president who was in prison. I think it’s likely that they would, though. ---
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2008, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sarah-palin-investigated-for-abuse-of-gubernatorial-power-some-questions/461804/28 "2008-09-10T00:14:53Z")
Ah well I guess this is as good a place as any. [Palin Per Diem, Travel Expenses Scrutinized](http://voices.washingtonpost.com/washingtonpostinvestigations/2008/09/palin_per_diem_travel_expenses.html) > [@](#): > > Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin used a government “per diem” allowance to charge the state for more than 300 nights spent at home (graphic) and spent another $43,490 on travel for her children and husband, The Post’s James V. Grimaldi and Karl Vick report today. > > \ > > Palin’s spokeswoman, Sharon Leighow, said the expenses are not unusual, noting that each of Palin’s five children could have claimed a per diem expense and that Palin often did not seek out reimbursement for meals. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sarah-palin-investigated-for-abuse-of-gubernatorial-power-some-questions/461804.md?page=1)