I am again questioning the role of a spouse in politics. Not just any old politics but the race to presidency, so it is worth looking at. We have seen again how a spouse, or more specifically Sarah Palin's husband, Todd Palin, can interfer with the political decisions his wife makes. An article from Newsmax titled "Ethics Probe Hits Hardest at Todd, Not Sarah Palin" has shed new light on the Palin ethics scandal or "Trooper gate" as it has been coined by the media. This scandal refers to Sarah Palin abusing her powers as governor of Alaska by attempting to have her former brother-in-law fired as a state trooper. This was revealed in a report from a legislative investigation this week. The most incriminating finding of the report was Governor Sarah Palin abused her power by violating the Alaska Executive Branch Ethics Act. That states: "Each public officer holds office as a public trust and any effort to benefit a personal or financial interest though official action is a violation of that trust." Can Palin be trusted?

The Newsmax article puts blame on Palin’s husband, Todd Palin. It portrays him as the sole instigator of the sacking, a source in the article claiming "he spent 50 percent of his time in the governor's office, making phone calls, participating in meetings or just hanging out." The findings of the report also support this claim, recognizing Todd’s interference as a violation of governor powers. On the other hand, The New York Times update yesterday, reveals both Sarah and Todd Palin were involved, saying fear and threats of violence prompted actions against the state trooper. The article is well rounded, showing all sides of the issue. It goes into the findings of the report to discount any rumors that may be circulating.

Interestingly, this was also the top news story on a credible Australian news site(ninemsn.com.au). This story aired on Australian television on Saturday October 11 and was seemingly bias in its approach. It did not mention Todd Palin at all and did not give a clear opinion from Sarah Palin, only saying “the McCain-Palin campaign team has dismissed the report, saying she acted with proper and lawful authority.” This surprised me given the credibility of this news station. I just thought it was worth noting the importance with which this report had in the world. Aside from the way in which the report findings were shown by different media outlets, I want to concentrate on the role of Todd Palin in the scandal.

I have spoken before on this blog about politics being a couple’s game and this is another case of a spouse getting involved in their partner’s political affairs. Is it ok for a partner to be involved in their husband or wife’s job? And does it even matter what job it is? If Sarah Palin was a dentist, what would you think if Todd Palin sat in on every appointment or tried his hand at dentistry? No it wouldn’t be ok. And neither is this. I am all for partner support and advice, but this has taken it too far. Sarah Palin is Governor of Alaska, not Todd. If these claims are true- and they are backed up by direct quotes in the article- then yes, Palin did abuse her powers as governor. Despite evidence, no penalty was given against Palin. I can’t judge whether or not Palin is guilty of unethical behavior, but I am focusing on Todd Palin’s involvement, putting the role of the spouse under the microscope once again. We can see again the impact spouses have on politics, giving yet another reason why to vote carefully. I thought this was another piece if information on Palin that was worth considering. I don't think Palin or America needs Todd Palin sticking his nose in his wife's work!