GOP announced Palin would host fundraiser, but didn't tell her

Congressional Republicans made news Monday with the announcement that the Alaska governor would headline a big dinner event -- they may have jumped the gun.

Published March 17, 2009 2:40PM (EDT)

On Monday, congressional Republicans found they could breathe at least a little bit easier. Sure, they've been battered in the last two elections and Democrats continue to hold the upper hand, but at least they had a potential fundraising powerhouse, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, coming to Washington to host their annual Senate-House dinner.

Probably would have been a good idea to make sure Palin knew about the plan.

A day after the announcement that the GOP's 2008 vice-presidential nominee would be hosting the dinner, we're now hearing that Palin's office says she did get an invite but that she never confirmed. "I communicated with the governor directly and she did not know anything about it," spokesman Bill McAllister told the Anchorage Daily News. When Palin asked him why the Associated Press was reporting the news, McAllister said, "I pointed out the (National Republican Senatorial Committee) press release and she was like, no." (Hat-tip to Political Wire.)

A spokesman for the NRSC, Brian Walsh, blamed a miscommunication, saying the staff at Palin's political action committee, SarahPAC, not at her official office, had confirmed on her behalf. But McAllister denied that. "I don't know, I'm kind of stunned... She's been invited, but that's as far as it's gone from our end, is my understanding," he said.


By Alex Koppelman

Alex Koppelman is a staff writer for Salon.

MORE FROM Alex Koppelman


Related Topics ------------------------------------------

Sarah Palin War Room