ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A spokeswoman for Gov. Sarah Palin is scoffing at comments by Bristol Palin's former fiance, who says he thinks Palin resigned to cash in on her fame.
"It is interesting to learn Levi is working on a piece of fiction while honing his acting skills," Palin family spokeswoman Meghan Stapleton said in an e-mail to The Associated Press.
Levi Johnston, 19, whose wedding to Bristol Palin was called off earlier this year, said Thursday he lived with the Palin family from early December to the second week in January. He claimed he heard the governor several times say how nice it would be to take advantage of the lucrative deals that were being offered, including a reality show and a book.
"She had talked about how nice it would be to take some of this money people had been offering us and you know just run with it, say 'forget everything else,'" he said.
He said he thinks book deals were really what appealed to Palin.
"I think the big deal was the book. That was millions of dollars," said Johnston, who has had a strained relationship with the family but now says things have improved.
Compensation details of Palin's book projects haven't been disclosed. The former GOP vice presidential candidate has said she is facing more than $500,000 in legal fees.
Johnston made his comments at a news conference Thursday at the office of his attorney, Rex Butler.
Johnston came forward, Butler said, because Alaskans want to know why Palin has decided to resign, effective the end of the month.
Johnston is pursuing his own book deal and movie deal while working as a carpenter.
Asked if he would vote for her if she ran for president, Johnston said: "I think she's a great lady, but after seeing what she did now, you know, leaving Alaska, I would have to say, 'no.' Obviously she's stressed out as governor. I mean moving up to the vice president or president is huge. I just don't think anymore that she's cut out for the job."
If Johnston was living with the Palin family, from early December to the second week in January, then he certainly would have had an intimate access to Sarah Palin just after her loss as the GOP vice presidential candidate in the 2008 election. Sarah Palin went through a media wringer over questions of whether she was qualified for the vice presidential office, and was embroiled in ethical questions over Troopergate, the Wasilla ice hockey rink, and the Bridge to Nowhere. She certainly had her own share of fights with the Alaskan state legislature over the ethics investigations and charges against her. Sarah Palin also became the hottest GOP political personality, when John McCain chose her to be his running mate. So why go back to the Alaskan governor's office, and the squabbling with the Alaskan state legislature, when you can cash in on the fame and fortune of being the darling for the GOP? It certainly is a siren call for Palin's naked ambitions.
And since Sarah Palin has refused to provide an explanation for her resignation, then perhaps what Levi Johnston is saying could have a ring of truth.
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