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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Palin donations lower in 2013

Associated Press

JUNEAU, Alaska – Sarah Palin’s political action committee brought in just over $460,000 during the first half of 2013, well short of its fundraising totals for the same period in previous years.

Campaign finance disclosures show Palin’s SarahPAC ended June with about $1.1 million available.

Spending between January and June totaled nearly $500,000, including such things as travel, speechwriting and consulting costs. SarahPAC gave money to one candidate – $5,000 to Jason Smith – who won a June special election for a Missouri U.S. House seat.

The total compares with the roughly $1.2 million brought in by SarahPAC during the first half of 2012 and about $1.7 million during the first half of 2011.

SarahPAC treasurer Tim Crawford said in an email to the Associated Press on Wednesday that the PAC, for the most part, gave donors a break and didn’t fundraise aggressively during the latest reporting period.

“Very pleased with the results,” he said. “It is an off year after a presidential election where every donor was bombarded with requests.”

Palin was the 2008 GOP vice presidential nominee and former Alaska governor who, after resigning from her post in 2009, went on to be a best-selling author and Fox News contributor.