Leftists Smear Palin in Rape-Kit Controversy

There's a new stage in the left's smear campaign over the Sarah Palin "rape kit controversy."

Shannyn Moore, at Alaska Report, has a breathless post attacking Palin, as mayor of Wasilla, for allegedly charging rape victims for the costs of their forensic rape kits:

Under Palin’s Administration, “Life Begins at Rape” for women unable to pay for their forensic evidence gathering. Justice is served to women who can afford it and denied for those who can’t.

All of this sounds absolutely scandalous, but there's a minor problem: The Palin rape kit controversy is a bunch of baloney.

The press has reported the story inaccurately:

The latest myth touted on liberal blogs that’s bubbled its way into mainstream news headlines is the one where Sarah Palin ordered rape victims to pay for their own rape kits.

“Palin’s Town Used to Bill Victims for Rape Kits” was headline on a Thursday USA Today news story. Reporters Ken Dilanian and Matt Kelley used a 2000 quote from former Wasilla Police Chief to blame Palin for an outdated, now illegal policy she never supported.

“In the past, we’ve charged the cost of exams to victim’s insurance companies when possible,” former chief Charlie Fannon told the Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman in 2000 as then-Democratic Governor Tony Knowles was signing legislation to make local police branches cover the costs of the kits.

“I just don’t want to see any more burden on the taxpayer,” Fannon said at the time, which was reprinted in the USA Today.

Fannon went on to say that he believed the criminal should be held responsible for the costs, which run from $5,000-$14,000 per year for all assault cases. USA Today did not reprint those quotes from the interview, though. “The forensic exam is just one part of the equation,” Fannon said at the time “I’d like to see the courts make these people pay restitution for these things.”

According to Maria Cornella, Palin's campaign spokeswoman:

Palin "does not believe, nor has she ever believed, that rape victims should have to pay for an evidence-gathering test," [Cornella] said. "Gov. Palin's position could not be more clear. To suggest otherwise is a deliberate misrepresentation of her commitment to supporting victims and bringing violent criminals to justice."

Despite this, the latest attacks on Palin continue.

Bonnie Erbe, for example, is positively outraged:

Palin supporters ought to be taking a much closer look at her record on these types of issues (charging rape victims for evidentiary examinations so their attackers can be brought to trial) than whether she can juggle five children and the vice presidency. This, more than anything, should push women, pro-life and pro-choice, away from the McCain-Palin ticket.

Not quite, actually.

As we know, Barack Obama, aka "Senator Infanticide," is the most extreme Democrat in America on abortion rights. If anything's likely to "push women" to a fit of rage, it'll be the left's new depths of sleaze in attacking Gianna Jessen, an abortion survivor who's called out Obama's steadfast opposition to the Born Alive Infant Protection Act as a member of Illinios State Senate.

Here's Obama's new ad buy viciously attacking Jessen:

Here's the repsonse from Jill Stanek:

It is despicable, repulsive and beneath contempt that Barack Obama would attack Gianna Jessen. She is a courageous abortion survivor and living miracle who would not be with us today if Obama's policies had been in place when she was born. Mr. Obama continues to mislead the American people on this issue, he voted four times against medical care and protection for babies who survive abortions in the Illinois State Senate, while the U.S. Senate was voting 98-0 to pass an identical bill. Mr. Obama needs to come forward and tell the American people that he understands people like Gianna Jessen, and that he will support and enforce Born Alive Infant protections - that these are living, breathing human beings who have come into our world and deserve protection in the law and should receive medical care at health care facilities. These babies have the same rights as the rest of us.

So, while the left is intent to smear Sarah Palin with outrageous allegations of sticking rape victims with the costs of their investigations, Barack Obama has the depravity to remorselessly attack a women who not have been allowed to live under his own policies in the state of Illinois.

This latest round of attacks illustrates, yet again, the total collapse of decency among the Democratic left-wing of the political spectrum.