Shortly after Sarah Palin announced her endorsement of Donald Trump on Tuesday afternoon, news broke out of Wasilla, Alaska that her son had been arrested. When the details of the charges were released, the media went into a frenzy and Palin went into damage control.
Originally released by Gawker, the press release from the Wasilla Police Department note that 26-year-old Track Palin was arrested and charged with domestic violence against a woman, interfering with the victim’s ability to report the crime in question, and possessing a firearm while being intoxicated. During a campaign stop for Trump in Tulsa, Oklahoma on Jan. 20, Palin blamed President Obama for her son’s troubles, but the details of his military history don’t appear to line up with her allegations.
Citing his past as a member of the military, Palin said her son returned from the Middle East “hardened” and “a bit different.” Palin continued, linking her son’s alleged PTSD to the assault charges against him. The former failed vice presidential candidate then turned her attention to the president, stating, “It starts from the top, the question though it comes from our own president, when they have to look at him and wonder, do you know what we go through.” Paul Rieckhoff, the head of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), was critical of Palin blaming the president, stating that he hopes it “doesn’t become a portable chew toy in a political campaign.”
The allegations by Palin against the president contradict with the details in question. Palin blames Obama for her son’s actions and his possible PTSD that he suffered as a result of spending time in Iraq. However, Track Palin was a part of Alaska’s 25th Infantry Division’s 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team that served in Iraq for one year in 2008. While honorable, the time he spent in Iraq that Palin claims caused his PTSD was under the orders of then President George W. Bush, and not President Barack Obama, as reported by NBC News.
Since that time, Track Palin has been in numerous run-ins with the law, include a massive brawl at a house party in Anchorage, Alaska in 2014. No charges were filed, but CNN notes that Track attempted to start a fight with his father, Todd, and was described as being “heavily intoxicated” and “belligerent.”
Track Palin Was Arrested Last Night for Domestic Violence
Today is a big day for Sarah Palin. She is in Iowa to endorse Donald Trump, which will shore up Trump’s standing with Real Americans and once again give the Palin family a moment in the national spotlight. But things back home aren’t as rosy: Last night, Palin’s son, Track, was charged in Wasilla on domestic violence and weapons charges.
Track Palin—the 26-year-old son of Sarah Palin, who today endorsed Donald Trump for president—was…Read more
As first reported by Gawker, online court records show that Track Palin, 26, was charged yesterday with assault in the fourth degree (domestic violence), interfering with a report of domestic violence, and possession of a weapon while intoxicated. In a press release, Wasilla Police say they responded to a disturbance at around 10 p.m. last night, and that “an investigation revealed Track Palin had committed a domestic violence assault on a female, interfered with her ability to report a crime of domestic violence, and possessed a firearm while intoxicated.” All three charges are misdemeanors.
Yesterday, the 26-year-old son of Sarah Palin, Track Palin, was arrested and charged with domestic…Read more documents.gawker.com
Here’s a screenshot of the charges as they appear online. Spokespersons with both the Wasilla Police Department and the district attorney’s office confirmed their existence:
Palin was scheduled to be arraigned at 1 p.m. locally (5 p.m. Eastern). Wasilla police declined to release the affidavit regarding the incident, citing an open investigation, but if we receive that report, we will update this post.
Track Palin was first introduced to the public as the most politically convenient of Sarah Palin’s children. In her famous speech at the 2008 Republican National Convention, Palin noted that Track, then 19, would be shipping out to serve in Iraq later that month—on September 11. Like most of the Palins, the ensuing years have been a bit rocky: Tabloids have alleged that Track Palin abused drugs. He married and divorced in less than two years. And he was involved, along with his father and sister Bristol, in a bizarre brawl that led to an embarrassing drunken police interview full of colorful, homophobic language.
Here is the full press release from the Wasilla Police to Gawker regarding the incident:
On 01/18/2016 at approximately 2204 hours, Wasilla Police responded to a residence for a disturbance. An investigation revealed Track Palin had committed a domestic violence assault on a female, interfered with her ability to report a crime of domestic violence, and possessed a firearm while intoxicated. Palin was arrested and charges of assault in the fourth degree (domestic violence), interfering with a domestic violence report, and misconduct involving weapons in the fourth degree were forwarded to the District Attorney’s Office. Palin was held without bail until arraignment.