Yes, heric. When a public person is attacked politically there is no reason why the public's money should not be used to defend oneself against the attack.

I have no idea of why Palin, as governor, would have to spend half a million dollars or even a half dollar against political attacks. I suspect that more information will come out on that.

As I said above, when Palin sued herself in order to have her own-appointed board check it out, she most definitely did not pay for it herself. (This was in the so-called Troopergate case. How tired I am of all these "gates"!) In fact, that particular defense was the costliest item among the ethics violation cases.

Incidentally, when Palin agreed - and has - to reimburse the state almost $10,000 for what she had charged the state in connection with her children traveling with her, it was in response to an ethics complaint.