Todd Palin repaid for Tennessee hacker trial

KNOXVILLE The government paid nearly $2,500 for Sarah Palins husband to come to the trial of a Tennessee college student who hacked into her email even though Todd Palin never testified, court records show.

In all, the government paid more than $29,000 to fly members of the Palin family and other witnesses to Knoxville, send a prosecutor to Alaska for research and pay other travel expenses, according to the Department of Justice records obtained by The Associated Press through a Freedom of Information Act request. Air travel totaled about $18,600, and hotel bills amounted to nearly $3,300.

The thousands of dollars spent by prosecutors helped them win a conviction on one felony and one misdemeanor charge against David Kernell, who finishes his 10-month sentence today.

Prosecutors have said that Kernells punishment for the hacking during Palins failed 2008 vice presidential bid should deter any hackers who considered targeting candidates in next falls presidential election.

Paid for expenses

The former Alaska governor, her daughter Bristol and an aide were among the witnesses called to the stand, but the chief prosecutor said he decided Todd Palins testimony wasnt needed. Sarah and Bristol Palin told jurors that they felt harassed and their lives were disrupted after Kernell hacked into Sarah Palins Yahoo! email account and made screenshots public that included personal email addresses and cell phone numbers.

Records show Todd Palin received $2,244.30 as reimbursement for airfare from Alaska to Tennessee, along with $122 for meals and incidentals and an attendance fee of $120. He was listed as a fact witness.

We subpoena a lot of witnesses that we think we might need, Assistant U.S. Attorney Greg Weddle said, adding that about a dozen witnesses in all were subpoenaed. We decided his testimony was no longer necessary for purposes of trial.

An attorney for the Palins, John Tiemessen of Fairbanks, Alaska, said in an email that Todd P! alin was under subpoena and flew to Knoxville prepared to testify. Tiemessen declined to make Todd Palin available for comment, and an email seeking comment sent to Sarah Palins political action committee wasnt immediately returned.

The 34 pages of Justice Department expense documents obscured the names of witnesses 58 times, making it impossible to discern how much in travel expenses was incurred by Bristol and Sarah Palin and the other witnesses.

Husband never testified

But one three-page form that authorized reimbursement of unusual expenses showed payment was made to Todd Palin. The section of the form where Weddle provided justification for the unusual expense was blanked out.

Records also show it cost $2,461 for the prosecutor to take a September 2009 trial preparation trip to Alaska.

Weddle said Todd Palin received the same allowance anybody else would be entitled to, based on a contract rate of $40 per day. The form specifies that attendance days include travel.

Theres no bonus because youve written a book or you are married to a former vice presidential candidate, Weddle said.

Several former prosecutors who werent involved in the case said its difficult to compare the cost of a case with the gravity of the charges or the outcome.

You dont know exactly how things are going to take shape, said former Assistant U.S. Attorney Gary Humble of Chattanooga.

Its just the nature of trials. Unfortunately you have to bring witnesses in from a long way.