OK, I started picking at Politico's $150,000 Palin Family shopping spree on Daddy Types. There was an obviously inaccurate claim that the GOP had spent $295 on a sweet ride for Trig Palin at a baby store called Steiniauer & Stroller. Now I know you can't get a sweet stroller or $300, so I was skeptical.
Turns out Steinlauer & Stoller is a sewing supply store in New York City. The RNC must use a receipt scanner to put together their monthly Schedule F form detailing all their expenses. [via josh green at the atlantic]
And this whole $4,900 for Todd Palin's clothes at Atelier, "a high-class shopping destination for men"? Uh-uh.
Turns out the address of Atelier is not in Minneapolis, but "7th & 47th, New York." There is nothing high-class about that neighborhood at. all. If Atelier were a store, it's a crappy Going Out Of Business NOW! suit mill. I'm sure it's not a coincidence, though, that Atelier Designers, a trade show of women's fashion designers, was ensconced in seven floors of the Doubletree Inn--at the corner of 7th & 47th.
Some things don't add up, though; Atelier '09 was showing spring collections, not fall [aka campaign season]. And though the official dates for the show were Sept. 13-15, during Fashion Week, the RNC's receipt has a date of 9/10/2008.
But Sept. 10th is also the date given for the big $75,000 Neiman Marcus spree in Minneapolis, which clearly outfitted the Palin clan for their appearance on stage Sept. 3rd.
And Sept. 10th is also the date given for the campaign's $98 purchase at Pacifier, the Minneapolis baby store where I confirmed the RNC shopped on Sept. 3rd.
So more likely Sep. 10th was the day McCain campaign official Jeff Larson handed off his previous week's receipts. Which still leaves a bit of mystery what "campaign accessories the RNC bought on Sept 3 at a trade show that wasn't taking place for another two weeks. Perhaps some campaign staffer's sister was debuting her collection of handpainted scarves and got a little help paying for her trade show booth?
