Hockey mom, and then some

From Fox:

When Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin abruptly announced Friday that she would leave office more than a year early, many wondered what she would do and why she was resigning. Now we may have some answers.

Reports have surfaced that Palin may have quit her job because she was trying to avert a major, yet-to-be-disclosed corruption scandal.

The crux of the rumor is that Alaska building company Spenard Building Supplies (SBS) was awarded a contract by Palin to build a hockey arena in Wasilla, Alaska, and in return, SBS helped construct the Palins' home.

According to Huffington Post blogger Shannyn Moore, "Both structures, it is said, feature the same windows, same wood, and same products."

Max Blumenthal of The Daily Beast wrote that federal investigators have been seizing paperwork from SBS in recent months, searching for evidence that Palin and her husband Todd steered lucrative contracts to the well-connected company in exchange for gifts like the construction of their home on pristine Lake Lucille in 2002.

A 2008 Associated Content report states that though Todd Palin told Fox News he built the home with the help of a few "buddies," public records revealed that SBS supplied the materials for the house.

Update via Josh Marshall:

Gov. Palin releases a new statement explaining her sudden (which she says was not sudden at all) decision to resign her office little more than half way through her term of office.

Palin's attorney, Thomas Van Flein, has also sent out a letter rejecting claims that Palin's resignation is tied to investigations of the Wasilla Sports Complex, during Palin's tenure as mayor, or their house on Lake Lucille. In the letter Van Flein also threatens defamation suits against Huffpo, Washington Post, the NY Times and MSNBC for discussing these claims.