Controversy seems to court the family of this one-time vice presidential candidate no matter
what they do.
And with the revelation of her husband's quiet divorce filing, the rumor mill has once again
lurched into motion.
Let's explore some of the potential reasons why Sarah Palin is getting divorced.
"Impossible" situation?
Todd Palin filed for divorce from Sarah Palin on - of all days - his birthday, Sept. 6,
2019.
Todd used the couple's initials on the filing in an apparent attempt to conceal identities,
but savvy reporters figured it out because their youngest son's birthday was listed in
the documents.
And speaking of the docs, Todd shared a very curious detail about why he and Sarah won't
be able to make it work.
Lawyers for the snowmobile hobbyist cited,
"[An] incompatibility of temperament […] such that they find it impossible to live together
as husband and wife."
Not only do we find it interesting that Todd filed the papers first, but we're shocked
to learn these two are incompatible.
The couple appeared to share the same interests and conservative values, after all.
But as the old saying goes, you never know what happens behind closed doors.
Was it inevitable?
We might be surprised by Todd and Sarah Palin's impending divorce, but one person close to
the family probably isn't - Bristol Palin's ex, Levi Johnston.
The avid hunter, who is the father of Bristol's eldest son, Tripp, claimed the two have been
at odds for a long time.
When asked in a 2009 interview with Radar Online whether the pair had marital issues,
Johnston replied that they've had issues, quote, "from day one."
"Funny.
Ha ha.
Not.
Funny."
He also suggested these supposed problems were to blame for Sarah resigning from her
position as the governor of Alaska in July 2009, a move that sparked great controversy
and confusion at the time.
We're not sure what problems supposedly existed between Todd and Sarah, but Johnston denied
cheating played a role.
Could infidelity be to blame?
Speaking of infidelity: Explosive claims about Sarah and Todd Palin's marriage came to light
following the publication of Joe McGinniss's 2011 book, The Rogue: Searching for the Real
Sarah Palin.
In the expose, McGinniss accused Palin of having an affair with NBA star, Glen Rice,
while she was dating Todd.
Rice seemingly confirmed the hookup, telling the author,
"We just hit it off.
In a short time, we got to know a lot about one another.
It was all done in a respectful way, nothing hurried."
But wait - that's not all.
McGinniss also accused Sarah of engaging in a long term affair with Todd's former business
partner and friend, Brad Hanson, during their marriage.
The outdoorsman supposedly ended his business relationship with Hanson after discovering
the so-called affair, which McGinniss alleged was Sarah's way to retaliate against Todd's
alleged infidelities.
Both Sarah and Brad denied any affair.
Money moves?
Although money can be a big factor for divorce, this doesn't seem to be the case for Sarah
and Todd Palin.
Case in point: In court documents, Todd requested their debts and assets be split "equally,"
according to Radar Online.
It seems fair given Todd has been by Sarah's side throughout the duration of her career,
and the fact that he has always held steady jobs.
According to the couple's 2007 federal income tax filing, Todd pulled in over $90K working
as an oil field production operator and commercial salmon fisherman in Alaska.
As of the making of this video, the couple's combined net worth is estimated to be an impressive
$12 million.
And although most of that cash was arguably accrued by Sarah, who has become an author
and reality TV star since becoming a high-profile political figure, we find it telling that
Todd didn't request child support given that the couple will likely share custody of their
young son, Trig.
This appears to be a "what's fair is fair" kind of deal, instead of a money grab, suggesting
this split wasn't about moolah in the end.
Not about parenting?
Conflicts regarding parenting decisions can often lead to divorce, but it appears that
Sarah and Todd Palin have always been on the same page about their kiddos.
Case in point: Just months before Todd filed for divorce, the pair was spotted supporting
youngest daughter, Piper, at her high school graduation in May 2019.
Sarah captioned a shot of herself with Todd and their family,
"Everyone needs a Piper Indi Grace in life.
Girl makes the world a better place."
Although things were probably rough between the two at this point, it's clear they put
their differences aside for the sake of their children.
Furthermore, Todd requested joint custody of their son, Trig - and if he had wanted
to hurt Sarah, as is sometimes part of the unfortunate reality of ugly divorces, he could
have requested full custody.
Call us idealists, but we have a feeling this breakup wasn't about their kids, especially
since four out of five are now adults.
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