Critics: Under Palin, Wasilla charged rape victims for exam.

While Sarah Palin claims to be a new feminist and the McCain camp cry that sexism is being used against her, we find this nugget:

Speaking to a teleconference audience of reporters around the nation, former Gov. Tony Knowles and current Ketchikan Mayor Bob Weinstein -- both Democrats -- accused Palin of misleading the public in her new role as the vice presidential running mate of Arizona Sen. John McCain.

While some of their complaints have already been aired, Knowles broke new ground while answering a reporter's question on whether Wasilla forced rape victims to pay for their own forensic tests when Palin was mayor.

True, Knowles said.

Eight years ago, complaints about charging rape victims for medical exams in Wasilla prompted the Alaska Legislature to pass a bill -- signed into law by Knowles -- that banned the practice statewide.

"There was one town in Alaska that was charging victims for this, and that was Wasilla," Knowles said.

A May 23, 2000, article in Wasilla's newspaper, The Frontiersman, noted that Alaska State Troopers and most municipal police agencies regularly pay for such exams, which cost between $300 and $1,200 apiece.

"(But) the Wasilla police department does charge the victims of sexual assault for the tests," the newspaper reported.

It's a very strange feminist who would condone charging rape victims between $300 and $1,200 to a forensic examination after such an ordeal. And would then, if they were pregnant, wish to ban them from having an abortion.

If she's a feminist, I'm a ballerina.

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Tags: Palin, Wasilla, rape victims, charges, forensic examination