Couple try to sell Palin effigy on EBay

By Raja Abdulrahim

Jan. 20, 2009 12 AM PT

Yes, the noose is included.

The Sarah Palin mannequin that hung in effigy from the roof of a West Hollywood home back in October, spurring protests and prompting MSNBC’s Keith Olbermann to call the resident that day’s “worst person in the world,” is being sold on EBay.

ChadMichael Morrisette, a professional window display designer, and his partner, Mito Aviles, are selling the Palin mannequin for a minimum bid of $1,000. The doll comes with glasses, a red Neiman Marcus coat and a beehive wig -- and the noose around its neck. Sunday night, EBay abruptly canceled the auction. In an e-mail to the couple, EBay referred to its offensive-material policy, which says, “Sellers may not list items that promote or glorify hatred, violence, racial or religious intolerance.”

“I think they were putting it in that category because of the history of lynching,” Morrisette said.

The couple listed the item again Sunday night with a new photo. It shows the mannequin standing up, sans noose, though the accessory is still included in the purchase.

The second auction was taken down Monday evening, but that time EBay sent Morrisette a message saying he did not re-list the item properly and gave him proper instructions. The site also informed him in a separate e-mail that the first auction was removed because images depicting violence on a real person are not permitted.

The original auction was supposed to end today to coincide with the inauguration, but the current auction is slated to end Thursday night.

Before the first auction was removed, its page had more than 900 views and 40 people keeping track of it, Morrisette said. The second auction had more than 200 views and five bidders tracking it. He said he was suspicious that EBay was trying to prevent people from tracking the auction.

Once the auction was removed the second time, the one bid on it disappeared.

Several pro-Palin blogs had encouraged readers to contact EBay and urge it to take the auction down.

“C’mon EBAY [it] is still the mannequin that was hanged in effigy and it is still a symbol of hate. You are allowing your site to be used to promote hate speech,” read a recent post on thesarahpalinblog.com.

Morrisette and Aviles aren’t shying away from the controversy, which had reporters and gawkers staked outside their home in October.

Stories about the effigy were broadcast on a number of news programs and outlets, including “The Today Show,” “Inside Edition” and on Fox News.

“Who knows who will buy it and why they will want it,” Morrisette said.

“Maybe they’ll just want the mannequin.”

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