Early Trump supporter Palin suggests Carrier deal is 'crony capitalism'

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Sarah Palin: If Trump wins, America wins

Former governor of Alaska joins 'The O'Reilly Factor' to discuss the final days of election 2016

Sarah Palin -- an early Donald Trump supporter and possible administration hire -- is questioning whether the president-elect’s Carrier jobs deal is a case of “crony capitalism.”

The former Alaska governor and 2008 GOP vice-presidential nominee says she’s “ecstatic” for Carrier employees.

However, she also wonders whether Trump’s successful bid to keep the manufacturer from moving 1,000 jobs from Indiana to Mexico is in fact a case of political influence on the free market, while acknowledging that the specifics of the deal remain unclear.

Sarah Palin

“When government steps in arbitrarily with individual subsidies, favoring one business over others, it sets inconsistent, unfair, illogical precedent,” Palin wrote in an op-ed for the Young Conservative website.

The deal purportedly involves the furnace and air conditioning manufacturer getting $6 million in tax subsidies and $1 million in training grants over 10 years.

Fiscal conservatives repeatedly criticized outgoing Democratic President Obama of “picking winners and losers” for providing tax credits and other incentives to so-called green energies like solar and wind power while introducing more federal regulations on coal-firing plants.

“Republicans oppose this, remember?” Palin wrote. “We support competition on a level playing field, remember? Because we know special interest crony capitalism is one big fail.”

Palin is purportedly being considered for the post of Veterans Affairs secretary.

Trump vowed on the campaign trail to help military veterans receive better health care through the agency and to keep the Carrier jobs from going to Mexico, part of his overarching promise to stop U.S. companies from moving operation from Midwest manufacturing states to countries with lower costs.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.