Alaska ? Gov. Sarah Palin spent Monday fishing with her family and away from the spotlight as her lawyer insisted that legal troubles did not drive her to announce her stunning resignation over the holiday weekend.

Palin’s early departure has fueled rumors that some legal entanglement not yet known to the public may have compelled her to resign. Sixteen ethics complaints have been filed against Palin in the last year, most of which have been dismissed as baseless.

But Palin’s lawyer, Thomas Van Flein, said the Republican governor and former vice presidential candidate has no legal problems whatsoever.

In an interview with The Associated Press, he said that Palin believes that the hostile political climate and legal bills have become too much of a distraction for the state.