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Appeal Filed in the Case of Sarah Palin's Secret Emails

Days ago, Mother Jones reported that Governor Sarah Palin's office withheld about 1100 emails in response to an open records act request filed in June and claimed that these emails to and from Palin aides and the governor herself covered confidential and official policy deliberations between Palin and her staffers. But the list (PDF) of the undisclosed emails indicates that many had subject lines suggesting they were not about policy matters. (A series of emails referred to one of Palin's political foes, another set to a well-known Alaskan journalist.) And many of the emails were CC'ed to Todd Palin, the governor's husband, who holds no official position in her administration. On Tuesday, Andrée McLeod, the independent watchdog who filed the original request, submitted an appeal (PDF), asking Palin, the Republican vice presidential nominee, to review the decision to keep these emails secret. Here is the statement McLeod issued afterward:

September 9, 2008, Anchorage, Alaska—Andrée McLeod, a registered Republican and well-known citizen watchdog filed an administrative appeal in which Ms. McLeod requested Alaska Governor Sarah Palin to review the decision to withhold or redact over 1,100 public records in violation of the Alaska Public Records Act. The records document the day-to-day operation of the Governor's Office and members of her administration during Sarah Palin's tenure as governor.
"The people of Alaska have a right to know the inner workings of their government. They have a right to know how the individuals they elect to public office are discharging the public trust," McLeod said. "The decision to hide documents to which state law allows citizens to have access suggests that Governor Palin's promise to have a transparent administration is bogus."
"Equally troubling," said Donald Mitchell, the Anchorage attorney who is representing Ms. McLeod, "is the fact that the records that have been provided to Ms. McLeod document that for the past two years Governor Palin has allowed her husband, Todd Palin, to compromise governmental decision-making by inserting himself whenever he chooses to do so into the day-to-day operations of the Office of the Governor.”
Documents received in response to a public records request by McLeod contained logs of undisclosed emails and thousands of e-mails assigned to Palin administration appointees Frank Bailey and Ivy Frye. The logs and redacted e-mails are the basis of this administrative appeal.
“Keeping government communications secret is not being a ‘champion of transparent government’ and fails to meet Governor Palin's promises that she established and ran on,” McLeod says. “What is Sarah Palin hiding?”

Will Palin get to this review before Election Day—if at all?






Comments

Corn,

The truths in this matter will undoubtably be supressed until it is far too late to have an effect on the election.

After the election, it will either be irrelevant (except to Alaskans) or become even more deeply buried under the sordid pile of "Executive Privledge" festering in the office of the Vice President.

But to voters, even though they know she's another vidictive, power-abusing, money-grubbing politician, they'll vote for her (and that old guy she's running with...whasisname) because she provides a non-racial excuse to vote against their better interests.

-T

Posted by: Hajji on 09/10/08 at 6:28 AM  Respond

I have come to the sad conclusion that none of this matters anymore. Sarah Palin is under the protection of Karl Rove and Steve Schmidt, and as such, nothing - her lies, her deception, her dishonest tactics - will stick to her.

The events of the last couple of weeks have confirmed for me what I suspected all along: this election is now officially the "ABTBM" election

ABTBM = "Anyone But The Black Man"

Posted by: neen on 09/10/08 at 8:13 AM  Respond

Not this year people. This is not 2000 or 2004. There has been an awakening of ENOUGH American people to where this sort of BS is not going to work. We are paying ATTENTION because unlike the hiding of draped coffins, we look at our checking accounts every day. Im working harder for less. My quality of life is strained and frankly, Im TIRED OF THIS 8 YEAR NIGHTMARE. I want to wake UP and I intend to do all I can to make sure that happens on NOV 4 when we elect OBAMA President!
ENOUGH!!!

Posted by: jackjack on 09/10/08 at 9:05 AM  Respond

This is a little off the subject, but what is the deal with Todd Palin? I have never seen so much of a VP candidate's spouse. Then I found out that the politicians of Alaska have had enough of Todd sitting in on closed government meetings as well as spending a lot of his time involved in internal matters of the state troopers. Also, there is a newspaper article about Sarah sending copies of e-mails to Todd about government business. So, what is the deal with this guy? Has anybody checked into him?

Posted by: khountrygirl on 09/10/08 at 9:18 AM  Respond

What Sarah Palin IS hiding is that if you turn her upside down, you get a BushBot doll!

Sarah Palin IS 4 more years of George Bush and his violation of the presidential records act.

This woman is downright hypocritical and very dangerous to the future of this country.

Posted by: Jezebel on 09/10/08 at 11:06 AM  Respond

khountry girl: Just go to the Alaska Secession movement page and you will find that Todd Palin was a card-carrying, anti-US policy member of the move for Alaska to secede from the United States.

Sarah Palin attended meetings with him in 2004 and in 2006, as governor, send in a video appearance where she commended them "for all the great work they're doing". I'd say this constitutes a very anti-american endorsement if I were to interpret it.

Yes, Todd has been so obviously standing around at these things and, when coupled with the totally psycho, incestuous looking incongruity between McSame and Sarah, I'd say he's maintaining a vigil because a)He plans a coup on this government from within the white house walls if she becomes Veep and 2)He has to remind McNasty to keep his filty, lecherous paws off her derriere! That's what I think.

Posted by: Jezebel on 09/10/08 at 11:10 AM  Respond

Todd Palin, by his mere "access", as Second Man in this administration will lead a coup on this democracy.

Posted by: Jezebel on 09/10/08 at 11:11 AM  Respond

不動産

「美容整形することによって絶対的な美を得られるわけではありません。美容整形『自分は変わった』という事実を物理的に確認することで、美容整形気になって仕方がなかった自分 の体に対するコンプレックスから解放される。美容整形そこではじめて心を研ぎ澄

派遣お仕事をお探しの皆さまにとって、派遣より使いやすく便利なサイトにするべく、ア

This is getting scarier by the day. It's like deja vu of the past 8 years. This morning I ran across an article in the August 23rd issue of Newsweek about a letter from Cheney to Alaskan legislature concerning the proposed Alaskan Gas Pipeline that Palin seems to be so proud of. WAKE UP PEOPLE! The people haven't changed, only the faces they want the rest of us to see.

Posted by: Sharon on 09/11/08 at 10:22 AM  Respond

Actually, Palin and her staff and attorney are stonewalling the investigation, but the report is due on October 10th and should be delivered by the competent investigator at that time, before the absentee ballots are sent out.

Posted by: Frank on 09/11/08 at 10:29 AM  Respond


Sarah Palin will be forced to address this issue prior to the election, or face the legal consequences for obstruction of justice.

This is not 2004, and Americans are sick and tired of government officials thinking they can break the rule of the land.

LET THE TRUTH COME OUT NOW, less we no longer be the great America our founders and military fought for and which you and I still believe in!

Posted by: Julie on 09/11/08 at 1:33 PM  Respond

I hope you are right, jackjack. But, I tend to share the skepticism -- the disheartening skepticism -- that this woman is already teflon-coated.

Where are the Democrats? Where is the vigorous attack? Is it absent because this particular Republitart is just too attractive to attack? What?

I'm tired of Karl Rove keeping his domestic animals in the Oval Office, but I have a sinking feeling that it's going to be straw in, dung out, as usual, in the White House, for the next four years.

Posted by: Voltarial on 09/11/08 at 10:31 PM  Respond

You're right it is not 2004. It is 1974 all over again. And Palin is the new Spiro Agnew. Look it up in a history book if you aren't old enough to remember it. This won't come out until after the election. Then it will either be too late or it will screw up Washington DC for months or years.

Posted by: Joy M. on 09/12/08 at 7:28 PM  Respond

You guys can just give it up, that Obama clown isn't going to make it.

He has about as much substance as this blog.

Now if you truely have a dislike for Palin, turn your focus to the real issue, Open Debates.

Until we can get past this issue, all we can hope for is a Chicago loser and a nice pair of legs.

Stop wasting your time on trivial matters and bring the election process back to the people.

Nearly 24 hour coverage and we haven't heard any real issues and I do not hear any here.

Either we have more choices or I am voting for the legs.

I wouldn't vote for Oblandma simply for seeing which media is pushing for him and the apparent lost nature of his loser supporters.

T.

Posted by: Ted Warren on 09/12/08 at 10:53 PM  Respond

Ignorance is bliss Ted, live up to those standards and life will forever be just out of reach. Have a good one ...

Posted by: Smokiesboy on 09/14/08 at 7:30 AM  Respond

It might be interesting to find out about the security classification of the emails that were cc'ed to T.Palin.
Even more interesting would be the classification of the email and documents mailed to and from Sarah Palin's private email account. As far as I know the Yahoo! email system is not rated to transport goverment classified materal.
Secret Squirrel

Posted by: secret squirrel on 09/14/08 at 1:17 PM  Respond

Truth for Fame

People trade truth for the fame,
It’s part of the political game…
Yet God never lies, with love comes surprise…
A child belongs to the same.

What perplexes me more is the thought
That God wants us in wars that we fought…
What part of God’s will , In thou shall not kill
Is justified now with what’s sought.

People trade truth for the fame…
So wrapped up in their self centered game…
That they’d compromise love and lock up a dove…
With a series of lies, that’s insane.

People trade truth for the lies…
That are harder these days to deny…
And the bigger it grows, Concerns tragic impose…
Youthful innocent lives you’ve denied.

If keeping America safe,
Relies not on issues, but faith…
I’ll place “In God we trust”
At the front of a must
To vote for two men with such grace.

Posted by: The Real Scoop on 09/16/08 at 2:55 PM  Respond

You are a bunch of biased morons. You are a joke.

Posted by: Tom Kragt on 09/17/08 at 6:52 PM  Respond

Dems:
Say what u say best--blame BUSH!
Fact:
McCain/Palin in 2008 + 2012
Palin in 2016 + 2020.
PERIOD>

God Bless America...
NOT GD America, (as Obama says)

Posted by: Lisa on 09/17/08 at 10:21 PM  Respond

this is an outrage sarah palin has proven herself to be a big liar reguarding the issues of this her state she fired the commissioner because he wouldn't fire her brother-in-law. this country is praising her daughter for getting pregnant at a young age

Posted by: women unite on 09/18/08 at 10:12 AM  Respond

this is an outrage sarah palin has proven herself to be a big liar reguarding the issues of this her state she fired the commissioner because he wouldn't fire her brother-in-law. this country is praising her daughter for getting pregnant at a young age

Posted by: women unite on 09/18/08 at 10:16 AM  Respond

Sarah Palin is the teflon queen, she's cool, calm, collected, and she's waltzing her way into the Whitehouse to the delight of many!
Start getting your hankies ready because you're going to be crying big baby tears come election day while the rest of the nation parties!! I never did think the Bush years were so bad, and I'm really not worse off financially than I was eight years ago, the Iraq war is winding down, and I don't want someone in power who wants to negotiate with leaders that are terrorist,so those arguments don't apply to me, and I never vote on just the abortion issue alone, so what do I care what Palin's stance is on that (plus I'm barren now), and I don't like Obama's stand on every woman's right to a dead baby once she decides to abort (if it survives the abortion just let it die), so selfishly, I'm voting McCain/Palin along with millions of others!

Posted by: Katie on 09/22/08 at 4:23 PM  Respond

I never did think the Bush years were so bad..

I think the Bush years have sucked in oh-so-many ways.

Do I think Obama is the cure?
That the 'Obama years' will be a big improvement?
Not Hardly!!

Do I think McCain is the cure?
That the 'McCain years' will be a big improvement?
Not Hardly!!

Posted by: DemoPublicans, One And All on 09/22/08 at 4:34 PM  Respond

The blogs on the internet are all overwhemingly critical of the MaCain/Palin ticket.
It is really scary not only for US but also for the world as Palin could be the President if anything happens to McCain.
Palin beliefs that everything that happens is God's will,that global warming is not man-made,that being able to see Russia from her house constitutes as being well versed in foreign affairs,is prolife,the troopergate problem will not be known probably until after the election,believes in Creation and subscbribe to the belief that man existed at the time of the dinosaurs,not being honest about the bridge to nowhere,plus many other things which she did when she is Governor of Alaska with less than one million people,etc plus she being shielded from having interview with the press by the Republican campaign all indicates that she is not capable to be the Commander in Chief of the world's only superpower.
There is a very high chance that this could happen in view of McCain's age and history of melanomas.
Americans should be proud that An African American could be a presidential candidate.
All over the world,Obama is the preferred choice by non-Americans for the US Presidency.
People should not let their racial bias prevent them from voting for Obama.
If MCcain/Palin wins the election,then may God help USA and the world.

Posted by: Fred K on 09/25/08 at 9:20 PM  Respond

now lets talk about obama and his relationships with acorn and bill ahers!

Posted by: dk on 10/01/08 at 8:20 PM  Respond

let's wait & see. Obama has more character & personality than those other two put together. He has talent, energy & a great love for this country. We respect him. McCain is a nasty old man & he's teaching his running mate well. This is going to get nasty, unfortunately.

Posted by: carole del monte on 10/04/08 at 4:24 PM  Respond

Sure glad Palin gets to run instead of miss hillary---anyone ever hear of Whitewater when her and Bill were playing President. Everybody blames Bush for all this mess but it started when Bill was in charge. Also why haven't the Dems done anything for the last 2 years, they've had control of Congress not the Reps.People pull your heads out and open your eyes.

Posted by: btt on 10/10/08 at 6:35 AM  Respond

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