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Palin e-mails off public record

by Rebecca Palsha
Wednesday, August 6, 2008

ANCHORAGE, Alaska - E-mails from the Palin administration are being withheld from the public and the governor is citing executive privilege.

With subject lines like "Fagan," "Andrew Halcro" and even "Alaska Ear," it makes some wonder how those topics could possibly be policy related; especially since those same e-mails were copied to the governor's husband.

The administration says public employees need to know they can debate openly amongst themselves.

Andree McLeod, who tried repeatedly to get a job with the Palin administration, obtained the e-mails through a public records request.

The Department of Law says the e-mails are privileged. Officials say the private e-mails within the Palin administration won't be released.

"Part of the reason for not releasing e-mail messages is that there is a privileged recognized by the Alaska Supreme Court and courts across the country that is designed to encourage advisers to the governor to be frank and candid," Assistant Attorney General Dave Jones said.

Radio talk show host Dan Fagan is a Palin critic. 

He says this isn't about policy. It's about not letting the public see what people in the administration have to say about Palin critics.

"If this is about executive privilege and confidential information then Todd should not be privy to them," Fagan said. "He's a regular citizen he does not get to be co-governor. We did not slash Todd on the ballot box."    

Fagan is referring to Todd Palin, the governor's husband who also got copies of many of the e-mails.

Jones says the privilege applies in this case.

"That privilege applies to internal memoranda within state government but also to communications that are solicited from people outside state government," he said. "Sometimes the governor will want to solicit advice from people who are not state employees or federal Of course one of the closest advisers to a governor is likely to be that governor's spouse."

The governor says it's a non-issue.

"I feel like this is kind of a sport right now and that the haters and critics are really jumping," Gov. Palin said. "It's much ado about nothing in my opinion."

Palin says her husband is copied on the e-mails simply to make sure she gets a message.

She says her husband has no interest in being a politician.

"That's my job and that's respected by Todd," Palin said. "He's a great Alaskan whom I can bounce ideas off and he's wonderful. But, no Todd's not running the state."

Palin says that previous governor's spouses were much more involved in politics than her husband has been. Former Gov. Frank Murkowski's spouse, Nancy, was considered a senior adviser and attended all meetings.

Contact Rebecca Palsha at rpalsha@ktuu.com