Palin Emails: Critic Sues To Preserve Them

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — A critic of Gov. Sarah Palin is suing to try to force preservation of any government-related e-mails that Palin sent from private accounts.

Andree McLeod, a former state worker, filed the lawsuit against Palin, the Republican vice presidential candidate, in Anchorage on Thursday. Palin's gubernatorial spokeswoman, Sharon Leighow, said Saturday she could not comment on pending litigation.

Palin's e-mail account with Yahoo Inc. was compromised last month by a hacker who revealed as evidence a few inconsequential personal messages she has received since John McCain selected her as his running mate.

Palin used "gov.sarah" in one of the Yahoo e-mail addresses she sometimes used to conduct state business. The hacker targeted her separate "gov.palin" account. Both have been shut down.

The hacking of Palin's private account is significant because Palin has sometimes used private e-mail accounts to conduct state business. Previously disclosed e-mails indicate her administration embraced Yahoo accounts as an alternative to government e-mail, which could possibly be released to the public under Alaska's Open Records Act.

"Palin's decision to conduct state business in such an unprofessional and secretive manner suggests that her promise to have an ethical, open, honest and transparent administration is pure bogus," McLeod said in a statement Saturday.

"Equally troubling is the fact that most of Palin's private e-mail accounts have recently been shut down," she said. "I'm seeking the court's help by requesting them to tell the governor to obey Alaska's public record laws."

McLeod also has submitted an open records request with the state of Alaska seeking copies from Palin's private e-mail accounts as well as one belonging to her husband, Todd. The Associated Press has submitted similar requests.

In August, McLeod filed an ethics complaint with the attorney general's office against Palin and members of her staff, accusing them of giving a state job to a man who held a fundraiser for Palin.

McLeod has said she worked for the state at various times over decades, the last time after an appointment by then-Gov. Frank Murkowski, whom Palin defeated in the GOP primary in 2006.

Comments

[milo h minderbinder]

So what ever happened with the college kid accused of the hacking? I never heard an end result of the grand jury.

So I'm guessing they didn't have the right guy and hoped nobody would notice that they never filed any charges?

Anyone know any more recent details?

[SomeOtherDude]

The law needs to be changed so that any e-mail account used for official governement business at any level automatically becomes a goverenment e-mail account and subject to all laws and regulations that would have applied to the e-mail account that should have been used by the elected official and that official's staff. Then, maybe they'll think twice about trying to hide their public activities from the public for fear that thier rightfully e-mails will become subject to FOIA requests.

I find it astounding and regunant that anyone is okay with an elected official intentionally and overtly using private e-mail to hide what they are doing with their public office. These officials are the same people who support spying on our e-mail accounts without warrents and without oversite but they want to keep the business that we elected them to do out of the sight of the public. I've been told that if I have nothing to hide, I have nothing to fear. Well, what does Palin have to fear? I'm guessing jail for illegal activities but how would we know? What did MLK have to fear? Well, we know now: slander from the FBI.

Governor, if you don't want the public to know what you'e doing with your public office, maybe you shouldn't be doing it.

[brownbomba]

I have never seen in all my years of following politics an attack of this magnitude. Sarah Palin should get out of this ticket. Not because she is unqualified. She should resign in order to spare her family the absolute degradation and pain that will be caused by those who hate her. We had a president who disgraced(Bill Clinton) the white house but you folks thought he was just being a man. Now we have a woman who stands for what is right and God forbid that she might even be a little "spiritual". And for God sakes, she better not ever say she is saved (John 3:16). So she should step out of this mess and spare her family because its only gonna get worse from here. I am black and will not be voting for Obama. I gonna vote for McCain for other reasons such as I was little unborn babies to lives. How about that thought!!

[KiwisCanFly]

brownbomba

Gov Palin has accepted the nomination for VP, her leadership and decision-making as an executive is now being scrutinized at a national level. This is to be expected. VP is the 2nd highest office and she could become POTUS.

Thru the exposure of her record, the public is learning that there are inaccuracies in her account. Information that is in direct contrast to her much touted, fiscal conservatism, her proclaimed reformer activity, The ethic investigation and ethic complaints are in contrast with her open government and transparency rhetoric.

It is your prerogative to vote for whom u like. Your race or gender, whether as a voter or a nominee should not be an issue. But it is, for some.

Both Palin and Obama are spiritual. Both have sought common ground on abortion issues. Both want unborn babies to live.

Here is a thought for u. Pro-choice is not synonymous with pro-abortion. Pro-life is synonymous anti-choice.

[milo h minderbinder]

Probably the reason it seems like she's getting attacked so much is because she showed up so late in the game.

Most candidates are announced months early and the public scrutiny happens over a longer time. The voting public has to find out the facts about her very quickly so it has been an action packed few weeks.

This article is about her using public email to hide them from the courts. That is an absolutely valid ground for criticism. And being "spiritual" doesn't excuse political corruption.

[Omarion]

Check out this picture of the Palin family. Did the daughter learn this from her mother???? Somebody really needs to pick up on this. It has everything to do with Palin's parenting skills.
http://img.allvoices.com/thumbs/event/940/700/20051964.jpg

[AMonkey]

I don't know what's more frightening, that coat Palin's wearing, or the "Damian" look her daughter is giving that boy,

[evgolightly]

Tough call ...

[TeriLyn]

Oh great. I can't believe the Repugs. The RNC, according to the Post (and blazenly pointed out by Drudge), is filing for an investigation into Obama's one dollar contributions. Reuter's is reporting it as Internet Fraud. This is getting so very out of hand. What's worse, the Independents who don't read newspapers or blogs and just vote with their "feelings", are going to go even further to the right. I wonder how the Obama camp is going to respond to this newest crap.

[KiwisCanFly]

Relax, it's just another distraction. Keeping focused scrutiny from the economy in crisis is the real goal of the RNC.

[Palin is a MORON]

I'm sure Palin has some political damaging information in those emails. Of how she asked her husband the fisherman to decide all the things that she the governor should be doing. Dumb as a box of rock, but worthy of being bent over and drilled, baby drill. I hear that Palin will apply at the chicken ranch after she gets clobbered in Nov. At least there she can do some good

[timberdoodle]

She won't get anywhere with her law suit as the Republicans are above the law and the justice system is in a state of corruption. If McCain doesn't get elected then good old Sara just might end up in jail I betcha.

[TheGeicoCaveman]

JUST RELEASED BY McCAIN INSIDER


!!!! WATCH McCain and Cindy LIE to AMERICA about not going negative !!!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60k9IZ1LRC0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZf05ijVFtc&feature=related


* And a FREE BONUS The 2006 vetting of Sarah Palin*
a 63 page report
THEY DON”T WANT YOU TO SEE THIS!!

http://mudflats.files.wordpress.com/2008/09/palin-2006-vetting.pdf

[Voting Must Happen]

Oct 5 Polling Update. Huge correlation between Presidential and Senate in MN
http://voteforamerica.net/editorials/Comments.aspx?ArticleId=90&ArticleName=Poll+Update

Checkout my piece on Youth Voter Registration. For every 100 registered voters aged 18-24, the democrats accrue a 9 vote advantage.
http://voteforamerica.net/editorials/Comments.aspx?ArticleId=85&ArticleName=Youth+Vote%3a+The+Power+of+Registration

Obama 355, McCain 183
http://voteforamerica.net/electoral.aspx

Will McCain Re-suspend his Campaign?
http://voteforamerica.net/editorials/Comments.aspx?ArticleId=80&ArticleName=Will+McCain+Re-suspend+his+Campaign%3f

[peacegurl48]

If maverick means breaking every ethics or confidentiality rule in the books and then wiping your A** with the rulebook then a maverick she is.
Will the First Dude (aka Todd Sixpack) be cc'd on national issues if she were to be the VP?

Is this not unprecedented? What an outrage and then to subvert the investigation Bush/Cheney style is just too much.

Palin clearly has something to hide.

[wedgie]

Whenever Sarah uses the word "real" just replace it with the world "fake" and you'll get the real picture.

**

[kellygrrrl]

if the Troopergate Report is anything close to what I expect -- she could face IMPEACHMENT

[Mag44]

I'm sure it's as bad as we think, but I have this sinking feeling nothing is going to come of it. I really hope I'm wrong. She's too confident which to me means she's got this covered and it will never come to light.

[instarx]

They have very effectively innoculated her against the report by claiming it is a partisan attack by a Democrat. Of course the commission is bi-partisan but the truth won't get in the way of the Palin/McCain people.

[BrendaM]

good read. A tad lengthly. Has nothing to do with Palin but more fuel for the fire in the McCain/Palin camp:

http://www.rollingstone.com/news/coverstory/make_believe_maverick_the_real_john_mccain

[lwfky]

Keep at her, Alaska. I'm sorry you're going to have to take her back after the election, but we will all remember that you took one for the good of our country!

[silvertongue]

John McCain keeps touting her governership as executive experience. Bush had "executive" experience too. We see where that got the country. Someone needs to remind McCain that the quality of said experience counts.

[Blivet]

And Texas has 30 tmes more people. Plus GWB ran a whole bunch of multimillion dollar businesses - ran themn all into the ground.
He never made a legitimate dime off any of them.
Daddy's oil rich buddies from around the world salvaged junior every time.

[stayinsouth1981]

Funny, he couldnt seem to find certified teachers while he was governing TX.