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How Transparent Will Palin Be?
September 16, 2008 12:49 PM
GOLDEN, COLO. -- "We're going to make everything more open," Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin said here yesterday, "and more accountable, and more attractive to those who want to serve."
Good government groups have told me that in general, when it comes to transparency issues, they're very happy with both candidates on the top of the ticket. Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Barack Obama, D-Ill., are both seen as "reformers" by these groups. Sure, there have been glitches here and there (Obama's broken promises on public financing comes to mind) but in general they see both men as allies.
Enter Gov Palin.
She has a case to make that she's a maverick.
She has a case to make that she's a reformer.
But is she a transparency advocate?
“E-mails from the Palin administration are being withheld from the public and the governor is citing executive privilege," reported Alaska TV station KTUU last month. "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...Officials say the private e-mails within the Palin administration won't be released.”
“Palin routinely uses a private Yahoo e-mail account to conduct state business," the Anchorage Daily News reported a few days ago. "Others in the governor's office sometimes use personal e-mail accounts too. The practice raises questions about backdoor secrecy in an administration that vowed during the 2006 campaign to be ‘open and transparent.’…
"Where you've got a governor apparently using a Yahoo account for state business, that's kind of a complete inversion of what ought to be happening in terms of public records,’ said Charles Davis, executive director of the National Freedom of Information Coalition and a Missouri journalism associate professor. ‘E-mail that's public business ought to be done on public accounts that can become public record,’ he said.”
Using a personal email account to conduct official business is what officials of the Bush administration -- perhaps most notoriously Karl Rove -- in an apparent attempt to circumvent any subpoenas.
Is following that model "transparent"?
In December 2006, newly-elected Gov. Palin and Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell, Department of Revenue Commissioner Patrick Galvin and acting Department of Natural Resources Commissioner Marty Rutherford met with three oil producers to discuss the new gas pipeline. The previous governor, Frank Murkowski, had negotiated a deal with BP, Conoco Phillips and Exxon Mobil, though the plan had never been ratified by the Legislature. Palin said her new administration would open up the process to other companies.
Wrote the Anchorage Daily News, "Palin promised her pipeline contract negotiations would be open and transparent -- although the meetings starting today won't be…"
"Interviews show that Ms. Palin runs an administration that puts a premium on loyalty and secrecy," reported the New York Times this month. "The governor and her top officials sometimes use personal e-mail accounts for state business; dozens of e-mail messages obtained by The New York Times show that her staff members studied whether that could allow them to circumvent subpoenas seeking public records.”
When Palin started as mayor in Wasilla in 1996, she was similarly criticized.
“She’s also been criticized by the local semiweekly newspaper for a new policy requiring department heads to get the mayor’s approval before talking to reporters," the Anchorage Daily News noted. "An editorial in The Frontiersman labeled it a ‘gag order.’ Palin said it’s a temporary rule to smooth the way until department heads have a better sense of the administration’s policies.”
The accumulation of all these actions would undermine how transparent and open Palin's instincts are.
And I suppose it goes without saying that Palin was introduced to the public 18 days ago and has yet to hold a press conference.
- jpt
September 16, 2008 | Permalink | Share | User Comments (277)
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Can anyone in this blog PROVE it was truly her email that was hacked? The onions satire on Obama looked just as real and probably contained more accurate subject lines.
Posted by: S.P. | Sep 18, 2008 1:48:52 PM
Lay off Palin - go after someone you really can't trust - OBAMA/MICHELLE!
Posted by: Jill | Sep 18, 2008 8:31:41 AM
First of all, tying Sen. McCain – especially on the issue of immigration reform – to Limbaugh is unfair.
Limbaugh opposed McCain on that issue.
McCain flipped-flopped and NOW supports Limbaugh's position.
Posted by: Steve J. | Sep 18, 2008 1:39:10 AM
It is ironic that someone in virtual hiding from the press is talking about transparency.
Posted by: Puat | Sep 17, 2008 9:04:35 PM
Maybe when she is president she'll have the good sense to put the nuclear codes in a cookie jar.
Posted by: Leonard Peltier | Sep 17, 2008 7:59:08 PM
Is this candidate for real! As VP would she risk national security because she is so obsessed with secrecy that she'd bypass a secure account and use yahoo? A lot more dangerous things could happen than having a thrill-seeking hacker get sensitive information. That's some maverick.
Posted by: enry | Sep 17, 2008 5:03:42 PM
Almost forgot,
She does not practice simple computer security as governor. Should she be an unstable old man's heart beat away from running the military? NO.
Posted by: Kb | Sep 17, 2008 3:27:37 PM
It's hilarious that she uses a yahoo account to avoid subpoena, containing mail with subject lines of "confidential ethics investigations" and other government matters, and then she loses her pass to that account to a bunch of pranksters.
Transparent? Please.
Incompetent? Yes.
Posted by: Kb | Sep 17, 2008 3:12:34 PM
Ruth Marcus:
"Ideological differences aside, John McCain's campaign has been more dishonest, more unfair, more --
to use a word that resonates with McCain -- dishonorable than Barack Obama's.
Ideological differences aside, John McCain's campaign has been more dishonest, more unfair, more -- to use a word that resonates with McCain -- dishonorable than Barack Obama's. McCain's transgressions, though, are of a different magnitude. His whoppers are bigger; there are more of them. He -- the easy out would be to say "his campaign" -- has been misleading, and at times has outright lied, about his opponent. He has misrepresented -- that's the charitable verb -- his vice presidential nominee's record. Called on these fouls, he has denied and repeated them. "
Posted by: Jazzman | Sep 17, 2008 2:41:04 PM
Sara actually is transparent, we can see right through her! - and we can see Russia too!
Posted by: Remember November | Sep 17, 2008 1:59:18 PM
How is this even a question at this point?
It's like asking "How altruistic will Wall Street remain?"
Posted by: Leonard Peltier | Sep 17, 2008 11:31:57 AM
Sarah Palin is abusing her position as governor. I have researched and followed this investigation - "Troopergate" - since she was chosen Republican Vice President. Huge problems of abuse are there!! Legislature vote for investigation 100% - Republicans and Democrats. Then voted who would be on committee. Voted to hire private investigator. Approved attorney Branchflower. Evidence has already been submitted that is damaging to Sarah Palin. That evidence is what was presented to legilature.
McCain Campaign has come in. Problems present. Claims Democrats problem. But forget 10 Republicans and only 4-5 Democrats on committee.
Sarah with hold information. Claims "executive privilege". Sarah Palin and her administration use private email accounts in secrecy to avoidance Public REcords Act.
Divorce Court Records reveal Palin Family claims Trooper Wooten dangerous were only by Palin family themselves. No good planning, startegies to catch Wooten is he is danger. No audio ttapes, no video tapes, no documentation, no outside witnesses. One Protection Order was given, but never extended as family provided no proof. Court transcripts reveal divorce trial judge warned Palin Family to stop vendetta to have Wooten fired. That was three years ago. Vendetta continued. Trooper Wooten continues to pursuing this vendetta to destroy Wooten. This is a personal issue. If Wooten is a threat - Palin family could lodge new complaint with their local police department. Palin family could sue in court.
Sarah Palin political history reveals similiar patterns. Personal feelings seem to become issue in business
Whole investigation is a total cover-up.
This lady is lying about this!! American this lady is dangerous!!
Posted by: Sharonklim | Sep 17, 2008 11:25:30 AM
Yes, she is a fraud. Republicans wished we would be living in ex-communist Russia: No questions, no vetting, do as I say, if you ask questions you hate America.They are manipulating the truth and blaming everybody besides themselves, A FIASCO, LEAVE US ALONE, Americans are not that stupid!
Posted by: carmen | Sep 17, 2008 10:19:00 AM
Jake,
I think it's egregiously misleading for you to mention Obama's "broken promise" on public financing without mentioning the much greater sin: McCain's use and misuse of the public financing system to keep his campaign alive and withdrawal when he didn't need it any more.
Posted by: Greg M | Sep 17, 2008 8:32:40 AM
This is *such* an important issue to pursue, since her answers on the issue and investigation have changed so much. All the evasion and "offense" makes it looks like something fishy was going on. What reporter will break through this?
Posted by: sally | Sep 17, 2008 5:12:52 AM
My question now is, will Palin only answer scripted questions? All canidates: Obama, Biden, McCain and Palin should be asked 'gothca' questions to catch them off guard. They are all only human. Hannity can ask good questions, but I know he favors her, so how tough will his questions be. O'Rilley grilled Obama. I would like to see him on Hannity and Combs.
Posted by: historyforgotten | Sep 17, 2008 2:09:59 AM
Corporate Stalinists are those, who use a vail of secrecy, to hide behind. Sounds like Palin now.
Posted by: historyforgotten | Sep 17, 2008 2:01:54 AM
I think the real story here is in how she is handling this controversy. Public life is filled with controversy. Being transparent is the first requirement of a public servant. Those who try to obfuscate the truth and claim to be above the law because they are public servants .. are not public servants. LOL They are people who consider themselves masters and owed rights that the rest of us are not.
Posted by: Dave | Sep 17, 2008 1:59:00 AM
Well, actually she's more translucent...you can see right through her but ideas get scattered when you bounce them off of her.
Posted by: KenB, MI | Sep 17, 2008 1:09:56 AM
Stalinism is when a government rules through secrecy, kind of like what Palin is doing. Both candidates want things to be more transparent but not being able to see all of Palins records, and McCain helping her hide them is like Stalinism. Russia uses the same tactics to keep its population in the dark.
Posted by: historyforgotten | Sep 17, 2008 1:07:35 AM
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