Andrew HalcroYou'd think with all the lather Governor Sarah Palin worked up, telling Alaskans that her administration would be open and transparent as opposed to that bastardy secretive Murkowski administration, she'd actually keep her promise. If you thought that, you'd be dead wrong.
Now comes the opportunity once again for Palin to put meaning behind her words after twisting legal opinions like a New York pretzel, but instead she does what she's good at...let someone else speak for her.
The latest controversy appears to be the fact that Governor Palin, after preaching about how she wanted an open and fair process with the investigation into Troopergate is now refusing to release her deposition that was accepted without question by Investigator Tim Petumenos and the grounds for his questionable findings.
I guess it wasn't enough that her administration has withheld hundreds of emails the public should be able to read. It wasn't enough that an internal opinion by her Attorney General said her husband was a trusted confidant, thus able to send and receive confidential emails about trying to get Palin's brother in law fired and other sensitive state matters without having them available for public disclosure.
No that wasn't enough. A few weeks later, yet another contradictory opinion making excuses for the administration's contempt for transparency.
The latest opinion was from Investigator Petumenos who ruled that Todd Palin wasn't a special case, he was just an average citizen and thereby the governor had no authority to try and stop him from using her office and her staff to try and get Palin's ex brother in law fired.
So what is it; is Todd Palin a confidential consultant to the governor that has special privileges and access or is her just an average Joe who has no more privilege than you or I.. but yet gets to use the governor's office and instruct her staff to take actions on his behalf?
But the biggest hypocrisy is Palin's refusal to release her deposition regarding the personnel board's investigation.
In December of 2004, Palin along with former Democrat State Rep. Eric Croft filed a complaint with the personnel board against former attorney general Greg Renkes for possible ethics violations for insider trading.
On December 11, 2004 Palin stated the need for quick resolution. "It would be in the public's best interest to have this addressed sooner rather than later, before the legislative session gets started. Lawmakers want to be able to concentrate on the people's business," Palin said.
Four months later, after Renkes resigned, Palin dropped her complaint but remained critical of the personnel board process.
In a March 9, 2005 story in the Anchorage Daily News, Paula Dobbyns wrote, (Palin) "said it's more important that the investigative file be released, something that could not happen as long as the secrecy-cloaked personnel board was involved."
"It's important to get these documents made public so Alaskans can make their own judgments," Palin said. She went on to say that she hoped that the e-mails will surface, and that the release of Renkes' and former Governor Frank Murkowski's depositions, with the rest of the investigative file, will resolve any lingering questions.
A few days later, Palin was back in the press criticizing the process of the investigation and accusing the governor's office of pressuring the personnel board to say explicitly that former Governor Murkowski had not violated ethics act procedures.
But yet now Palin is hiding under the same cloak that she criticized former Attorney General Gregg Renkes and Governor Murkowski for hiding under.
On Sunday December 7, 2008 the Anchorage Daily News wrote an editorial critical of Palin's refusal to do what she has demanded other do. Responding to a Daily News request for it, spokeswoman Sharon Leighow said in an e-mai:
"The matter was investigated and voted on by the only entity in state law empowered to rule on ethics complaints against members of the Executive Branch. This matter is closed. We see no public purpose in artificially prolonging this controversy."
Artificially prolonging this controversy?
Is that what Palin was doing four years ago when she demanded that the Renkes and Murkowski depositions be released after it was over.
Do as I say, not as I do.
copyright 2007 Andrew Halcro, All Rights Reserved.
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