Catching Up with Andrée McLeod, Alaska's Leading Muckraker

Roses blooming in my brother's yard

We're in Portland, Oregon, the City of Roses and Occupy Portland, visiting my brother Steve and his family, before we hit the road south.  Steve's kids are showing up from around the country for the Holidays.  And it is bright, sunny, and, by Alaska standards, warm here - sunny and in the upper 40s.  His roses are blooming.

Andrée McLeod, perhaps Sarah Palin's most effective ethics nemesis, has updated me on issues she is pursuing, regarding the unlawful ways our state government operates.  Here are the updates:
I.  Regarding McLeod's complaint on the use of state emails by Frank Bailey, Jeanne Devon and Ken Morris,  McLeod has written to John J. Burns, Alaska's outgoing (January 2nd, 2012) Attorney General:

Dear Mr. Burns.

What is the status of the September 7, 2010 ethics complaint I filed relating to Frank Bailey’s misuse of official email documents for personal gain and benefit.  That complaint was filed over one year and 3 months ago?

What actions has the AG’s office taken against Frank Bailey’s co-authors, Ken Morris and Jeanne Devon, for their collaboration with Bailey that commenced in 2009, and included their possession, misuse and abuse of official, confidential, and yet undisclosed email documents that still belong to the state of Alaska until appropriately reviewed?

Thanks.
Andrée McLeod

II.  Andrée has written Attorney General Burns, in a followup to her November 14th letter to him, re: misuse of official positions and titles for partisan political purposes?  That letter stated:

Thank you for your (attached) reply Mr. Burns. If you would, please oblige my response…..

There was a time not that long ago when one knew that Alaska’s leaders worked more for Alaska’s interests than their own special interests.  They didn’t merely use our esteemed public offices of Governor and Lt. Governor as stepping stones for higher office and get-rich-quick schemes.

We have been debilitated long enough these last few years by the self-interested, reckless actions of our elected officials with their use of public funds to quell their inordinate sense of entitlement, self-dealing and self-aggrandizement.   Please help our state officials regain some semblance of proper responsible conduct, notwithstanding custom and practice, by siding towards the people’s interests.

Thank you.
Andrée McLeod

McLeod's December 26th followup states:

Dear AG Burns John

It’s been over a month since you’re received my request for documents re: Sean Parnell’s attached gift claims. Please consider, again, my request for copies of any ethics determination requests on file that relate to Parnell and the Aspen Institute’s programs and non-state funded trips, including the ($13,755) he took to the Middle East in March of 2008, before he announced his bid for the US House. 

Clearly, this transparent political partisan campaign attempt to disingenuously sprout his foreign relations bona fides less than 2 weeks before he announced he was running against Don Young, and the numerous inherent conflicts of interests re: partaking of the Aspen Institute’s ‘True Rising Star’ program, ought to have garnered some modicum of review by the Attorney General.  As you mentioned in your letter, they are Lt. Governor 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.  Whose interests were really served? The public’s or Parnell’s?

Aspen Institute Names Top Young Elected Officials to its Third Class of Aspen-Rodel Fellows

Washington, DC, November 1, 2007––Following an eight-month search involving input from over 1,000 business, political, and civic leaders, the Aspen Institute has selected a group of the nation's top young elected officials for a fellowship program honoring public leaders identified as "the true rising stars" of American politics.    

http://www.aspeninstitute.org/news/2007/11/01/aspen-institute-names-top-young-elected-officials-its-third-class-aspen-rodel-fellow

May I have a copy(ies) of any of these determination(s) for Sean Parnell that relate to the Aspen Institute and is non-state funded trips, if it/they exist?  Or would you like a separate communication with my request?

Thank you for your time and attention on this matter.

Thank you for the opportunity to meet with you.  Your subsequent resignation was a disappointment.  I’ve dealt with many AG’s since Palin was elected.  Your rapprochement and unique lack of contempt towards this ordinary Alaskan was refreshing. 

Good luck!
Andrée McLeod   

III.  Additionally, Andrée has written the following short article, an open letter.  It was inspired, in part, by redent news that former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney was allowed to destroy very large amounts of public documents, as he was leaving office:

Since the fall of 2008, we've been made aware of the fact that our public records laws need to be updated.  Every year since then, I've appealed to you to address our public records laws and fix the outdated and gaping holes. 

I do so, again.

Granted, Alaska's declining revenues is a priority.  But surely, there must be some among the 60 of you who could handle bringing the public records preservation laws up to date with the digital era, so that the intent of our public records laws is satisfied, including emails and other digital documents.

When will you protect the people's right to access ALL public records and address this most fundamental and glaringly broken statute with regards to the protection and preservation of ALL our public records, including emails and other digital documents? 

Who among you will rise to make sure that the state is protected against liability by having all public documents secured, including emails and other digital documents?

Alaska's history depends on you to take action now, in order to protect and preserve Alaska's public records for tomorrow, including emails and other digital documents.

Sincerely,
Andrée McLeod