Zeev's Turnips Talk Politics (ZTTP)

[DEMO P2]

ANCHORAGE, ALASKA -- A former state worker suing Gov. Sarah Palin over her use of private email accounts has offered to settle, but the state's attorney has so far declined.

Self-described government watchdog Andree McLeod filed the suit.

Since then an Anchorage judge has ordered Palin and employees in the governor's office to preserve all e-mails sent out from private accounts that concern state business.

On Wednesday, McLeod's attorney offered to settle if the governor would issue an executive order banning state employees from using private e-mails to conduct state business. McLeod's attorney is also asking that existing e-mails be archived into the state's system and made available to the public.

McLeod's argument is based on laws and policies that do not yet exist, said Assistant Attorney General Mike Mitchell.

"That law that they cite does not anywhere state that a state employee may not use private e-mail accounts to conduct state business, nor does the policy they cite, nor does any regulation that they cite," Mitchell said.

McLeod says she began looking into this issue in June.

"To me, what's going on is that we have state communications being conducted at the state level in the state's highest office between members, and to me that's a secret government," McLeod said. "And a secret government is a corrupt government."

http://www.ktuu.com/Global/story.asp?S=9186256