Friday 3 April 2009

Sarah Palin bends the rules


Sarah Palin sent the following letter to Sen Gary Stevens, president of the Alaska Senate, regarding the appointment of Tim Grussendorf to the seat left vacant by Kim Elton when he moved on to Washington DC:

"Dear Senator Stevens:

On March 31, I nominated, under AS 15.40.320, Mr. Tim Grussendorf to fill the vacant senate seat for senate district B. On the following day, April 1, I received an unsigned memo from “Alaska Senate Democrats” to Senator Gary Stevens that the nomination of Tim Grussendorf, “did not achieve the needed support to be seated.” The memo also stated that “Today the nine Senate Democrats met to discuss Governor Palin’s nomination.” Based on various news reports, it is our understanding that the meeting of Senate Democrats took place behind closed doors.

The Alaska Constitution provides that “Each [house of the legislature] is the judge of the . . . qualifications of its members. . . .” Alaska Const. art. II, sec. 12. The Department of Law has opined that “confirmation by a political caucus is probably a legally deficient procedure. The confirmation procedure set out in existing law appears to conflict with the Alaska Constitution.” 1987 Inf. Op. Att’y Gen. 2 (Sept. 21; 663-88-0107).

Accordingly, the closed-door action taken by a minority of the Alaska Senate is without legal effect. Until the Alaska Senate takes action consistent with the Alaska Constitution, my appointment of Mr. Grussendorf remains in effect.

I respectfully request that the entire Alaska Senate consider my nomination of Mr. Grussendorf in open session, in the same fashion as the legislature would consider any other appointment subject to confirmation. The people of Alaska and Juneau are entitled to a public confirmation process that is consistent with the Alaska Constitution."

She cites cited a 1987 legal opinion that challenges the constitutionality of the state law that sets out how lawmakers should confirm an appointee to an open legislative seat.

As it stands, the state law says the person "shall be a member of the same political party as that which nominated the predecessor in office, and shall be subject to confirmation by a majority of the members of the legislature who are members of the same political party which nominated the predecessor in office and of the same house as was the predecessor in office."

I find it really rich that she's challenging state law by claiming that it doesn't comply with the Alaska Constitution. In 2007 Sarah Palin appointed one of her Wasilla Bible Church cronies, Wes Keller, to a vacant Republican seat in the House of Representatives in exactly the way prescribed by the law she's now challenging.

Sarah Palin has no problems acting in ways that breach the US Constitution. Mixing state and religion, for example...



Links
Article on ADN
State and religion
Religiongate part 1
Religiongate part 2
.

9 comments:

Cynthia Rose said...

Sarah Palin drives me to distraction and she isn't even my governor! I can't imagine how the people of Alaska tolerate this outrageous behavior day in and day out.

Dianne said...

She bothers with the constitution (or at least her version of it) when it suits her purposes. Other than that, it's Sarah's "I run the show and tough s***t if you don't like it" rules and that's it. What a witch.

Anonymous said...

Almost everything Palin does now could be put in one big file called "Crazygate."

CorningNY said...

Wow. Sarah has always played fast and loose with the rules, but I think that, between this and asking that Mark Begich resign, she's really lost her grip on reality...
By her reasoning with Begich, Alaskans should ask HER to step down because they didn't know when they elected her that she was a nut job or that she would reject money for Alaska.

Anonymous said...

"Based on various news reports, it is our understanding that the meeting of Senate Democrats took place behind closed doors."

There it is again, that majestic plural - "...our understanding..." Exactly _who_ is she speaking for?

And she's informed of Senate activities through news reports? "Various" news reports. Can you imagine Nicolas Sarkozy publically admitting that he relies on news reports for information?

Gail Zawacki said...

O/T but I can hardly wait for this (NOT):

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/04/03/levi-johnston-talks-safe_n_182795.html

basheert said...

She's the Queen of the Crazies.

...well you asked.

FEDUP!!! said...

Isn't it convenient how she conveniently leaves out the pertinent clauses ('of the same party')? I hope the Alaska Dems CHECK THEIR CONSTITUTION and shove it into GINO's face!

ALASKANS, WHEN WILL YOU HAVE HAD ENOUGH OF THESE SHENANIGANS AND *FINALLY* GET RID OF HER?????

AKPetMom said...

Holy Crap! I think the "big guy in Delta that had the bubble burst over his head and was saturated by God" actually probably had a stroke or some other medical condition that required a doctor's attention. Instead he quivered and babbled for three hours and then was carried home where he had to take three days off work.

This is what happens when god is your EMT! He's probably still drooling and babbling up in Delta. They just call that being "taken over by the spirit" or "talking in tongues". It's a good thing, ya know (wink, wink)

Weird stuff....had to cleanse my palate by watching George Carlin's famous 10 minute bit regarding religion. Feel safe and sane now.....