Naturally, Palin's Response Is to Call the Latest Ethics Claims "Baseless," And Attack The Complainant.

Well, the Governor's Office has issued a "scathing" press release in an attempt to marginalize not only the complaint, but the complainant too.

The governor's henchmen, Chief of Staff Mike Nizich and Communications Director Bill McAllister, are calling complainant Sondra Tompkins an "unethical publicity-seeker."

The basis of the Nizich and McAllister's whining is that there is a section of the law that requires the complaint, and everything about it, to be kept confidential. Even the disposition of the complaint by the State Personnel Board must remain confidential, unless a court says that in the public interest, it shouldn't.

I've reviewed the statute in question, and think that the Legislature needs to revisit this. I know they wrote the law to protect the accused in situations where there may be a valid reason for confidentiality (but in the case of the accusation of ethical misconduct by the Governor, I can't think of any offhand).

Now, I don't know Ms. Tompkins. But frankly, it occurs to me that stepping forward and filing a complaint that you know will certainly bring the wrath of Caribou Barbie down on you is an act of courage. Tompkins should be commended for her bravery, not called names.

However, we all know that name-calling and character assassination is a pretty standard operating procedure for Sarah Palin. She's engaged in it even when it involves the 19 year old kid who is the father of her grandchild (she even dragged all his relatives into the mix).

That aside, I have but one question for Mr. McAllister:

In the press release, you noted "that the governor left Alaska only twice during the recently completed legislative session -- for a total of just four days, including travel time -- and that during both trips she conducted state government business."

Really.

Explain to me, exactly, Mr. McAllister, what was the state business conducted in Indiana on the Governor's SarahPAC-funded junket?

Was it her speech before the anti-abortion group, or was it the photo op with the support group for people with Down's Syndrome and their families ?

Mentioning Alaska in passing does NOT make her trip "state business."

If that's the case, I have a lot of airplane tickets and hotel stays for which I'd like to be recompensed.

I'll even accept a check from SarahPAC.