But more intriguing than any email correspondence contained in the four boxes was what was not released: about 1100 emails. Palin's office provided McLeod with a 78-page list (PDF) cataloging the emails it was withholding. Many of them had been written by Palin or sent to her. Palin's office claimed most of the undisclosed emails were exempt from release because they were covered by the "executive" or "deliberative process" privileges that protect communications between Palin and her aides about policy matters. But the subject lines of some of the withheld emails suggest they were not related to policy matters. Several refer to one of Palin's political foes, others to a well-known Alaskan journalist. Moreover, some of the withhold emails were CC'ed to Todd Palin, the governor's husband. Todd Palin-a.k.a. the First Dude-holds no official state position (though he has been a close and influential adviser for Governor Palin). The fact that Palin and her aides shared these emails with a citizen outside the government undercuts the claim that they must be protected under executive privilege. McLeod asks, "What is Sarah Palin hiding?"
I'll anxiously await the condemnation from Tom Wilson and the NJ GOP, because we know how they feel about emails that have been shared with a citizen outside the government. For a refresher, lets take a peak at just one comment from Mr. Wilson:
It's time for Jon Corzine to end his stonewalling and start practicing the transparency he preaches. He should stop cloaking himself in a shroud of secrecy and give people the chance to review his backchannel communications with Katz so they can decide for themselves if Katz inappropriately influences his actions.
I have no doubt that Tom Wilson will call on Palin to stop cloaking herself in the shroud of secrecy and to let the people decide for themselves if anyone inappropriately influenced her actions. And if you believe that, I have a bridge to nowhere you may be interested in.
