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Though many of us suffer from Palin Factor Fatigue, it is irrefutable that there is a nagging curiosity to have the question answered, ?How in the world did Sarah Palin become so popular and why do we still need to hear about her?? My book answers these questions in detail and urges us all to be vigilant. She is one of a small pool of ?rising stars in the republican party? as John McCain stated as recently as January 25, 2009 on Fox News Sunday.
As unbelievable as her meteoric rise was we cannot delude ourselves, turning our backs once again, into thinking that she and those like her are going away. This woman is joined by millions of loyalists whose perception is that she was persecuted in the media, stifled by McCain, and mocked by liberals - and now the theocratic conservatives are regrouping with a vengeance!
"Blue Oasis" began in 2005 in its Blogger format (now an archive) and became possibly the first Alaska Blog on Progressive Politics. At the 2008 Democratic National Convention, Celtic Diva's Blue Oasis was honored to represent Alaska as the state blog.
Transition--Community Blog
In September 2008, Celtic Diva's Blue Oasis moved to a Soapblox Community Blog format. Readers can become full participants by registering on the blog to comment and write "diaries." Diary titles appear on the right sidebar for folks to read and provide comments. Blog editors may choose to move some of these diaries to the front page.
While this Community was formed specifically with Alaska in mind, all "friends of Alaska" are welcome as members!
**Note about registering** Scroll down the right side until you find the link to register. Then, just follow the instructions!
**Note about comments** To comment on a story, click on the heading and then look for the "comment bar" at the bottom (it's light grey, I can't seem to change it). I believe the font color NOW permits you to see the "post comment" text.
YOUR BLOGMISTRESS
My name is Linda Kellen Biegel and I am a former 15-year Federal employee. Thirteen of those years were spent working for the US Army Corps of Engineers. I am also semi-retired from the Alaska music scene (singer, sound tech, stage manager, logistics).
When the blog was chosen to represent Alaska in the DNCC State Blogger Pool at the Denver Convention, I attended with the help of Alaska Real blogmistress, Writing Raven and my daughter Morrigan. On August 29th, one day after Barack Obama's inspiring speech at Invesco Field , my life took another turn as it did for all Alaska bloggers when Gov. Sarah Palin was chosen to be John McCain's VP running mate. Since then, I've either assisted or have been interviewed by media from the UK, Italy, Australia and Germany as well as national media outlets such as Wall Street Journal, NY Times, ABC Good Morning America's Kate Snow, National Journal, Dallas Morning News, LA Times, and NPR.
Presently, I work as a freelance writer, PR, event coordinator, community organizer, wife to computer programmer Josh and mother to 11-year-old Morrigan. Our family especially enjoys our summers in Alaska where we get to subsistence set-net fish Sockeye salmon as well as halibut fish/whalewatch in the family's homemade aluminum boat, "The Neverdone" (when it's working). We reside in Anchorage, Alaska.
Origin of "Celtic Diva"
I've used "Celtic Diva" as a screen name since the early 1990's on Web TV.
"Folks have asked about my Celtic heritage, especially in light of my name. What they don't realize is that I'm adopted. I was born Valerie Morehead of the Clan Muirhead. I was adopted at three-months-old by the Kellens. I always "knew" I was Celt even before really knew. I was drawn to all things Scottish, especially music. That's why my parents eventually told me at age 16."
"Linda is well-known in Alaska & beyond as the prominent progressive political blogger Celtic Diva of Celtic Diva?s Blue Oasis. But back in the day, the early 1990s, I knew her as Linda Kellen, a member of the local folk/rock band Sky is Blu, which amongst other things performed in at least a couple or so of the annual women?s show Celebration of Change, in which I also performed. And if you don?t already know, let me tell you: Linda is one fine damn singer."
I went on after the break-up of "Sky is Blu" to perform with various Alaska musicians and work with national folks like Bo Diddly, Coco Montoya, Debbie Davies, Taj Mahal, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Bad Company, Creedence Clearwater, Carny Wilson, etc...
USA Women's Olympic Hockey Team Star Kerry Weiland with our friend Isabella and my daughter Morrigan at St. Baldrick's Day
(Scroll down to find posts.)
(Please register to participate in diaries and comments! We'd love for you to join our Community!)
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As Alaskans, we have now come to know our Governor and her Administration through both word and deed. This greater intimacy has obviously not benefited Palin, as the Governor's poll numbers have plummetted from 89% in summer of 2008 to 55% in the spring of 2009. Some people claim it's a "media barrage" of negativity that has caused this. However, most of the media attention Palin has courted herself.
What people have seen is the lack of honesty and professional behavior coming from the Governor and those in her employ. It seems that this behavior is catching, even spreading to long-time state employees like her Chief-of-Staff and members of the Personnel Board.
"Not one of the complaints actually reached the personnel board for its formal adjudication," noted Bill McAllister, the governor's communications director. "Rather the complaints have fallen short based on just a simple review of the facts and the law."
The Administration conveniently ignores the settlement of the family travel complaint where she shelled out thousands of dollars in reimbursement money in exchange for not having to "admit any wrongdoing"...kinda like the civil version of a plea bargain.
The Governor's Chief of Staff managed a two-fer...his dangerous unprofessionalism encouraged a backlash against citizens exercising their rights under the law and, once again, he joined other members of the Administration in "ignoring" the settled ethics complaint:
In the past several months, we have seen an orchestrated effort by the governor's opponents to make differences of opinion and ideology almost criminal," said Mike Nizich, the governor's chief of staff. "Governor Palin has spent a considerable amount of time and money fighting ethics complaints - and no charge has been substantiated. I hope that the publicity-seekers will face a backlash from Alaskans who have a sense of fair play and proportion.
Michael Geraghty, investigator for the State Personnel Board, concluded that there is no need for a hearing on the complaint filed in March by Andree McLeod, who has been a vocal critic of the governor since being denied employment with the state last year.
Then, of course, we have obfuscation of what was really said regarding an email sent by Andree McLeod (calling their attention to the lack of professional dress in the workplace) to high-level Office of the Governor employees Mike Nizich and Annette Kreitzer:
If you follow the email chain, you'll note that the word "confidential" doesn't show up until Sharon Leighow gets hold of it...right after she sees whatever the Governor wrote. Makes you wonder what incredibly "top secret" comments the Governor could have made about "cleavage." Or, perhaps, I should replace the words "top secret" with "politically damaging."
Of course, who could expect the State of Alaska workforce to understand the concept of "professional attire" when they have this top-level-executive as an example:
photo courtesy of Shannyn Moore
As I briefly discussed in an earlier post, I saw all of this obfuscation and unprofessionalism reflected in yesterday's Personnel Board Meeting. Nowhere was the lack of these ingredients more obvious than in Board Chair, Debra English.
This is significant because English was the only board member physically present at the meeting. The other two, Al Tagmani and Laura Plenert, were on the phone (an issue I'll address further down).
During the meeting, English:
--Didn't bother to ask any of us who'd come to give public testimony what we were testifying about. She assumed we were going to testify about a specific complaint during the Executive Session (i.e. behind closed doors) I explained that I would be testifying publicly on-the-record about confidentiality. When Ms. McLeod stated that she would be testifying about public issues as well, English tried to disuade and intimidate her.
--We were each given only 3 minutes. The microphone where we needed to speak was at a chair right in front of Debra English, next to her at the table. Yet, rather than wait and get up between testifiers (there were only three of us), English excused herself out loud and stepped out to refill her water glass WHILE ANDREE MCLEOD WAS SPEAKING ON THE RECORD. When Ms. McLeod was finished speaking, she requested answers from the Board members to questions she'd asked during her testimony. English bluntly stated that she stepped out so she didn't hear them.
--English asked their board attorney to find out information about changes made to rules of "other boards." The attorney was confused at the general question and attempted to get more detail. English struggled with that and seemed to get even more mysterious until I figured out that she was trying to get the information across to the attorney WITHOUT THE PUBLIC KNOWING WHAT SHE WAS TALKING ABOUT! It was hysterical because I figured it out right away...she wanted to know the procedure by which the legislature was able to make all of their ethics complaints confidential!
Perhaps she was hesitant to discuss that information openly because I'd just testified as to why attempting to make public information (what the citizen ethics complaints are based on) confidential is not in the spirit of the Alaska Statutes. Perhaps she was hesitant because it is now a regular meme of the Administration to use the comparison of the two different ethics laws as an attempt to slam those of us who filed ethics complaints openly (which is legal, by the way, because it isn't illegal). Perhaps they didn't want it to be so obvious that this "neutral body" is getting its marching orders from the Governor.
Ooops, too late! Her attempts at covert conversation were so poor, I was tempted to yell out "She means the legislature" but I restrained myself. He then asked if she was talking about the legislature and she hesitantly acknowledged that she was. However, they managed not to use the word "confidentiality."
Personnel Board Meetings fall under AS 44.62.310 which states that:
All meetings of a governmental body of a public entity of the state are open to the public
Since English was discussing potential legislative action, which does NOT qualify as "executive session" material, the pathetic attempt at obfuscation borders on the unethical.
--During that same conversation, English made a statement to the effect that she understood the legislature to be working some revision/amendment to the ethics complaint procedure. When Ms. McLeod asked about that, she denied saying it. When I asked about it because I heard it quite clearly, she told me that I was "mischaracterizing her remarks." The rest of the observers didn't agree with her. Sean Cockerham gives his (very restrained) version of what happened:
Personnel board members spoke Wednesday about possibly pursuing changes in the law regarding their ethics complaint procedures -- such as changing the "thresholds for investigations."
Ethics complainants in the audience asked board chair Debra English for detail after the meeting, but she curtly brushed them off, saying the meeting was over and she wasn't going to say more.
English also refused to answer when a Daily News reporter asked what the board had in mind. She said the reporter should have come before the board and given public testimony in order to get any questions answered from its members.
What she really told Sean Cockerham was that "the meeting was over" and he should have asked his questions during the public testimony. His response was that he worked for the newspaper and "that's not how it works." (I felt like he should have added the phrase "you idiot" on the end of that but he's a professional.) He then asked her, "Are you refusing to answer my questions?" English, the same way she spat it at me, said "You are mischaracterizing what I said."
Uhhhh...he asked you questions and you said you wouldn't answer. I don't think there's any "mischaracterizing" going on there.
Other signs of unprofessionalism:
--The Personnel Board meets three times a year and not on a set schedule. You would think that since two of the board members live in Anchorage, they could both be at the meeting. Nope. Al was at "a hotel" in some undisclosed location.
--The Personnel Board seems obsessed with confidentiality, yet they had their "executive session" using OPEN PHONE LINES! As a matter-of-fact, the various operators were jumping in and out during the regular part of the session; that "hotel operator" wherever Al was could have listened in to the entire meeting and no one would have been the wiser! Not to mention, that use of the hotel phone was a dollar a minute plus an additional fee. So they were paying extra for a completely unsecure line!
I worked for the Federal Government...the Army...where we have levels of confidentiality. I've never heard or seen anything that was so sloppy from a security standpoint. Also, in my 15-years I went to tons of meetings, including public meetings. I would have been fired from my job or at the very least given a reprimand had I acted towards a member of the public the way that Debra English acted towards us. It was made very clear to me that they consider Alaskan citizens who exercise their legal rights (and those who report on their activities) to be "annoyances." The arrogance from the top is having a trickle-down effect.
However, English is a success in one area: she'll be able to sidle up to Sarah Palin at the next party and whisper to her, "I had your back at the last meeting." In Palin's world, that's really what counts.
Mike Nizich with Gov. Palin (photo from The Juneau Empire)
On April 22, 2009, Governor Palin's Chief of Staff Backlash, Mike Nizich made public something of which a number of us were already well-aware...that the Palin Administration wanted action taken against those private citizens who were attempting to hold her accountable for her unethical behavior:
I hope that the publicity-seekers will face a backlash from Alaskans who have a sense of fair play and proportion."
This was not the result of a complaint. This was not the result of any required protocol stemming from a citizen-initiated action. This was a government watchdog agency hearing a citizen's testimony and FINDING THE QUESTIONS SO CREDIBLE the agency ACTED ON ITS OWN.
So what happened mere days after this letter reached the Governor?
Neanderthal radio talk-show host Eddie Burke was once again zapped by the electrodes directly linked to the Palin Administration. Eddie's rap completely changed from his daily barrage against all of us ethics complaint-filer types to a laser-focused attack on Andree McLeod. Suddenly, Eddie is claiming to file a document he incorrectly calls a FOIA to see all of Ms. McLeod's email to the State of Alaska.
Of course, "coincidentally," all of the Palin-bot blogs followed lock-step with EXACTLY THE SAME "STORIES" on Andree McLeod.
So who knows why this past weekend Mr. Nizich and his partner-in-unethical-behavior Annette Kreitzer decided to openly pass PRIVATE EMAILS to ADN's gossip rag Alaska Ear that were sent to them by Andree McLeod. Perhaps he got impatient waiting for Eddie Burke to figure out what a records request is and then write and send an intelligible one.
But the Ear's Sheila Toomey obediently did the Administration's bidding by making fun of Ms. McLeod's email, which expressed concern (even through a little humor) about the inappropriate attire she saw displayed in some Alaska State offices. Of course, Ms. Toomey neglected to include what she, Nizich and Kreitzer all knew...the context of those emails.
I mean after all, Toomey's own favorite saying is "the truth is so limiting."
If you do a simple Google search on "Andree McLeod," you discover that her former position with the Murkowski Administration (where Nizich and Kreitzer also served) was on the Alaska Workforce Investment Board, Alaska Department of Labor & Workforce Development. See that part of the title that says "Workforce Development?" Part of the job in that agency is to help people become employable and learn APPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR IN WORKPLACE SETTINGS. As a former 15-year federal employee, I also know that April (when Ms. McLeod was in the state offices) is the time of year when all the new summer-hire and STEP (Student Educational Employment Program)employees come on-board with ALL government agencies, state and federal. With them comes all of their youthful inexperience and (often) inappropriate attire.
I completely understand why Ms. McLeod wrote the emails...had I witnessed this recently in federal offices THAT INTERACT WITH THE PUBLIC, I would have done exactly the same thing despite the fact that I no longer work there. I also find it hilarious that on the Conservative websites, folks are saying the same thing.
I SO look forward to what Mr. Nizich has in store for us next! Considering he seems to perfectly exemplify the total divorce Governor Palin has experienced from ethics, I'm sure his next attempt at "backlash" will be quite newsworthy!
*******************************UPDATE WITH A COMMENT***********************
Can you imagine if Senator Begich's or President Obama's Chief of Staff forwarded an email that dealt with government business from a private citizen...to a gossip columnist in order to ridicule the sender??
How long would that person still have a job, do ya think?
**********************UPDATE--EMAIL WITH ADN AND SHEILA TOOMEY*****************************
I sent an email to Mark Dent (Alaska Newsreader), David Hulen and Pat Dougherty (editors of the ADN) which said:
I think that if Begich or Obama did the same thing, you guys would definitely be writing about it.
I then provided a link to this story. It seems that Mark Dent forwarded this to Sheila Toomey who emailed me back:
Your email to the above has been forwarded to me.
Your facts are incorrect. The governor's chief of staff did not forward me anything. The emails I quoted from are public documents. You may FOI them if you wish.
Thank you for your communication.
Sheila Toomey
This was my response:
Isn't that amazing?
You somehow KNEW that email was there and were able to do a records request on it SO SOON AFTER THE EMAIL EXCHANGE HAPPENED without any prior knowledge from the Chief of Staff!!!! You must have AMAZING psychic powers...the same ones Eddie Burke has as he "threatened" to do a records request at EXACTLY THE SAME TIME...THE DAY AFTER THE EMAIL WAS SENT!
(In the words of one of your editors, "Spare us!")
So tell me, how much did this records request cost you? I mean, since they are charging everyone else, they must have "played fair" and charged you for it as well, right?
Oh wait...that will come out in the records request I sent on May 7th and again today on all emails between you and the Governor's office as well as all records requests submitted by you!
(You see, my wonderful readers, records requests can work both ways.)
Not surprising, this is her response:
Once again, you make incorrect assumptions. Your tone suggests civil discourse will not be productive so I won't bother further.
Regards, Sheila
Note: After I establish I've sent a records request, she claims I've made "incorrect assumptions" but uses "my tone" as a reason not to correct them.
As heard on his radio show yesterday, Burke stalked and harangued her at the victory celebration for new Anchorage Mayor Dan Sullivan Tuesday Night. (Remember, folks, contrary to the misinformation we are spoon-fed by the right, the truth is that Ms. McLeod is a Republican...there is no "Democratic Conspiracy"...there are no checks from Obama **sigh**...)
C4Pers are patting him on the back for a job well done. But listen to the YouTube...what's that I hear? Is he actually RECORDING A CONVERSATION SHE'S HAVING WITH SOMEONE ELSE!!!! Mr. Badass Toughguy didn't show her the mic until the point where she told him to get it out of her face?
Like I said, radio hack.
Let's remember, this was a celebration for THE NEW MAYOR OF ANCHORAGE. This had NOTHING to do with the State of Alaska, Governor Palin, etc....Yet, he chose this place to stalk and harass her.
-- Eddie once served in the Legislature (House) but...errr...had to leave. What was it that could have happened on top of his desk that precipitated that and who else was involved/witnessed?
-- Eddie claimed that he was fired from KFQD (Morris Communications) for "pissing off the oil companies." However, he was on probation for "inappropriate behavior" for MONTHS before. What really was the last straw?
Of course the most recent question is: as someone who can barely put an intelligible sentence together, how could Eddie spare the brain cells to file a records request all by himself? After all, he erroneously states that he's filing/filed a FOIA (a federal request which requires that forms are filled out and sent to the federal government) as opposed to a state records request, which just takes a memo.
So who is filing it for him?
Andree asks the big question on the YouTube piece:
Andree asks: "Has the Administration asked you to expose me?"
Today, I sent off a records request to the Governor asking for ALL emails between anyone who works for the Governor Office and Eddie Burke. I also requested any emails where Eddie is discussed and a copy of "Eddie's" records request of Andree McLeod's emails.
Yes, that too is public information.
Soooo...let's see how much of Palin's "water" Eddie has carried over the years...and let's make it public!
