Welcome to the site of the Mudflats archives. This blog was active from May 2008 – December 2008 and includes all articles posted during the 2008 campaign season. You can utilize the categories, and search features in the sidebar to find what you’re looking for.
Occasionally if we experience an outage, this site will be utilized for current posts and information.
To visit the current active blog, please go to www.themudflats.net.
[The current site www.themudflats.net is experiencing a huge amount of traffic today. This article is reposted from the current site so you can read it here in the archives. Please check back later in the day to get on the current site. Thanks for your patience. ~Jeanne Devon]
By Ken Morris, Co-author of Blind Allegiance to Sarah Palin, a Memoir of Our Tumultuous Years
Mudflats Friends:
When I first appeared on Jeanne’s groundbreaking pages well over one year ago, I wrote about participating in the eBay auction to buy a meal with Sarah Palin to benefit a worthy veterans’ charity. A short time later, after losing that auction to what looked like a rigged bid, I then offered through Mudflats an additional $200,000 for that same charity if Sarah would answer civil question over a second meal, on the record, with the likes of Jeanne, Rachel Maddow, Shannyn Moore, and Keith Olbermann.
While I waited in vain for an answer from your ex-governor, I managed to contact Frank Bailey and his wonderful wife Neen. Over fourteen months ago, after substantive dialogue, we decided to pursue a memoir. Two months later, I realized I needed Jeanne Devon to help me navigate the million details of Alaskan politics and personalities. I invited (actually, demanded) she join the team. Frank balked at first. After all, he’s conservative and she’s a liberal blogger. I insisted they meet or I’d walk away from the project. Well, no surprise, he embraced her inclusion after only a second cup of coffee.
For over a year—that’s right, friends, over a year—we worked in silence. We spent countless hours (on my end, upwards of 70 hours per week) constructing what we believed was an important book, based on documented truth. Within the last month, we finished a marketable draft. Not a final draft–we anticipate changes, both additions and deletions–but something that our agent believed would result in substantial interest in the publishing world. You can imagine our joy.
Then the manuscript was sent out, illegally, to the media. Why? Good question (Jeanne and I have discussed writing-up this disturbing story-behind-the-story with its ethics be damned. New Yorker, are you interested? Rolling Stone?).
With permission from my legal team, Jeanne and I decided to post what is known as a Cease and Desist order. And while there are many other unnamed parties who have engaged in unethical behavior and violated copyright law (you should be ashamed of yourselves), this is the most shocking.
What is written below includes only part of what we sent to this now-officially-named individual, but is, I believe, self-explanatory (a similar letter is going out to those we have identified as also unlawfully reproducing portions of our work). I guess you can say we are not rolling over, and for those who ignore law and morality, we are not going away:
BONFANTE STEINBECK, A PROFESSIONAL LAW CORPORATION
February 20, 2011
SENDER INFORMATION:
Ken Morris, Frank Bailey and Jeanne DevonRECIPIENT INFORMATION:
Joe McGinnissRE: COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT
Dear Sir:
I write on behalf of Ken Morris, Frank Bailey and Jeanne Devon (collectively, the “Copyright
Owners”). The Copyright Owners are co-owners of the copyright in the unpublished manuscript
entitled “Blind Allegiance to Sarah Palin: A Memoir of our Tumultuous Years” (the “Work”).
Between February 16, 2011 and February 18, 2011 you were the recipient of an unlawfully
distributed version of the Work. Although you knew that the Work was (i) distributed to you in
strict confidence, and (ii) an unpublished manuscript, you choose to unlawfully distribute the
Work to multiple news outlets, bloggers, political activists, and any one else you felt might be
interested.As a result of your actions, hundreds of articles and blogs have been published detailing the
Work. Some of the publications have summarized the Work in great detail, and others have
reproduced the Work’s content verbatim. As an author, you are well aware that your actions have
significantly impaired the Copyright Owners ability to market the book….…The Copyright Owners believe your actions were done with the single intent of destroying the
marketability of the Work. It is no secret that you are writing your own “tell-all” book about
Sarah Palin. By releasing the Work prior to publication, you have limited the actual interest in
the Work and thereby salvaged the marketability of your own book. This matter appears to be no
more than that of a jealous author sabotaging a competitor via unlawful and unscrupulous means.The Copyright Owners are currently reviewing their legal options and I can assure this is not the
last time you will hear from them. Besides showing an utter lack of professionalism, you have,
at a minimum, willfully caused significant damages by engaging in unfair competition and
violations of copyright law. In order to minimize the damages caused by your actions, the
Copyright Owners hereby demand that you cease and desist from distributing any portion of the
Work. Additionally, the Copyright Owners demand that you provide a full list of the parties to
whom you distributed the Work.This letter is not intended as, and may not be construed to be, a complete recitation of the facts or
circumstances connected with this matter. Furthermore, any statement contained in this letter is
not intended as, and may not be construed to be, a waiver or relinquishment of any of the
Copyright Owners’ rights or remedies under law, all of which the Copyright Owners hereby
expressly reserve.Please feel free to contact me to discuss this matter further.
Sincerely,
Dean M. Steinbeck
First results are in with 27% of the vote
AK Senate – Murkowski (write in) 39% Miller (R) 34% McAdams (D) 25%
AK House – Don Young (R) 66% Harry Crawford (D) 33%
AK Governor – Sean Parnell (R) 57% Ethan Berkowitz (D) 39%
9:31pm
Those numbers are holding across the board with 34% of precincts reporting. Southeast Alaska and rural areas have not reported in yet.
9:49pm
And still they hold at 40% returns.
10:08pm
Don Young has entered the building. Guess what he had on his arm? Yes, the Mayor’s party planner. No, I am not kidding. This may require a trip to the beer garden.
There are chants of Don Young! Don Young! Don Young! Whoops and hollers. He’s doing the rounds with the TV stations. Lots of sign wavers with the same yellow sign he’s had for probably all 20 terms.
10:20
Scott McAdams is in the house. Cheers went up from all corners of the room. Overheard opponents’ supporters talking about what a great campaign he ran. He’s talking to TV right now and saying we’re waiting for the numbers from Southeast Alaska and Bush Alaska to come in.
10:30
Bill Wielechowski (the best Bill in Juneau) is in the house. Looks like he held his seat. So did Pete Petersen who faced tough opposition from a Karpetbagger from Kodiak. Chris Tuck also kept his spot in the legislature. All three of them are definitely “good guys.” We need to appreciate these victories which really mean a lot too.
10:48
Sean Parnell (R) has entered with scads of red balloons and cowbells. Interviewing with Mead Treadwell on Channel 2. He has taken the governor’s race.
10:52
With 68% of the vote, the AK Senate race sits at
Write-In 39.33%
Joe Miller 35.32%
Scott McAdams 24.36%
This is very close. If ALL of the write in votes are for Murkowski, this is a tenuous lead at best. This doesn’t count in voter error and legal challenges which are sure to come.
10:55pm
Joe Miller sign wavers are here. Not too many… and no sign of the Bearded One. ADN reported via Twitter that he refused to talk to the press and will not be coming to Election Central. Is anyone surprised?
***Having problems keeping the site up. If you can’t get on, go to mudflats.wordpress.com for backup.*****
11:19pm
Scott McAdams just sat down to talk with Shannyn on the air. He said he’s proud of the campaign.
Lisa Murkowski is in the house. Chants of “six more years.” She’s being interviewed by Channel 2 now.
Now there are chants of “We made history!” That one is premature at best. With only four points separating her and Joe Miller, and all the perils of a write-in campaign yet to be navigated, we undoubtedly will be following this election for a while longer than we’d hoped.
11:41
Senator Bill Wielechowski is on the air with Shannyn Moore. He retained his seat in a fairly conservative district. He has knocked on about 7000 doors in his district. Shoe leather, and sincere hard work has paid off for “the best Bill in Juneau.”
11:42pm
Thomas Van Flein, the attorney for Sarah Palin and Joe Miller is in the house. Neither of his clients are present.
The hall is starting to clear out, and the TV crews are packing up.
12:00am
McAdams, Scott T. DEM 24.15%
Miller, Joe REP 64212 34.89%
Write-in Votes 73551 39.96%
With 78% of the districts reporting
Alright, time for me to pack it up too. Murkowski is not declaring victory, because obviously we don’t know anything. It’s going to be more drama, folks. Buckle up.
Candidate for Gov. Ethan Berkowitz was also there and AK Sen Hollis French was the enthusiastic Master of Ceremonies.
On my way home (sigh) it started snowing. I’m hoping we just get a dusting or I’m afraid how the first snow of the year might effect the voting. Here’s hoping the main Mudflats site is up soon, the snow stops and the voting is through the roof!
Hello all,
Welcome to another moment of Zen….
(That’s our happy way of saying we’re having server/wordpress problems) As the new WordPress gets updated, we’ve been experiencing intermittent issues that result in you not being able to access the blog, and sometimes the forums too…
WordPress often “gives us the opportunity to practice patience and tolerance” and they also do provide us with this lovely snowfall back on the old blog, and also a place to leave comments while we wait.
Hopefully we’ll be back up and running soon.
Thanks for your patience!
~The Mudflats Team
Saturday, December 13 4:20pm Alaska Time
Update: 6:00pm Alaska Time – ServerGuy is on the scene. Server is busy processing gobs of requests from people to get to the site, that the reboot request has to wait in line. Like taking a number at the deli….
Update: 8:15pm Alaska Time – The Deli has closed and sent us away… So now we are in the queue at the Network Operations Center in Dallas to have our plug pulled, and replugged. I’ll keep you posted!
OK, buckle your seatbelts! We’re heading off to http://www.themudflats.net!
Don’t worry. This blog will still be here with all the old posts and comments for your reference. Comments will be turned off here, however, so as not to confuse anyone.
Our new hosted site will have some new features I’m sure you will all enjoy!
So, put on your boots, grab those rakes and shovels, and come on over!
Just click the truck!
(Keep this site bookmarked for archives, and as a backup location if there are ever any technical glitches on the new site!)
This reminds me of that old piece of advice, “Ask for everything. The worst they can say is ‘No.'”
Ted Stevens’ lawyers have asked Judge Emmett Sullivan to overturn the jury’s verdict. That’s right, just toss the verdict out and rule for an acquittal.
And if he won’t do that, then they’ll settle for a new trial. In Alaska.
And if he won’t do that, then they’ll settle for a new trial.
AND they want 6 of the 7 felony counts dismissed because they are the same as the first felony count.
They also asked the judge to allow them to file some exhibits in support of their motions under seal because the exhibits refer to personal information about jurors and to the ongoing investigation by the government into political corruption in Alaska.
This might have something to do with Juror #9 who had “violent outbursts” during the deliberations, and whom all the other jurors wanted off the island. Or, it could have to do with Juror #4 who lied about her own father’s death, and skipped town to watch a horse race. Or, it could have to do with our favorite Juror #11 who has been talking to the press and keeping a blog that describes some interesting goings-on behind the scenes. And now, it appears that the defense has been doing some investigative work that reveals what they believe to be jurors who lied on their forms and failed to disclose relationships with the criminal justice system that could have made them prejudicial against Stevens, and politicians in general.
AND they say that Bill Allen, former CEO of Veco Corp, and key witness for the prosecution lied when he said that the friend of Stevens who was overseeing the renovation said, “Don’t worry about getting a bill. Ted’s just covering his ass.”
Under an earlier schedule set by U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan, the government has until Jan. 9 to respond to the defense’s post-trial motions. A hearing is set for Feb. 25.
In asking for a new trial, the defense lawyers said Stevens’ trial was fatally flawed with false evidence presented by the government, improper hearsay evidence from a witness who was the “linchpin” of the government’s case, and by jurors who lied to the court and were prejudiced from the start against politicians.
Such post-trial motions are common in criminal trials but rarely succeed before the trial judge, who has ruled upon most if not all of the arguments before. However, they set out the basis for a likely appeal, and could also be used by advocates seeking a presidential pardon for Stevens to assert he was tried unfairly.
Like it or not, the Stevens trial continues. Trialophiles will want to read the entire article in todays Anchorage Daily News.
Bedtime in Alaska. There has been lots of duck-paddling going on under the surface of the water here at Mudflats! WordPress has just done a major upgrade, and I’ve been enjoying the much improved design, back here in my work area behind the scenes.
We’ve been waiting for this upgrade, to move the blog to a new site! I promise this will be almost completely painless. All it will involve is clicking once, which will take you to the new site. And the new site will look pretty much exactly like this site, only you’ll have some cool new features like the ability to edit your own posts! Nice.
I’m hoping the jump will happen in the next day or two.
In the meantime, the Night Kitchen is always open for stream of consciousness chatter, and also check out the One Word Meme thread on the Forum. Find out how Mudflatters answer a series of questions with just one word!
Fascinating.
Compelling.
Challenging.
Fun!
Indulge me in a little impromptu Mudflats Theatre.
Characters:
Mom & Dad – Well-meaning, but indulgent. Unsure of how this whole family dynamic works. They appear weary and run down.
Child – Cute as a button. Feisty, bold and confident.
Friend – (if actors are hard to come by, this part can be played by a bobble-head doll, and his one line can be cut)
(Curtain rises. We see an average American kitchen. Mom and Dad are standing in front of a child whose arms are folded indignantly. A large jar lies on its side, with the lid removed. Half a cookie sits on the counter.)
M&D – Child, we’ve got a problem here. Someone’s been stealing cookies from the cookie jar. We’ve done some checking, and due to the crumb trail leading to your room, the fact that nobody else was around, and the chocolate in the corners of your mouth, we’ve come to the studied conclusion that it was you. You know you weren’t supposed to be doing this. We haven’t decided what the consequences are going to be, but we are in complete agreement, and do believe you are the one who took the cookies. Do you have something to say?
Child – I do have something to say to you, but you’re going to have to wait a minute. (wipes chocolate from corners of mouth and clears throat) I’ll be right back. (brightly) I’ve done nothing wrong and I can prove it!
(Child runs out the door. Time passes and child returns with a friend.)
Child – (out of breath) I have decided to ask my friend to investigate this, and he has come to the conclusion that I did nothing wrong. So, I really think we need to move along here. I hope you feel better now, Mom and Dad. (smiles)
Friend – (nodding) She has done nothing wrong.
M&D – (tentatively, to friend) But….what about all the evidence? Did you see the crumb trail? It’s not like we didn’t check this out ourselves. And she said she was going to prove she didn’t do it!
Child – So, you’re saying you don’t trust me? (silence) What. Do you want to see what’s in my pockets? Is THAT what you’re saying? Because there are no cookies in there and I’ll show you to prove it. Do you want to know every single thing I told my friend to prove it? Is that what you want? That’s what you want, ISN’T IT?!
M&D – (looking at the floor) Yes. We would like to see that. You promised you’d show us, so go ahead and empty the pockets, and tell us what you said to your friend.
Child – This is rediculous. I can’t believe you won’t let this drop! You really don’t trust me….I can’t believe it. I mean I had my friend check this all out! You are just being unfair! Why do you hate me?!? (pause) You know what? Forget it. I’m NOT showing you what’s in my pocket because you are just being ridiculous! Dad, I know you’d agree with me if it wasn’t for Mom butting in! She just wants to ruin my life! We’ll I’m moving on. There are more important things going on in this house, like homework, and chores, and dinner!
(Child stomps out of room and slams door hard.)
Now, I bring your attention to today’s headline in the Anchorage Daily News:
Governor’s Office: Troopergate is Over and Palin Testimony Won’t Be Released to the Public
As far as Gov. Sarah Palin is concerned, Troopergate is behind her and she won’t provide a transcript of testimony she gave in an investigation into whether she violated ethics laws in firing her public safety commissioner, Walt Monegan. [snip]
“The people of Alaska — and of the nation — deserve to have a decision from the proper tribunal putting their minds at ease that suggestions of misconduct that have circulated on the Internet and in some media outlets are not true. I therefore am waiving the confidentiality that usually covers personnel board complaints,” Palin said in a statement released by her lawyer, Thomas Van Flein, on Sept. 2, just days after she was named John McCain’s running mate.
She gave her only testimony in the matter on Oct. 24 while on the vice presidential campaign trail. Van Flein said at the time that she wanted to release a transcript of her deposition. Reached Thursday evening, Van Flein said he hadn’t talked to Palin about releasing it since then. “That’s their call, I guess,” he said.
Palin is simply ready to move on, her deputy press secretary, Sharon Leighow, wrote in an e-mail exchange this week.
“This matter is closed. We see no public purpose in artificially prolonging this controversy.”
Sarah (child) who promised to release her sworn testimony (empty her pockets) which was given to Timothy Petumenos (friend), who performed the investigation of Sarah Palin, which she initiated herself, is now stomping out of the room.
Meanwhile, Mom & Dad (the Legislature) have been told that their work is meaningless, that they are impotent, that they are laughable. The kid just told Mom and Dad that they have no power. And unless we do something about it, Mom and Dad are about to say, “OK, Sweetie. You just go clean your room and we’ll forget all about it. I’m sorry if we upset you.”
These are the kinds of parents that raise spoiled children with a sense of entitlement, who do whatever they want until someone stops them. I don’t want that kid running my state.
This entire situation, of course, is dripping with irony, as GovernorPalin just returned from a trip stumping for Saxby Chambliss on the premise that if Democrats managed to get a 60-seat majority in the Senate, it would be a disaster because “we would have no checks and balances”. And she wouldn’t want HER kids growing up in a country like THAT. Indeed.
Well, Alaska Legislature, I don’t want my children growing up in a country with no checks and balances either. Of course the Palin administration sees no purpose in finishing this process. Because the truth will hurt. Her testimony will open a big can of worms that we can all look at, and pick through, and figure out what she might have said that contradicts the truth. There’s a word for that……oh, yes! “Perjury.” Last time I checked, perjury was a crime.
So, if she really really did nothing wrong, then why won’t she empty her pockets?
I looked at the Anchorage Daily News today, and my first thought was, “Hey, isn’t that the lady from TV?” Yes, indeed, Governor Sarah Palin is back in Alaska and it looks like she’s working!
After the national media descended on Alaska last summer, like ravens on a Wendy’s dumpster, many things were dragged out into the spotlight that otherwise might have lingered in Alaskan obscurity. I think of that bizarre phenomenon like a team of ten or twelve strangers coming into your house and emptying out your closets, taking inventory, and then writing about it. You’d realize that maybe you had some strange stuff in there, that you had just gotten used to, and other stuff you didn’t even know was in there…but now that you look at it all in the light of day, through someone else’s eyes, you realize that maybe you should have been cleaning out your closets more often. One of those things was the Palin administration’s record on health care for children and pregnant women. The national media was not kind in its analysis of how Palin was caring for women and children, and many Alaskans had been furious about it for some time, and felt vindicated by the media analysis from outside the state.
Lawmakers have scrapped for years over Denali KidCare, which provides health insurance for lower income children and pregnant women. Palin last year opposed the push to increase coverage — even though the state was enjoying a huge surplus at the time from high oil prices. It’s one of dozens of policy calls that came under scrutiny as the governor became a national figure in the wake of her nomination this summer for vice president.
Palin, pressed on why she’s now changed her position, kept repeating that it is an opportunity for more children to be covered.
And, as usual, nobody is happy. Democrats think she hasn’t gone far enough, and Republicans think she’s gone too far. But Republicans will likely not stop it, and Democrats will take what they can get.
One of the good things that has come from Palin’s run for VP, is that Alaskans have been forced to look outside the bubble. Those who have felt that Palin’s policies and attitudes were not in alignment with their own, are now realizing that a lot of other Americans out there share their sentiments. It’s hard sometimes to remember that out there is a big wide world that isn’t Alaskan.
We were all expecting, with the price of oil dipping below $40/barrel yesterday, that the state budget was once again going to fall victim to Palin’s dreaded red pen. So this increase in an “entitlement program” in the face of plummeting oil prices, and the coming economic crunch, came as a bit of a surprise. I wonder how much her decisions in the next few years will be made in consideration of that world outside. She has plans for 2012, after all…
Palin will release the rest of her proposed state budget next week and said not to expect any significant cuts. She downplayed the danger falling oil prices pose to the state budget, saying Alaska is in a far better position than other states.
Palin claimed the state could still end up with a surplus even if oil averages $45 a barrel over the next several months.
David Teal, the state Legislature’s chief budget analyst, said that is possible for the current fiscal year that ends in June. But he has doubts. “Oil is falling pretty fast; we don’t know if we’re going to have a surplus or a deficit,” Teal said in an interview. Palin’s new spending plan, though, would start in the next fiscal year — when Alaska oil prices would have to average at least $20 a barrel more than now to balance the budget.
Welcome to the season of tight-rope walking, fiscal wrangling and hand-wringing as we try to pack all that stuff back in the closet.
If you’re not busy on Saturday night, or even if you are, make plans to attend the 2008 Muckraker’s Ball & Award Ceremony! No, alas, I had nothing to do with putting together this fabulous event, even though I’d love to take credit, and the name does seem fitting….
Each year Cook Inlet Keeper, an organization dedicated to protecting and preserving the Cook Inlet watershed and the life within it, chooses one deserving Alaskan who has spoken truth to power, and works to hold the government and corporations accountable for their actions. Isn’t that a nice concept? To this individual Cook Inlet Keeper bestows the honorary title of “Muckraker of the Year.” This year, the recipient is the amazing and incomparable Dr. Ricki Ott, “whose groundbreaking work has played a vital role shining a necessary light on the politicians, bureaucrats, and Exxon Corporation executives who have labored to cover up and ignore the devastation of the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill.”
Believe it or not, we are approaching the 20th anniversary of that event whose after effects are still being felt by residents of the Sound, fisherman, wildlife, and all who hold to that area as a symbol of wildness and beauty.
Dr. Ott will be signing copies of her new book, “Not One Drop: Betrayal and Courage in the Wake of the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill.”
And who is up to emceeing this festive and auspicious event? None other than Air American radio personality and Alaska blogger, Shannyn Moore! It will no doubt be loads of fun, and promotes the good work of one of my most favorite organizations.
And to share a small bit of the spirit of Prince William Sound, the site of the Exxon disaster, I’ve added some pictures to the Flickr stream that you’ll find at the bottom of the sidebar. Enjoy.
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