Associated Press
JUNEAU, Alaska — The fallout from Sarah Palin’s hasty retreat as governor is being cleaned up by the man she appointed attorney general in her waning days in office.
Attorney General Dan Sullivan has proposed broad changes to Alaska’s ethics rules that Palin complained helped drive her out. One Sullivan recommendation that might sound familiar: Setting ethical standards for spouses and kids to travel with the governor or lieutenant governor at taxpayer expense.
Another would implement an opinion he issued in August, that the state could pay legal fees executive branch officials rack up fighting ethics complaints, if the official is exonerated by an attorney general, independent investigator or by the state Personnel Board, whose members are appointed by the governor.
Sullivan’s proposals are on track to take effect after a review of public comments unless the legislature passes superseding law. The prospects for that happening — in an election year, with many Alaskans worried about job losses and energy prices — appear dim.
While ethics is an important issue, “It’s not going to be very high on my laundry list of state issues to address,” said Rep. Jay Ramras, R-Fairbanks, whose Judiciary Committee would be where any ethics bills might land.
“I think a lot of these issues ... would benefit from the passage of time, and likely are better issues for the [next] Legislature to take up,” said Ramras, who often found himself at odds with Palin. He said he wants to focus his limited committee time on anti-crime measures.
But at least one lawmaker believes any change to the ethics code should come from the Legislature, rather than from a political appointee.
Rep. Max Gruenberg, D-Anchorage, has introduced legislation with some provisions similar to Sullivan’s for travel and legal fee reimbursement. He would like the state to put off implementation of Sullivan’s plan, pending legislative action.
