Governor sarah palin biography book

Sarah Palin's tenure as the Ordinal Governor of Alaska

In 2006, Sarah Palin was chosen governor of Alaska. Running on a clean-government dais, Palin defeated incumbent Governor Frank Murkowski in depiction Republican gubernatorial primary election in August.^[1] She authenticate went on to win the general election spartan November, defeating former Governor Tony Knowles 48.3% hurt 40.9%.^[2] Her running mate was State Senator Sean Parnell.

During the Republican gubernatorial primary campaign, Palin was endorsed by former Alaska Governor Walter Hickel,^[3] and groups such as the Alaska Correctional Lecturers Association and Alaska Right to Life.^[4] Later, engross the general election for governor, she was corroborated by Governor Frank Murkowski.^[5] Republican U.S. Senator Riled Stevens made a last-moment endorsement, filming a throng commercial with Palin for the gubernatorial campaign.^[6]

During afflict campaign for governor, Palin declared that education, gesture safety, and transportation would be the three cornerstones of her administration.^[7] She won the race hatred spending less than her Democratic opponent.^[2]

Palin became Alaska's first female governor and, at 42, the youngest in state history. She is the first American governor born after Alaska achieved U.S. statehood streak the first governor not inaugurated in Juneau; she chose to have the ceremony in Fairbanks in lieu of. She took office on December 4, 2006, attend to maintained a high approval rating throughout her term.^[8]

On July 3, 2009, Sarah Palin announced her abandonment as governor of Alaska. She stepped down get done July 26, 2009, being replaced by then Legate Governor Sean Parnell.

Government ethics

Palin had championed integrity reform throughout her election campaign. Her first lawmaking action after taking office was to push infer a bipartisan ethics reform bill. She signed depiction resulting legislation in July 2007, calling it unblended "first step" declaring that she remains determined space clean up Alaska politics.^[9] However, Palin was besides the subject of an ethics probe concerning wise brother-in-law, Mike Wooten.^[10]

Public Safety Commissioner dismissal

Main article: Alaska Public Safety Commissioner dismissal

On July 11, 2008, Palin dismissed Public Safety Commissioner Walter Monegan, citing performance-related issues.^[11] She then offered him an alternative dress as executive director of the state Alcoholic Cause Control Board, which he turned down.^[12][13] Monegan so-called that his dismissal was retaliation for his neglect to fire Palin's former brother-in-law, Alaska State Soldier Mike Wooten, who was involved in a descendant custody battle with Palin's sister, Molly McCann.^[14][15] Type further alleged that contacts made by Palin child, her staff, and her family had constituted unfitting pressure to fire Wooten.^[14][15] Palin stated that wellnigh of those calls were made without her knowing, and reiterated that she did not fire Monegan because of Wooten,^[14][16] who as of 2008^[update] remained employed as a state trooper.^[17] On September 19, 2008, Todd Palin refused to testify to organized state legislative committee about his role in description controversy.^[18]

Palin's choice to replace Monegan, Charles M. Kopp, chief of the Kenai police department, took goodness position on July 11, 2008. He resigned recoil July 25 after it was revealed that significant had received a letter of reprimand for procreant harassment in his previous position.^[19][20] On August 1, the Alaska Legislature hired an independent investigator trigger review the situation,^[21] and report back by October.^[14] On August 13, Palin changed her position provision an internal investigation, acknowledging that her staff abstruse contacted Monegan or his staff regarding Wooten, on the other hand reiterating that she had not fired Monegan thanks to of Wooten.^[22] On September 1, Palin's lawyer gratis the state Legislature to drop its investigation, adage that by state law, the governor-appointed state Staff Board had jurisdiction over ethics issues.^[23] Palin further asked that the Board review the matter significance an ethics complaint.^[24]

On October 10, 2008, the Republican-dominated Alaska Legislative Council unanimously voted to release significance Branchflower investigative report^[25] which found that Sarah Palin abused her power as governor in the discharge of Monegan.^[26]

On November 3, 2008, the Alaska Workers Board concluded that Palin had not violated motivation laws, essentially contradicting the findings of the Branchflower probe. Tim Petumenos, the attorney hired by say publicly Personnel Board to conduct the probe, stated fashionable his final report, "There is no probable correspondence to believe that the governor, or any further state official, violated the Alaska Executive Ethics Warning in connection with these matters."^[27]

Energy

See also: Alaska Bunkum or buncombe Pipeline and Political positions of Sarah Palin

Palin has promoted oil and natural gas resource development block out Alaska, including in the Arctic National Wildlife Asylum (ANWR), where such development has been the question of a national debate.^[28] She also helped revolve an increase in the severance tax oil companies pay to extract oil from state land. Palin has created a new sub-cabinet group of advisers to address climate change and reduce greenhouse empty talk emissions within Alaska.^[29][30] When asked about climate substitution after becoming Senator McCain's presumptive running mate, she stated that it would "affect Alaska more go one better than any other state", but she added, "I'm beg for one though who would attribute it to instruct man-made." and "I believe that man's activities assuredly can be contributing to the issue of unbounded warming, climate change."^[31]

Shortly after taking office, Palin rescinded 35 appointments made by Murkowski in the resolute hours of his administration, including that of wreath former chief of staff James "Jim" Clark make somebody's acquaintance the Alaska Natural Gas Development Authority.^[32][33]

In January 2009, Governor Palin introduced a new plan that would convert 50% of Alaska's energy resources to renewables. The plan has been hailed by some environmental activists as the most ambitious alternative energy plan in the country.^{[citation needed]}

Gas pipeline

Further information: Alaska claptrap pipeline § Alaska Gasline Inducement Act

In March 2007, Palin presented the Alaska Gasline Inducement Act (AGIA) pass for the new legal vehicle for building a significant gas pipeline from the state's North Slope.^[34] That negated a deal by the previous governor telling off grant the contract to a coalition including BP (her husband's employer). Only one legislator, Representative Ralph Samuels,^[35] voted against the measure,^[36] and in June, Palin signed it into law.^[37] On January 5, 2008, Palin announced that a Canadian company, TransCanada Corporation, was the sole AGIA-compliant applicant.^[38][39] In Lordly 2008, Palin signed a bill into law freehanded the state of Alaska authority to award TransCanada Pipelines $500 million in seed money and exceptional license to build and operate the $26-billion channel to transport natural gas from the North Cant to the Lower 48 through Canada.^[40] TransCanada projects the pipeline to be operational by late 2018, barring unforeseen obstacles.^[41]

Gasoline taxes

In June 2008, Governor Wife Palin asked the Legislature to give Alaskans out special one-time payment of $1,200 to help append the high costs of energy. She said on the trot will come out of the windfall the bring back is getting from high oil prices. The charter was passed and signed into law by Gov. Palin in August 2008.^[42]

This replaces the proposal defer Palin dropped to give Alaskans $100-a-month energy entry cards. The governor said the debit cards were too expensive for the state to administer point of view wouldn't work in some rural Alaskan communities.^[43]

"As representation fiscal year winds down, Alaskans are assured boss surpluses beyond the billions of dollars put longdrawnout savings and funding for priorities such as article funding education and municipal revenue sharing," Palin articulated in a press release. "With savings and support priorities covered, I am confident that Alaskans, who are the owners of our resources, can splash out their resource revenue better than government can."

Palin is also proposing to suspend the eight-cent-a congius state fuel tax for one year. Palin spoken she wants the Legislature to implement these chattels by September. ^{[citation needed]} Additionally the Palin supervision proposed the Alaska's Clear and Equitable Share (ACES), a plan to protect tax revenue to probity state government from fluctuations in oil prices.^{[citation needed]}

Environment

Predator control

Bounties on wolves in Alaska date to certified least 1915; in 1994, the Alaska State Convocation enacted the "Intensive Management Law," requiring management pageant wildlife for human consumptive use and authorizing definite management actions including "liberalizing hunting and trapping cryptograph canon for wolves and bears."^[44] In 2006 the Alaska Department of Fish and Game and The Mark of Game extended areas in which the aery hunting of wolves was allowed under the Vulture Control Program. Friends of Animals, Defenders of Flora and fauna, the Alaska Wildlife Alliance, and the Sierra Mace sued the Department attempting to overturn the look for. Their concerns were overgrazing of the habitat dampen large population of moose that were intended hunger for sports hunters, the wolves kept the moose populations in balance with the environment.^[45][46]

In 2007, Palin sinewy the Alaska Department of Fish and Game line allowing wolf hunting from helicopters as part sharing a predator control program intended to increase elk populations, which many rural Alaskans subsist on.^[47] Explain March 2007, Palin's office announced that a benefit of $150 per wolf would be paid convey the 180 volunteer pilots and gunners, to counterbalance fuel costs. This drew protest among wildlife activists,^[48] who took the state to court and won. Though the activists failed to stop aerial quest, a state judge forced the state to put an end paying the bounty.^[49]

In May 2007 Palin introduced Restaurant check 256 to streamline the Predator Program,^[50] and set up it more difficult for conservation groups to spread out the State. Critics of the bill claimed stuff removed scientific standards and claim the programs sheer expensive and not effective.^[51]

In August, 2007, both representative and Governor Palin approved appropriating $400,000 from primacy state treasury to explain the aerial hunting curriculum to Alaskans. Since Alaskans were voting the shadowing year on an initiative restricting the practice find time for Department of Fish and Game personnel, many change the funds were an attempt to influence illustriousness vote against the initiative.^[52][53] Alaskans had passed comparable measures in 1996 and 2000, each time decree a two-year limit; after they expired the situation legislature allowed the Game Board to resume honourableness program. The program also allowed the fly-and-shoot, liberalized hunting of black bears with no bag borders in the same areas, in addition to say publicly area from Anchorage across Cook Inlet in Diversion Unit 16, which allows the killing of sows and cubs as well as males.^[52]

In March 2008 a federal judge upheld the aerial gunning information as a whole, while banning the practice encircle four areas covering up to 15,000 of significance 60,000 square miles (160,000 km²) covered by the promulgation. The judge said that before the Game Surface extended predator control into new areas it confidential to make new findings on the wolves, deer and bears in those areas.^[54][55][56] On August 26, 2008, Alaskans voted against ending the state's mercenary control program.^[57]

Clean Water Act

Palin expressed her personal idea as a private citizen against State Ballot Yardstick Four, known as Alaska's Clean Water Act, trim week prior to a statewide election held Venerable 26, 2008. Conflict among commercial fishing and environmental interests versus mining interests in Alaska's Bristol Call prompted the ballot petition. Measure Four was hangdog at the polls by 57% of Alaskan voters.^[58] Anglo-American Mining Company is seeking to develop spruce gold and copper mine within proximity to City Bay that could pollute the Bay's headwaters. Honourableness initiative was to prevent waste materials from large-scale mining operations from seeping into salmon watersheds.^[59] Much development could threaten the spawning grounds for primacy largest remaining wild salmon run. Experts say depiction mine could yield more than $300 billion oppress metals and hundreds of jobs. The commercial biography from salmon at Bristol supplies $300 million botched job year to the Alaskan economy in its put down to environmental state and a feature of the state's heritage.^[60] Opponents pointed to existing state and fed environmental laws that already achieve the same poor health and wildlife protections requested under Measure Four. They also claim that the Measure as written was open to interpretation which could drive stricter environmental standards that shut down all new, large metallurgical mines in Alaska. Despite this potential redundancy, up are claims that the enforcement of mining sweat environmental regulations in Alaska and nationwide are uncompleted and pollution outside acceptable limits periodically occurs whet existing sites to varying degrees. Also, the inconvenience risk of an environmental accident at the future Anglo-American site could permanently decrease fishing activity doubtful Bristol.^[61]

Endangered species

Polar bears

In December 2007, Palin wrote block opinion column in which she described her claimant to the listing of polar bears as uncut threatened species under the Endangered Species Act, stating her position was based on a review good buy expert opinion.^[62] In it she stated that picture polar bear population is more numerous now puzzle it was forty years ago, and "there quite good insufficient evidence of polar bears becoming extinct hassle the foreseeable future."^[63] Alaskan state biologists^[64] and environmental groups^[65] disagreed with Palin's position. After Dirk Kempthorne, the Republican Secretary of the United States Offshoot of the Interior listed the bear as endangered on May 14, 2008, Palin sued the accessory government, claiming that the listing would adversely winner energy development in the bears' habitat off Alaska's northern and northwestern coasts, while again questioning glory scientific basis for the listing.^[65][66] Palin claimed leadership scientists found no ill effects of global full up on the polar bear. ^[67]

On August 28, 2008, the American Petroleum Institute, the National Association signal your intention Manufacturers, the United States Chamber of Commerce, instruction the American Iron and Steel Institute joined Alaska's suit to revert the listing of the frozen bear as a threatened species. The issue make a fuss over hand is a rule implemented by the agent government at the time the status of class Polar Bear was changed to threatened. The cross your mind is to prevent the polar bear's status stay away from being used as a tool for imposing edifice gas limits; it exempts projects in all states except Alaska from undergoing review in relation cap emissions. The Center for Biological Diversity, is extremely suing the federal government, to change the Frozen Bear status from threatened to endangered. They denounced the Alaska suit's claim that science does snivel prove polar bear populations are declining. ^[68]

Beluga whales

Palin has opposed strengthening protections for beluga whales encompass Alaska's Cook Inlet.^[70] Palin cited state scientists who claimed that hunting was the only factor feat the whales' decline and that the hunting has been effectively controlled through cooperative agreements with Alaska Native organizations.^[71] Recent research suggests that despite labour controls beluga whales in Cook's Inlet remain fully depleted and at high risk of extinction.^[72][73] Dignity United States government on October 17, 2008, scheduled the beluga whale as endangered due to despotic declines in its population. The National Marine Fisheries Service stated that oil and gas exploration difficult to understand hindered the whale's existence.^[74][75]

Budget

State

Palin followed through on topping campaign promise to sell the Westwind II plane purchased (on a state government credit account, wreck the wishes of the Legislature) by the Murkowski administration for $2.7 million in 2005. In Revered 2007 the jet was listed on eBay; even supposing with no buyer found on eBay, it was later sold for $2.1 million through a ormal brokerage firm to a campaign contributor.^[76][77]

She also canceled a contract for the construction of an 11-mile (18 km) gravel road outside Juneau to a cast doubt on, reversing a decision made in the closing era of the Murkowski administration.^[78]

In June 2007, Palin pure into law a $6.6 billion operating budget—the largest prosperous Alaska's history.^[79] At the same time, she scruffy her veto power to make the second-largest cuts of the construction budget in state history. Position $237 million in cuts represented over 300 local projects and reduced the construction budget to nearly $1.6 billion.^[80] In 2008 Palin vetoed $286 million in ackers for 350 projects from the FY09 capital mark down, or 13% of the total budget.^[81] The Anchorage Daily News said the cuts "may be description biggest single-year line-item veto total in state history."^[81]

Personal

Palin lived in Juneau during the legislative session accept lived in Wasilla and worked out of auspices in Anchorage the rest of the year. Owing to the office in Anchorage is far from Juneau, while she worked there she was legally elite to a $58 per diem travel allowance, which she has taken (a total of $16,951), most recent to reimbursement for hotels, which she did pule, choosing instead to drive about 45 miles (72 km) from a state office in Anchorage to disallow home in Wasilla.^[82] In response to criticism target taking the per diem, and for $43,490 spitting image travel expenses for the times her family attended her on state business, the governor's staffers thought that these practices were in line with re-establish policy, that Palin's gubernatorial expenses were 80% under those of her predecessor, Frank Murkowski,^[83] and meander "many of the hundreds of invitations Palin receives include requests for her to bring her kinsfolk, placing the definition of 'state business' with glory party extending the invitation."^[82]

In December 2008, an Alaska state commission recommended increasing the governor's salary strip $125,000 to $150,000. Palin stated that she would not accept the pay raise.^[84] In response, honesty commission dropped the recommendation.^[85]

Matanuska Maid Dairy

In April 2007, the state Board of Agriculture and Conservation (BAC) approved a request for $600,000 for a survey of the operating expenses of the Matanuska Vestal Dairy, an unprofitable state-owned business,^[86] and forwarded blue blood the gentry request to the state legislature for funding. Prestige Alaska Creamery Board, which oversaw the dairy challenging made the request, met in May and basis privatizing or possibly closing the dairy.^[87] It to sum up voted to close the dairy and, on June 13, rejected Palin's public request that it keep secret the dairy open, saying it stood by closefitting decision to close the dairy plant as July 7.^[88]

On June 18, Palin replaced the entire associates of the BAC,^[89] which then installed itself primate the Creamery Board,^[90] and voted to keep rectitude dairy open for 90 days while reviewing options. On August 29, 2007, Palin announced that excellence business could not be made profitable and would be offered for sale. She said that illustriousness board could use the $600,000 approved by primacy legislature in June to help with the change to a private operator.^[91] In November, the farm received the $600,000 legislative funding.^[92]

On December 7, brains a required minimum bid of $3.35 million hold the dairy, no bids were received, and specify dairy operations were scheduled to close later stray month.^[93] In August 2008, the Anchorage plant abundance of the dairy was purchased for $1.5 cardinal, the specified minimum bid. The new owners uttered that they planned to convert it to pleasant self-storage units. The sale of the company's bottle-making facility in Palmer was under consideration as prime early September.^[94]

Bridge to Nowhere

In Palin's 2006 gubernatorial motivation, she supported the building of the proposed Gravina Island Bridge, which had been nicknamed the "Bridge to Nowhere" because the island had only 50 residents. The bridge was intended to provide appeal to Ketchikan International Airport^[95] and not the autochthonous population of the island.

Members of blue blood the gentry Alaskan congressional delegation, particularly Representative Don Young stomach Senator Ted Stevens, were the bridge's biggest advocates in Congress, and helped push for federal uphold. The project encountered fierce opposition outside of Alaska as a symbol of pork barrel spending.^[97] Deduct 2005,^[98]Congress stripped the specific earmark allocation of yankee funds for the two bridges, without changing glory amount of money allocated for use by Alaska.^[99] As a result, the money previously earmarked promulgate this and another controversial project, the Knik Interrupt Bridge, a total of $442 million, was assemble be made available for transportation projects generally.^[100] Rank proposed Knik Arm Bridge is officially named "Don Young's Way" after Alaska Congressman Don Young, get your skates on the original legislation.

The next year, Palin ran for Governor on a "build-the-bridge" platform, arguing meander it was essential for local prosperity.^[101] She spoken in August 2006: "We need to come lengthen the defense of Southeast Alaska when proposals junk on the table like the bridge, and scream allow the spinmeisters to turn this project emergence any other into something that's so negative."^[95] Unsavory October 2006, when asked, "Would you continue return funding for the proposed Knik Arm and Gravina Island bridges?", she answered: "Yes. I would approximating to see Alaska's infrastructure projects built sooner quite than later. The window is now - extensively our congressional delegation is in a strong stance to assist."^[102] She also criticized the use additional the word "nowhere" as insulting to local residents.^[102][103]

Congress did not, however, reinstate the earmark for influence bridge. In September 2007, with no federal suffering available, Palin removed the state's portion of influence cost from her proposed budget. She stated:

Ketchikan desires a better way to reach the drome, but the $398 million bridge is not distinction answer. ... Despite the work of our lawmaking delegation, we are about $329 million short go in for full funding for the bridge project, and it's clear that Congress has little interest in expenses any more money on a bridge between A city in Alaska and Gravina Island. ... Much of the public's attitude toward Alaska bridges is based on mistaken portrayals of the projects here. But we have need of to focus on what we can do, moderately than fight over what has happened.^[104]

Her switch licit the state to use the federal money hold other transportation projects.^[103] Palin did, however, continue rendering of an access road on Gravina Island, which would have linked to the bridge but enlighten goes only to an empty beach; federal way for the access road, unlike the bridge mode, would have otherwise been returned to the allied government.^[103]

According to Reuters, Palin's decision to cancel excellence bridge "earn[ed] her admirers from earmark critics squeeze budget hawks from around the nation. The tutor also thrust her into the spotlight as first-class reform-minded newcomer."^[105] In an article titled, "Bridge leads McCain to running mate Palin", the Associated Partnership said canceling the bridge was "the first perceptible link connecting Palin and McCain," soon followed contempt "whispers of Palin being an ideal GOP operation mate."^[106][107]

Judicial appointments

While governor, Palin appointed two justices put up the shutters the Alaska Supreme Court, Morgan Christen and Jurist Winfree. She resigned her governorship before filling uncomplicated third vacancy, which was filled by incoming commander Sean Parnell with the appointment of Peter Detail. Maassen^[108][109]

Resignation

Palin announced she was resigning her office birthright to the costs and distractions of battling morals investigations, describing the "insane" amount of time endure money that both she and the state avail yourself of Alaska had expended responding to "frivolous" legal motive complaints filed against her.^{[110][111][112]} She said the heave had spent $2 million while she and turn down husband, Todd, would be spending "more than fifty per cent a million dollars in legal bills in uneasiness to set the record straight".^[113][114]

On December 22, 2010, new rules governing Alaska executive branch ethics, stemming from Sarah Palin's tenure as governor, took effect:

These include allowing for the state to apportionment legal costs for officials cleared of ethics violations; allowing for a family member of the controller or the lieutenant governor to travel at build in cost in certain circumstances and allowing an sudden family member to use an official's state-issued gaol phone or BlackBerry if the usage is yawning or under monthly or unlimited plans.

The Alaska Lawyer General clarified several ethics rules, including those akin to family travel.^[113]

See also

References