Alaska Politics Blog : Palin legislative director resigns (updated with Goode comments)

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Erika Bolstad covers Alaska issues, including the congressional delegation, from Washington, D.C., for McClatchy Newspapers. Before joining the bureau in 2007, she spent seven years as a reporter at the Miami Herald, where she covered politics, government and the state legislature. E-mail Erika at ebolstad@adn.com.

Sean Cockerham

Sean Cockerham writes about Alaska state politics. He's worked for the ADN in Anchorage and Juneau, covered the legislature for the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, and covered Washington state politics for the Tacoma News Tribune. E-mail Sean at scockerham@adn.com

Kyle Hopkins

Kyle Hopkins covers rural affairs, general assignments and politics for the ADN. He covered the 2006 campaign for governor, has blogged extensively about Alaska politics, covered Anchorage city government and was a reporter based in the Mat-Su. He grew up in Southeast Alaska and previously wrote for the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner and Anchorage Press. E-mail Kyle at khopkins@adn.com and also find him on our rural Alaska blog, The Village.

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Palin legislative director resigns (updated with Goode comments)

Posted by Alaska_Politics

Posted: January 8, 2009 - 3:28 pm

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From Sean Cockerham in Anchorage --

Gov. Sarah Palin is looking for a new legislative director -- with the legislative session set to start in just 12 days.

Kelly Goode has resigned after seven months on the job. She never worked a full legislative session, although she did work this summer’s special session on the gas pipeline.

I called Goode both yesterday and today to ask why she’s leaving. She hasn’t returned the calls, and there is a lot of speculation out there. The governor’s office cited “personal reasons.”

Eagle River Rep. Nancy Dahlstrom said Goode, a single mother, is leaving Palin’s office because her son will be graduating soon from high school and she wants to spend time with him before he goes to college. Goode was Dahlstrom’s chief of staff before she came to the governor’s office.

(UPDATE --- Goode called back and said she's indeed leaving to spend time with her son, and has no frustrations with her job.

She said she's going to Juneau for the start of the legislative session and wants to make it a "smoothless transition" to whomever replaces her.

She said she's not taking another job, just wants to spend time at home, "It was a really hard decision. I get along wonderfully with the governor and staff," she said.)

Palin spokesman Bill McAllister said Goode agreed to stick around through the transition to whoever is hired next, and was briefing Palin staffers this morning about the dynamics of the Legislature.

Goode was the ~~fourth~~ third person to hold the legislative director job under Palin – following John Bitney and ~~the period when Heather Brakes and~~ Russ Kelly. ~~were double-teaming the position.~~ (Note Jan. 11: While Brakes was appointed in 2007 to share the job with Kelly, she subsequently backed out and didn't go on the payroll, a spokeswoman for the governor said on Sunday).

Palin’s scheduler, Janice Mason, also gave notice yesterday. Mason is based in Juneau, and Goode in Anchorage.

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