Alaska Politics Blog : Palin's legislative team warns agencies to push governor's bills, not their own

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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.

David Hulen

David Hulen, the ADN's state and local news editor, is responsible for political coverage. He has been an editor and reporter at the ADN for more than 20 years. E-mail David at dhulen@adn.com

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Palin's legislative team warns agencies to push governor's bills, not their own

Posted by Alaska_Politics

Anchorage Daily News

Posted: April 18, 2009 - 1:13 pm

From Sean Cockerham in Juneau --

Gov. Sarah Palin's deputy legislative director put out a memo today warning agency directors to push the governor's bills -- not their own --during the final lobbying for bills to pass before the Legislature adjourns for the year tomorrow.

"Bills with the Governor’s name on them are the first priority for each department. If your department is working on other bills while your own Governor’s bill for which you are responsible is stalled, you should be prepared to explain," the memo said.

The direction from Palin's legislative director, Jerry Gallagher, and his deputy, Mindy Rowland, also tells the state staffers to stay out of the Capitol unless they have specific priority legislation.

"We have received some complaints from committee chairmen that some departments are creating problems in these last few hours," the memo said.

Here is the full memo:

From: Rowland, Mindy B (GOV)
Sent: Saturday, April 18, 2009 11:11 AM
To: GOV LEGISLATIVE LIAISONS; GOV Administrative Directors
Cc: Gallagher, Gerald L (GOV); Nizich, Michael A (GOV); Yerkes, Reuben A (GOV)
Subject: IMPORTANT: Direction for the Last Days of Session
Importance: High

Hi Everyone,

Jerry has instructed me to send out a message to each of you letting you know that unless you have specific priority legislation that your agency is responsible for to please stay out of the capitol. If you are working on legislation, please let the Leg Office know that you are here in the building and what you are up to. If you are working with another department, come to the Leg Office with that other department staff so that we can be sure of a consistent priority, messages and activities. We have received some complaints from committee chairmen that some departments are creating problems in these last few hours.

Bills with the Governor’s name on them are the first priority for each department. If your department is working on other bills while your own Governor’s bill for which you are responsible is stalled, you should be prepared to explain.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Thanks

Mindy

Mindy Rowland

Deputy Legislative Director

Office of Governor Sarah Palin

465-3994