Alaska Politics Blog

This is the place to talk about Alaska politics, state, local, national. Public life in the Last Frontier has never been more interesting -- Sarah Palin, a new governor, a new Anchorage mayor, the political corruption investigation, the usual hardball Alaska politics. Come here for news, tidbits and information, and join the discussion. We encourage lively debate, but please keep it civil and stay on point. Don't use profanity, make crude comments or attack other posters. Posts that violate the Terms of Use will be deleted. Repeat offenders will lose their ability to post comments.


Contributors

Erika Bolstad

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.

Don Hunter

Don Hunter covers Anchorage city government and politics. He is a longtime ADN reporter and editor and wrote for the Anchorage Times. E-mail Don at dhunter@adn.com

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

Features

SECTION

Sarah Palin

Follow the former Alaska governor's actions as she embarks on life outside of office.

SECTION

Alaska political corruption

The FBI raided state legislature offices in Aug. 2006, and the fallout since has been epic in Alaska's political world.

Archive

Murkowski on health care bill: "disappointing" - 11/19/2009 1:30 pm

Harry Noah out as the state's in-state gasline chief? (Updated with Parnell confirming the resignation) - 11/18/2009 3:59 pm

Did Palin distort her role in the Exxon Valdez lawsuit? - 11/18/2009 3:25 pm

Odds and ends from Palinpalooza (Updated) - 11/18/2009 11:48 am

"Going Rogue" - 11/17/2009 11:20 am

Parnell on Palin's book - 11/16/2009 5:10 pm

Palin's Newsweek cover (Updated with Palin calling it sexist) - 11/16/2009 3:32 pm

Palin's interview with Oprah - 11/16/2009 12:16 pm

Pearce steps down as federal coordinator of gasline - 11/16/2009 9:14 am

President Obama's visit to Alaska - 11/12/2009 12:12 pm

Richard Foster's son chosen to replace him - 11/10/2009 3:54 pm

Co-authors end book deal with Palin's "Hatchet Man" - 11/10/2009 1:06 pm

North Pole Republicans pick possible Coghill replacements - 11/7/2009 8:05 pm

Palin, Huckabee and yesterday's elections - 11/4/2009 1:22 pm

Sarah Palin's book tour - 11/3/2009 5:51 pm

John Harris may get out of the race for governor - 11/3/2009 4:37 pm

Knowles in D.C., talking energy - 11/2/2009 3:57 pm

House Ethics Committee and Young - 10/30/2009 9:43 am

Parnell talks to reporters three months into office - 10/29/2009 5:35 pm

Democrats suggest replacements for Richard Foster - 10/29/2009 3:53 pm

New CNN poll numbers on Palin - 10/28/2009 6:13 pm

Palin on Levi: "those who would sell their body for money..." - 10/28/2009 12:48 pm

full archive »

Palin's book retainer: $1.25 million (Updated)

Posted by Alaska_Politics

Posted: October 27, 2009 - 8:32 am

From Sean Cockerham in Anchorage --

Sarah Palin reported in financial disclosures out this morning that she received $1.25 million from publisher HarperCollins as "retainer for book" before she resigned as governor in July.

The report doesn't give a date for when Palin received the money. But the disclosures cover money that Palin received during her final seven months as governor, from Jan. 1 to July 26.

No other details are offered on the book deal, but a retainer would just be an upfront piece of her money. Palin's memoir, "Going Rogue: An American Life," is to hit bookstores on Nov. 17.

UPDATE -- Palin's spokeswoman, Meg Stapleton, just emailed me this statement:

"The Governor has complied with Alaska disclosure law by her filing yesterday. Now, as a private citizen, her business dealings, including her publishing agreement, are confidential."

Palin's report also lists her as owner of "Pie Spy LLC," described as a marketing business. It's referred to as "Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities" in the state's corporation database. The address of the business is listed as the office of Palin's lawyer in Anchorage, Thomas Van Flein.

Palin listed several gifts as well, including $4,250 in Yankees tickets in June from Rudy Giuliani for herself, her husband and her daughter, Willow.

Palin reported receiving $1,664 from evangelist Franklin Graham's Samaritan's Purse for airfare to Russian Mission and Marshall as part of an effort to deliver food aide to the Western Alaska vilages last spring.

Her husband, Todd, reported a $2,000 gift from the teen abstinence advocacy group Candie's Foundation for a May trip to New York. Their daughter, Bristol, was a spokesperson for the group.)

These are the final financial disclosure reports that Palin will be required to file with the Alaska Public Offices Commission.

Palin reported that she received $73,000 in salary and $6,370 in per diem during those final months before resigning as governor.

Todd Palin reported receiving $34,086 during that time as a BP production operator. He also reported $32,260 from his commercial setnet fishing operation in Bristol Bay, under the business name "Toad's Fisheries."

Todd Palin also reported $3,500 in winnings from the Iron Dog snowmachine race.

He disclosed a $3,252 snowmachine discount from his sponsor, Arctic Cat.

SECOND UPDATE --This was not included in our story about Sarah Palin's disclosures. But our initial online reporting linked Palin’s home loan and her legal expense fees. Sarah Palin’s attorney, Thomas Van Flein, confirms there is no connection.

That was my error, based on misreading one of the filings.