Palin's personal e-mail account questioned

ANCHORAGE, Alaska, Sept. 15 (UPI) -- Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and her administration's use of private e-mail accounts to conduct state business is raising questions among open government advocates.

The Anchorage Daily News reported Monday that during the 2006 campaign, Palin, a former mayor and now the Republican vice presidential nominee, pledged to be "open and transparent."

Critics have charged that the Palin administration's use of personal e-mail accounts is part of an effort to skirt state open records laws.

The governor's Yahoo account is "the most nonsensical, inane thing I've ever heard of," said Andree McLeod, who is appealing the administration's decision to withhold e-mails she requested.

"The governor sets the tone and the tone that has been set by this governor is beyond the pale," McLeod said. "Common sense tells you to use an official state e-mail account for official state business."

The governor is allowed to keep e-mails confidential if they fall into certain categories, such as "deliberative process," her press secretary, Bill McAllister, said.

"I don't hear any public clamor for access to internal communications of the governor's office," McAllister said. "I know there are some people out there blogging and talking who would like to embarrass the governor by taking an internal communication and spinning it in some fashion."