The Mudflats

Legal opinion is in, and a special session of the Alaska state legislature looms.  Yup, that means that in all likelihood, this pack of hearty souls who have had to endure what must have felt like the longest gubernatorial partial term in the history of ever….isn’t done yet. 

The Commissioner of the Department of Corrections who, for some reason, was chosen and accepted the #3 spot in gubernatorial succession has decided he’d rather not have the job of Lt. Governor after all.  Not that anyone necessarily blames him.  Even he recognizes that Sarah Palin’s former high school buddy suddenly plopped in the Lt. Governor’s chair might look a little… untoward.  After stating that he had no idea Palin was going to quit, he’s reluctantly agreed to fill the spot until all the beaten and bruised souls in the legislature, who finally got sprung to go do some summer recreating get sucked back in to the drama for a special session.

When Palin made her now infamous “I Quit! But Darn it, I’m Not a Quitter” speech on the shores of Lake Lucille, she stated that Commissioner of Military and Veterans Affairs Craig Campbell would be “assuming ” the role of Lt. Governor.  You know what they say about assuming. 

It should also be noted that in her stated desire to save the state money, by appointing someone who has not been confirmed, and necessitating a special session, she may be costing the state hundreds of thousands of dollars.

The House Judiciary Committee plans to hold a confirmation hearing July 20 — six days before Parnell is sworn in — though it takes both the House and Senate to confirm a candidate.

“The governor quit and went fishing,” Judiciary Chair Jay Ramras, R-Fairbanks, said in a statement Wednesday. “Governor Palin failed to leave specific instructions, so the Legislature is stepping in to bring order to the constitutional chaos she created.”

Rep. Ramras apparently does not subscribe to Palin’s “Leadership through Abandonment” philosophy of state government. 

In the days since she announced she’ll be qui…. stepping down, one would think she’s been burning the midnight oil with the new team to make sure that all the loose ends are tied up, and that there will be a smooth transition to governor-in-training Sean Parnell, and that she’s done everything she needs to do for the state.  Well, actually…  She has ‘gone fishing,’ working at the family commercial fishing business in Dillingham, and is on some sort of an odd farewell tour of rural Alaska, doing things like honoring animal caregivers in McGrath, flying over burn areas, and quoting Plato.

AKGovSarahPalinSo AK kids: take time to take your parents fishing: “You learn more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation” -Platoabout 4 hours ago from TwitterBerry

Palin’s chief of staff Mike “I hope citizen ethics complaint filers experience “backlash” Nizich has called Rep. Ramras’ comments that the governor went fishing, and left the legislature in the lurch “irresponsible,” and stated that “she’s in contact with the office, just like normal.”  Just like normal?  That should make us all feel better.

Under ordinary circumstances,  the legislature would not be in session again until January of 2010.  And if they convene before then, there are other matters that can be brought to the table, the most notable of which is a vote to override Palin’s veto of $28 million in stimulus funds for weatherization projects.  They need a 75% vote in joint session to override.  And heck, since they’re all there anyway, how about a nice quick impeachment vote?