Palin and the Alaskan legislature did not see eye-to-eye. With the first overturn of a gubernatorial appointment in Alaskan history, the Republican legislature rejected her choice, Wayne Anthony Ross (WAR, for short), for a replacement attorney general. But, the choice she then made was very interesting.
Daniel S. Sullivan is an Alaskan who came home to serve as AG. (His appointment will be confirmed by the next sitting legislature.) At the time he was appointed, I wondered about the back story. He is not someone Sarah knew well (frequently an important part of being appointed), he had an illustrious career in Washington, he has a bachelor's degree from Harvard and a law degree from Georgetown. Returning to Alaska seemed almost like a step backward for someone who could obviously claim a large salary in some lower 48 law firm. However, his credentials gave some indication of what his role was to be in Alaska:
Sullivan, 44, would make $122,640 a year as attorney general. In 2002, he became a director on the National Security Council and National Economic Council of the White House. In 2006, he was confirmed as an assistant secretary of state for economic, energy and business affairs.
At the State Department, Sullivan focused on international energy issues, including the Office of the Federal Coordinator for the Alaska Natural Gas Transportation Projects. He said energy issues would remain a top concern.
It was clear that Sullivan had bigger reasons to come home to Alaska than just helping resolve the impasse between the governor and the legislature. So I waited to see what this Bush import would bring.
Now, with Palin's latest tweet, we are alerted to Sullivan's future role. AG Sullivan has moved to give the state a voice in decisions about Outer Continental Shelf leases. Point Hope, a coastal Alaskan native village, sued to stop leases that interfered with their subsistence life style. They were joined by several other groups, including environmentalists. The news release from the Alaska Department of Law tells about the first major victory for the newest Bush implant in Alaskan politics.
A U.S. District Court judge has granted the motion by the State of Alaska to intervene in a case in which the Native Village of Point Hope seeks to rescind dozens of leases issued by the federal government under an off-shore oil and gas lease sale conducted for federal waters in the Chukchi Sea.
To be fair, there is some real transparency in this maneuver. The news release tells us
In moving to intervene, Attorney General Sullivan noted the change in the federal administration this year: "Although the state hopes its interests will continue to be aligned with those of the federal defendants, in an abundance of caution, the state must act to ensure its interests are protected until such time that the new federal administration’s policy positions are fully articulated."
I oppose much oil development. However, the State of Alaska relies on oil. We would suffer if oil production were limited more than it is already limited. We probably have a right as a state to weigh in on decisions that have such an impact on our future. So, I am not even disagreeing with all that has happened, or with Sullivan's stance.
However, I am concerned that our small state, with few real politicians and even fewer statesmen, has once again become a pawn in the bigger political game. I also think that this is a model for how the right will keep its fingers in as many pies as possible. Because they are not in power, these attempts to push policy will be less transparent, but have no less impact than when we were watching closely. This is only one small issue, but it has significant impacts on an Alaskan town and on broader oil development policy. We have to keep watching. That's the reason for this diary. Thank you for your continued attention.