Remember when someone hacked Sarah Palin's email address (by guessing her security question) and we posted her hacked emails and everyone threw a fit? The Alaska Dispatch just did the same thing!

As we argued back in 2008 (so long ago!), the fact that Palin routinely flouted public records laws by conducting state business on a personal Yahoo account made the contents of that Yahoo account newsworthy. And the Alaska Dispatch's selection of Palin emails shows a lot of state business getting conducted, as well as proof that Palin understood why it was in her interest to conduct said business on a personal account: so that it would not be subject to FOIA requests or disclosure laws.

There is nothing wrong with setting up a personal email account for personal stuff. Emailing dad about how scared you are of Pacific Islanders and sending JibJab e-cards to Todd and calling Levi names and stuff. But the whole point of keeping those separate, and the point of public records laws, is that actual state business, like "discussing political appointments and administration policy," is supposed to be done with the official state email address.

Anyway most of the emails that have been published so far are typical complaining about terrible lying journalists and being paranoid about people who are out to get her and relentless complaining about the disloyal monsters she is surrounded by.

On Jan. 30, 2007, Palin sent an e-mail from her Yahoo account to several of her advisors' personal accounts to discuss candidates for Fish and Game Board appointments, including one candidate who she described as a "strange dude" who "sounds pretty crazy."

What is hilarious about Sarah Palin, is that when she decided to start a personal email address that she would use to conduct state business without worrying about disclosure laws or anything, she first deleted her "govpalin@yahoo.com" account and then opened a new one with the address "gov.sarah@yahoo.com." Obviously no state business will be conducted with "gov.sarah!" Just casual gov stuff!

There will be a "Part II" later today! We're psyched!