Installment one.
Ms. Palin was asked by the CSU Stanislaus Foundation to speak at the University's 50th Anniversary gala in June. Since revealing her appearance, there has been an onslaught of criticism by a small group of liberal students, followed shortly thereafter by a San Francisco State Senator's demand for an investigation into the Foundation's finances (the private Foundation, mostly alumni, are paying all of Ms. Palin's expenses for her participation).
The Senator had demanded that the Foundation turn over all financial records, including their agreement with Ms. Palin, and when the Foundation refused, he called for a State investigation. Within days, two CSU Stanislaus students appeared at a press conference with the Senator, claiming to have found 5 pages shredded in a dumpster on campus, which were destroyed documents relating to Ms. Palin's visit.
The documents were turned over to CA State Attorney General Jerry (Moonbeam) Brown, who announced he has initiated an investigation into the Foundation's financial affairs.
Why do these people care? There are no government funds involved.
Calif. to investigate group behind Palin speech
By ROBIN HINDERY Associated Press Writer © 2010 The Associated Press
April 13, 2010, 8:35PM
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/ ... 57550.html
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California Attorney General Jerry Brown said Tuesday his office had launched an investigation into the finances of a state university foundation and the alleged dumping of documents related to Sarah Palin's upcoming speech at the school.
Brown also intends to look into whether the California State University, Stanislaus Foundation violated public disclosure laws.
"This is not about Sarah Palin," Brown said in a prepared statement. "The issues are public disclosure and financial accountability in organizations embedded in state-run universities."
Matt Swanson, president of the foundation board, did not immediately respond to an e-mail seeking comment about the investigation.
Palin is scheduled to speak at a June 25 gala hosted by the foundation to mark the university's 50th anniversary.
Jason Recher, a spokesman for Palin, did not immediately return a call seeking comment.
The investigation came after students at the school retrieved five pages of the contract with Palin last week from a campus trash bin after hearing administrators might be shredding it.
State Sen. Leland Yee, D-San Francisco, who has been seeking details of Palin's compensation package for several weeks, released copies of the paperwork earlier in the day...
...Palin's fee and accommodations will be covered entirely by private donations, not state funds, Swanson said earlier in the day.
On Tuesday, Briggs and Lewis gave Brown's office material they said came from the trash bins, including two boxes of documents and two trash bags filled with shredded files.
The contract pages have Washington Speakers Bureau printed at the top and a contract number. The speakers bureau did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Russell Giambelluca, the university's vice president of business and finance, said no one at the university was advised to destroy specific foundation documents, and staff members routinely shred and dispose of paperwork that is no longer needed.
Regarding the excerpt of Palin's contract, he said: "I find it interesting that among shredded documents you find one that's completely intact related to the contract."...
