Alaska: Alaska Public Offices Commission

From Sean Cockerham in Anchorage --

Sarah Palin reported in financial disclosures out this morning that she received $1.25 million from publisher HarperCollins as "retainer for book."

The report doesn't give a date for when Palin received the money. But the disclosures cover money that Palin received during her final seven months as governor, from Jan. 1 to July 26.

These are the final disclosures she's required to file with the Alaska Public Offices Commission.

No other details are offered on the book deal, but a retainer would just be an upfront piece of it.

The disclosures also include Palin reporting $73,000 in salary and $6,370 in per diem during her final seven months before resigning as governor.

Her husband, Todd, reported receiving $34,086 during that time as a BP production operator and $32,260 from his commercial setnet fishing in Bristol Bay.

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From Sean Cockerham in Anchorage --

Sarah Palin's new disclosure report lists gifts including a hand-painted plate with Palin's picture in the middle, a bible bound in goat skin, and "Not Your Daddy's Gun Case" -- a red twill 53" case with "Sarah" embroidered on it. The gifts were sent to Palin and members of her family by Lower 48 admirers.

Palin also gave the Alaska Public Offices Commission some information in the disclosure about her husband's Arctic Cat sponsorship, while pleading ignorance of specifics. APOC had asked her earlier this month to report benefits from the deal.

Palin's lawyer, Tom Van Flein, wrote to APOC that Palin "has not read the contract and does not know the specific terms of the contract.

House Speaker John Harris, R-Valdez, left, talks with Gov. Sarah Palin in her office at the State Capitol Building Nov. 12, 2007, in Juneau. (AP Photo/Seanna O'Sullivan)

From Kyle Hopkins in Anchorage --

Valdez Republican Rep. John Harris filed a letter of intent to run for governor with the Alaska Public Offices Commission today.

He’ll formally announce he’s running tomorrow, but it’s no secret. He’s made it clear in the past that he’d run if Palin didn’t.

“It’s a practical thing. I don’t know if anybody could have beat (Palin) in a primary race for governor. Maybe Lisa Murkowski, but not me,” Harris said in a quick phone interview today. “Now that she’s decided not to run, it’s basically an open seat.”

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From David Hulen in Anchorage --

That's the headline on a story at Politico today exploring whether the governor will seek re-election next year or pursue national aspirations. Not a lot new information in the piece, which has a mix of on-the-record interviews (Halcro, Ruedrich) and anonymous sources ("a former Palin staffer," "a Washington-based Democratic operative"). But it frames it a little differently than we've seen.

Excerpt:

Top Republicans and Democrats across Alaska are quietly lining up to run for governor amid growing speculation that Sarah Palin will not seek reelection in 2010.

No candidate, including Palin, has yet filed papers with the Alaska Public Offices Commission.