Reacting to a CNN report that “Alaska State Sen. Kim Elton, one of the leading officials to pursue an investigation of Gov. Sarah Palin during the heat of the presidential campaign, has taken a high-level job in the Interior Department,” Ace expresses a wee bit of skepticism, arguing, “were one to characterize Elton as a minor party hack of little to no distinction, one would probably not be far off.”
But, surely, given the tens of thousands of highly qualified people applying for jobs in the Obama administration, Elton is a conservationist of world reknown with mad skilz making him uniquely suited to the position?
According to Wikipedia, not so much.
After moving to Alaska in 1961, Elton attended Juneau-Douglas High School from 1962 to 1966. He attended St. Olaf College from 1966 to 1968. After serving in the United States Army from 1969 to 1971 in the Vietnam War and receiving an honorable discharge, Elton returned to college at the University of Alaska Fairbanks from 1972 to 1974.
Elton began his career as a journalist. He was the editor of the Juneau Empire from 1976 to 1978. He also did work for the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner and Commercial Fishing.
Okay, so he wrote about fishing and mining thirty-odd years ago. That’s something.
Elton entered politics in the 1980s. He served on the Assembly of the City and Borough of Juneau, Alaska from 1989 to 1994. He was a member of the Alaska House of Representatives from 1995 to 1998. In 1998 he was elected to the state senate.
Now we’re getting somewhere. Presumably, he chaired some important interior-type committees?
- Member, Senate Finance Committee
- Chair, Senate Finance Subcommittee on Corrections
- Chair, Senate Finance Subcommittee on the Court System
- Chair, Senate Finance Subcommittee on Environmental Conservation
- Member, Senate Finance Subcommittee on the University of Alaska
- Member, Senate Council on Domestic Violence Task Force
- Member, Senate Committee on Health, Education & Social Services
- Member, Senate Legislative Council
- Member, Senate Committee on World Trade and State/Federal Relations
There’s actually less at his Senate web page.
I’m beginning to think Ace’s suspicion that Elton’s main qualification was his embarrassing investigation of Sarah Palin has some merit. Then again, it wouldn’t be the first time a political operative with little preparation for a job was rewarded with a relatively minor administration post.
For her, part, though, Palin is taking the high road:
“Senator Elton pledged his allegiance to President Obama last summer,” said the governor. “We wish him well as he moves on and hope that he uses this job for Alaska’s benefit.”
Heh.
