Where’s your governor? A state-by-state glance

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After Gov. Mark Sanford disappeared on a seven-day trip to see a woman in Argentina with whom he was having an affair, Associated Press reporters in 40 states contacted their governors’ offices to ask: What’s the governor doing right now? The AP also asked for a copy of each governor’s complete schedule for the day, not just public events.

Here’s a glance at each state’s response:

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ALABAMA: Gov. Bob Riley’s spokesman said he was landing in Seattle after an overseas economic development trip. He also released the governor’s Friday schedule, mostly blocked out so he could rest from the trip.

ALASKA: Gov. Sarah Palin was in Kosovo visiting U.S. troops. Her spokeswoman released the location only after consulting the Department of Defense. Palin’s office requires an open records request to release her calendar.

ARIZONA: Gov. Jan Brewer was at her office in the state Capitol. Her office would not release her full schedule.

ARKANSAS: Gov. Mike Beebe was at the dentist. His office denied a request for the governor’s calendar, saying it’s considered a “working paper” exempt from open records laws.

CALIFORNIA: Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger was in his office meeting with lawmakers over the state budget plan. His office released a list of Schwarzenegger’s scheduled meetings, but without the names of people he was seeing.

CONNECTICUT: Gov. M. Jodi Rell was in her Capitol office, watching a Senate budget debate on TV. Her schedule was released, with no private appointments listed.

COLORADO: Gov. Bill Ritter was in the Capitol for a press conference on his plans to cut the state budget. His office released a redacted version of his calendar.

DELAWARE: Gov. Jack Markell was in his Dover office. His office rejected a written request for his official calendar, saying it wasn’t subject to open records laws.

FLORIDA: Gov. Charlie Crist was leaving a bill-signing ceremony in Oldsmar, Fla. His office released a line-by-line schedule for his day in the Tampa Bay area.

GEORGIA: Gov. Sonny Perdue had been in his office earlier, but spokesman Bert Brantley was unsure where he was when an AP reporter called. Brantley declined to call the governor to find out. Perdue’s office later released his calendar.

ILLINOIS: Gov. Pat Quinn was working in his office. His calendar was requested Thursday, and the governor’s office said Friday it would not have a response in time for AP’s deadline.

INDIANA: Gov. Mitch Daniels was returning from an event in southern Indiana. His office declined to release his detailed calendar, citing privacy and security concerns.

IOWA: Gov. Chet Culver was meeting with staff at his campaign office before taking the afternoon off to spend time with his children.

KANSAS: Gov. Mark Parkinson was working in his office. His staff would not release his full schedule.

LOUISIANA: Gov. Bobby Jindal was reviewing bills in his office on the last day of the legislative session. His office said the governor’s calendar is not subject to open records laws.

MAINE: Gov. John Baldacci was leaving the governor’s mansion on his way to a county club driving range. His office released his calendar through Sunday.

MARYLAND: Gov. Martin O’Malley was taking a day off at Cranberry Lake in New York state fishing with his 10-year-old son. His office released his calendar.

MASSACHUSETTS: Gov. Deval Patrick was in his office preparing for a news conference. His office would not release his calendar.

MICHIGAN: Gov. Jennifer Granholm was on her way to a news conference in Birmingham. Her office would not release her calendar, citing security and privacy issues.

MISSOURI: Gov. Jay Nixon was en route from the governor’s mansion to his office. His office released his full schedule.

MONTANA: Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer was at the governor’s residence. His office released his daily calendar.

NEBRASKA: Gov. Dave Heineman marched into an AP reporter’s Capitol office a few minutes after a reporter called to ask for his whereabouts. His office did not release his calendar.

NEW HAMPSHIRE: Gov. John Lynch was walking into his office. His press secretary did not release his calendar, saying the staffer who kept it had left.

NEW JERSEY: Gov. Jon S. Corzine was in the statehouse monitoring legislative budget hearings. His office would not release his calendar.

NEW MEXICO: New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson was in his office. His staff would not release his calendar.

NEW YORK: Gov. David Paterson was at the Capitol in Albany. His office would not release his calendar, saying AP would have to file an open records request.

NORTH CAROLINA: Gov. Beverly Perdue was in meetings at her Capitol office. Her calendar was released without redactions.

NORTH DAKOTA: Gov. John Hoeven was in southeastern North Dakota talking to workers at a manufacturing plant slated to shut down this fall. His office released his calendar without redactions.

OKLAHOMA: Gov. Brad Henry was interviewing a candidate for a judicial appointment. His office released his daily calendar.

OHIO: Gov. Ted Strickland was holding budget meetings in his office. His staff released his full schedule.

OREGON: Gov. Ted Kulongoski was in his office. His staff released his electronic calendar.

PENNSYLVANIA: Gov. Ed Rendell had just left his office after working on the state budget. His staff did not release his calendar.

RHODE ISLAND: Gov. Don Carcieri was in his office. His staff would not release his internal calendar.

SOUTH DAKOTA: Gov. Mike Rounds was in his office. His press secretary said the governor’s calendar is not a public record.

TEXAS: Gov. Rick Perry was at his campaign headquarters, and he made a personal stop by the AP office an hour after a reporter called asking about him. Perry’s office said it would release his calendar if a written request was filed.

UTAH: Gov. Jon Huntsman was on a plane to Washington. His staff has stopped sending out weekly calendar schedules since Huntsman was nominated as ambassador to China in May.

VIRGINIA: Gov. Tim Kaine was sitting in his office. His staff did not release his calendar, citing privacy and security concerns.

WEST VIRGINIA: Gov. Joe Manchin was at Charleston’s Yeager Airport waiting to greet the first arriving flight of a new air service from Florida. His staff would not release his calendar, citing security concerns.

WISCONSIN: Gov. Jim Doyle was on a return flight from Washington, where he had given a speech. His staff normally releases his calendar a month or two after events have taken place. It did not immediately release his daily calendar.

WYOMING: Gov. Dave Freudenthal was flying back from an out-of-town meeting via a state plane. His office released his calendar.

Tags: SDNN

This entry was posted on Saturday, June 27th, 2009 at 1:46 pm and is filed under Nation & World, Politics & Government . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.