Gov. Sarah Palin is using flimsy grounds for withholding potentially embarrassing e-mails from a political supporter-turned-critic.

Former Republican candidate Andree McLeod has appealed the governor's decision to withhold or redact some e-mails and other state records. She's seeking the records in a dispute about the Palin administration's recruiting and hiring decisions. KTUU has reported that some of the withheld e-mails have subject lines referring to Palin critics Andrew Halcro, Dan Fagan and Alaska Ear.

From here it looks like McLeod has a strong case.

First, she argues that the governor's office waived executive privilege for any state e-mails sent to Todd Palin, Gov. Palin's husband.

With all due respect to the First Gentleman, he wasn't elected to anything and as far as we know, hasn't been appointed to anything. He's a private citizen. If he's on the e-mail list for state business, those e-mails become public information. The law protects some communications between government officials -- not communications between government officials and private citizens.

Read the full editorial at adn.com.