Students say they found documents relating to Sarah Palin fundraiser at Cal State Stanislaus

Two Cal State Stanislaus students said Tuesday they found documents in a trash container outside an administration building relating to an upcoming fundraising appearance by former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, including arrangements for accommodations, security and “air travel for two between Anchorage, Alaska and the event city.”

Ashli Briggs and Alicia Lewis, who previously had spoken out against the Palin visit, said they were informed of “suspicious activity” taking place at the administration building last Friday and that after deciding to look around, they and other students saw trash being placed in the container. Inside, they said, they found shredded and intact documents, including some that appear to be parts of the contract between the Washington Speaker’s Bureau, which represents Palin, and the university foundation that is hosting her.

The nonprofit foundation had refused to provide details of Palin's June 25 appearance, including her speaking fees.

Briggs and Lewis, both political science majors, spoke at a Sacramento news conference Tuesday that was attended by state Sen. Leland Yee (D-San Francisco), who is seeking information about the terms of the contract with Palin.

The Palin visit has become a test case for Yee and other open-government advocates who believe there should be more transparency in the foundations and other nonprofit groups affiliated with public universities and colleges. Yee is sponsoring legislation, SB 330, that would require those groups to adhere to California’s Public Records Act.

The groups argue that as private, nonprofit organizations, the state law doesn’t apply to them. In the case of Palin’s appearance, Cal State Stanislaus Foundation President Matt Swanson has said no public funds are being used for her compensation and that the Washington Speakers Bureau requires that the financial terms remain confidential.

None of the documents disclosed Tuesday refer directly to Palin or say how much she is being paid. Yee said the fee could be as high as $100,000 based on information about her compensation for other recent appearances.

According to the contract addendum, dated March 16, the “speaker” will be provided with “roundtrip, commercial air travel for two between Anchorage, Alaska and event city,” “a one-bedroom suite and two single rooms in a deluxe hotel,” as well as a “laptop computer and printer (fully stocked with paper) and high speed internet.”

“For Q&A the questions are to be collected from the audience in advance, pre-screened and a designated representative shall ask questions directly of the speaker,” the documents said.

Other stipulations spell out the terms for autographs, photographs, recording, lighting, bottled water and “bendable straws.”

The students said they will give the documents to state Atty. Gen. Jerry Brown.

“Turning over this information to the attorney general is important so that any wrongdoing can be addressed and prevented from reoccurring in the future,” said Lewis. “If this helps push for financial transparency on college campuses, then those of us involved know we did the right thing.”

-- Carla Rivera

Photo: L.A. Times file

Comments

[Alvy Singer]

A conservative speaker at a state college in California? Is Palin crazy? Doesn't she realize free speech is only authorized if it fits in with California's ideology?

[MS]

100,000 per appearance to say silly things like "Dna Testing research through fruit flies should be banned, i kid you not!!" .. My God, Im in the wrong profession.

[thebob.bob]

A true Women of The People! Why public service when you can pull down more than 12 million a year fanning the flames of discord?

Hail the Founder of the New American Fascist Party!!

[Patricia Gardiner]

These two women need to get a life. I saw them interviewed by Bill O'Reilly. They could not articulate why they did not want the former Vice Presidental candidate to apepar other than to whine about fees. Please take the time to find out what was paid to Ms. Obama when she spoke last year at a graduation in the middle of nowhere. They are going to have to pay fees to anyone - even me if I should offer my services but these women have an agenda so the school deserves to receives nothing. Which I hope this is exactly what they will receive. Governor Palin does not need to be seen with you - as women you should be proud of this woman not trying to demean her. All obviously jealousy and politicals or to see their name in print or TV. O'Reilly made mincemeat of them. They looked stupidl

[Heather]

Once again, students trying to shut down free speech. When I attended a UC system school in the mid-80s, we were ALLOWED the opportunity to HEAR and LISTEN to opposing view-points. These kids don't realize how they are stifling their own educations by only acknowledging one point of view.

[thomas mc]

A Leer Jet???

Wow, Palin is such an ELITIST !!!

[mars]

John McCain should be punished for unleashing this lunatic on the American people. It obviously pays to be an ignorant quitter with no sense of reality or history.

[JL]

Palin should pull out of the engagement citing violaton of the confidentiality clause in her contract and let the liberal sinkhold formerly known as California..finish falling off the face of the Earth

[KBKBKB]

Alvy, it's about transparency at a publicly-funded university, NOT free speech. Nobody has said she doesn't have the right to free speech , they ARE questioning how much money she is being paid. Now the documents have been shredded. WHY???

[erasure25]

@Alvy Singer

Uhhh, I think students of the University have a right to know about the details of Palin's appearance, including how much it's costing and what's being funded. For all we know, the contract specifies $150,000 in wardrobe fees, daycare for her 2o kids and baby formula for Trig, Track, Tramp, and Truant.

[kuruc]

are these girls left wing liberals by any chance? yes? then they are lying.

[Fed Up]

This might be an issue if the University was paying for the appearance, but since it's being funded through private donations, so what.

[Gerry Loew]

Who cares what she was paid - but it's sad that anyone thinks she's worth 5 cents to speak anywhere. Her speeches are shallow pep rally garbage. She should be selling cosmetics on QVC and that's it.

[Just say it]

Plain and simple...if y'all are shaking in your boots at the thought of this information going public, then you've probably got a reason to, as does the Palin camp.

[Just say it]

Plain and simple...if y'all are shaking in your boots at the thought of this information going public, then you've probably got a reason to, as does the Palin camp.

[Cathy Langford]

I am sorry but it seems the people at the college who invite speakers are really scraping the bottom of the barrel with the selection of Palin. This is the women who shoots wolves from an airplane not because they are a menace but because she likes to watch them run around and die. This is sport??

[Lily]

Wow! What a discovery! Sarah Palin demands bottled water and bendable straws! Are these people accusing Mrs. Palin nuts??? How do these things make the governor a bad person? I drink bottled water and think bendable straws are fine. People please get a life!

[CC]

Why can't they just answer all questions, I hate when they have to screen them. That is because some may be asked that she cannot answer.

[CC]

Free speech, right. How come free speech only pertains to her. I do not feel it is free speech when the questions are screened just incase someone would ask the wrong question. Why can't she answer them all? I do not watch OReiley and I am not proud of Sarah Palin, she embarrases me as a women.

[JK]

I have better things to do with my time. Listening to a parrot is not one of them.

[Mom of boys]

Again, much to do about nothing. Where is the evidence of anything? There is always a contract between speakers and those with whome they are speaking for. If the speaking fee, hotel, and plane tickets were actually terms for the agreement, then the school was getting a deal. Let's not make things a bigger deal than they are. Why don't we focus on the jobs that have not been created and the skyrocketing deficit. Those are the things with which we really need to be concerned. A side note: a wise person wants to hear all points of view before they make up their mind. So what was the big deal about letting Palin speak? I would think enlightened people would want to have hard facts about why they are for or against something. Guess not.

[Judith W]

OH MY GOD!!! How diva like can you get. I'm sure the rock stars and all of hollywood will be wanting those outrageous perks in the future. I mean, how over the top can you get with expensive items like bottled water and even more extravagant, bendy straws!

[Thomas]

Everyone knows democrats can't tell the truth.
They try but they just can't do it.
Let's remember them at meal time when we say grace. Put a p.s. on your prayer and ask for just one to speak truthfully.

[Lin Roberts]

Why would anyone consider palin a powerful woman, why doesn't she just get a life...

[John]

Reading the critical comments about Sarah Palin in reference to her agents requesting first class airline seating, bottled water, bendable straws, high-end hotels etc... what a joke of a criticism!! I'm just a regular guy and I require the same things! But... let us take a look at the "Government Officials" where the REAL waste and self absorbtion resides. How about Nancy Pelosi with her government provided jet that we taxpayers are paying for?... and that is just a spattering of the billions of dollars of waste our politicians are wasting!