Steve Gilbert checks online into the background of the investigator who preposterously suggests in an illegally leaked preliminary report that there was something unethical in the creation and operation of the Palin defense fund, set up to defray the over half a million dollars in legal fees the Governor has incurred fighting off an unending series of frivolous ethics charges.

DANIEL, THOMAS
ANCHORAGE, AK 99507
PERKINS COIE LLP/ATTORNEY

KERRY, JOHN  <http://query.nictusa.com/cgi-bin/can_detail/P80000235> F
VIA JOHN KERRY FOR  <http://query.nictusa.com/cgi-bin/com_detail/C00383653>
PRESIDENT INC

03/07/2004
1000.00
25971240087 <http://images.nictusa.com/cgi-bin/fecimg/?25971240087>

DANIEL, THOMAS M
ANCHORAGE, AK 99501
PERKINS COIE/ATTORNEY

BEGICH,  <http://query.nictusa.com/cgi-bin/can_detail/S8AK00090> MARK
VIA ALASKANS FOR  <http://query.nictusa.com/cgi-bin/com_detail/C00446260>
BEGICH

08/14/2008
1000.00
28020560579 <http://images.nictusa.com/cgi-bin/fecimg/?28020560579>

DANIEL, THOMAS M
ANCHORAGE, AK 99507
PERKINS COIE LLP/LAWYER

KERRY, JOHN  <http://query.nictusa.com/cgi-bin/can_detail/P80000235> F
VIA KERRY-EDWARDS  <http://query.nictusa.com/cgi-bin/com_detail/C00385070>
2004 INC. GENERAL ELECTION LEGAL AND ACCOUNTING COMPLIANCE FUND

10/29/2004
500.00
24981710204 <http://images.nictusa.com/cgi-bin/fecimg/?24981710204>

DANIEL, THOMAS M MR.
ANCHORAGE, AK 99507
SELF/LAWYER

DNC  <http://query.nictusa.com/cgi-bin/com_detail/C00010603> SERVICES
CORPORATION/DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL COMMITTEE

10/20/2006
1000.00
26930685961 <http://images.nictusa.com/cgi-bin/fecimg/?26930685961>

Total Contributions:    3500.00

Mr. Daniel is a very active Democrat.

Moreover, he is a partner of the law firm of Perkins Coie.

From Wikipedia <http://tinyurl.com/m7kcbh> :

Perkins Coie

... Perkins Coie also serves as counsel of record for the Democratic Party
and its candidates; its political law group is headed by top campaign lawyer
Bob Bauer. Perkins Coie represented John Kerry's presidential campaign and
recently represented the Presidential campaign of Barack Obama. The firm
represented Christine Gregoire in the prolonged litigation surrounding her
2004 Washington State gubernatorial election, and a team of Perkins lawyers
headed by Marc Elias is currently representing Al Franken in his legal
battle over the 2008 Senatorial election in Minnesota. The firm also
represents the Democratic Leadership Council, the Democratic Senatorial
Campaign Committee and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

In 2006, Perkins Coie made headlines when, led by partner Harry Schneider,
it represented Salim Ahmed Hamdan, the alleged driver and bodyguard of Osama Bin Laden. The case made its way to the U.S. Supreme Court, where the Bush Administration's Military Commissions were held unconstitutional.

No wonder Mr. Daniel leaked this to the Associated Press.

No wonder he wants Mrs. Palin to settle, rather than to go before the ethics
panel.

He's just trying to be fair.

But don't you think the AP should give its reader a little hint as to his
motives?