Political Insider

An update on the appointments Alaska Gov. Frank Murkowski made in his final minutes in office earlier this week:

(Anchorage) - Governor Sarah Palin today removed Jim Clark and Richard Schok from the Alaska Natural Gas Development Authority Board and replaced them with her own appointments. Clark and Schok were appointed to the ANGDA board in the waning hours before Governor Frank Murkowski left office. Opting for Alaskans who will provide objectivity and new energy to the ANGDA board, Palin reappointed Fairbanks resident Andy Warwick to fill Clark’s seat. Lorrie Hovanec of Anchorage will fill Schok’s seat.

Just 90 minutes before he left office yesterday, Alaska Gov. Frank Murkowski (R) appointed 35 individuals to various boards and commissions. One of the appointments is for his son-in-law, Leon Van Whye, to the board of the state-owned Alaska Railroad. Van Whye is married to Murkowski's daughter, Eileen.

The list also includes an appointment for Murkowski's chief of staff, Jim Clark.

Murkowski lost re-election in August when he came in third in the GOP primary. Much of his unpopularity was due to his first act in office in 2002: appointing his daughter Lisa to fill his vacant US Senate seat. So with these final appointments, Murkowski ends where he began.