Juneau, Jun 8 (AP) A civil lawsuit alleging Sarah Palin undertook a campaign to embarrass and discredit an activist in Alaska has been moved to federal court.
Palin attorney John Tiemessen did not give a reason for his removal of the matter from state court and declined comment, saying that he can't discuss questions of rationale "because they necessarily involve legal strategy."
An attorney for activist Chip Thoma, James McGowan, said the move could be designed to try to avoid a jury trial in Juneau.
Thoma sued Palin for at least USD 100,000, claiming through McGowan that she'd twisted his complaints about bus traffic around the governor's mansion to make it seem he'd engaged in an unsavoury campaign against the Palins.