Not a hoax, apparently, but also not obviously the work of political partisans. Sounds like trolls out for a thrill.

Another screenshot shows Palin’s inbox and a third shows the text of an e-mail from Amy McCorkell, whom Palin appointed to the Governor’s Advisory Board on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse in 2007.

The e-mail, a message of support to Palin, tells her not to let negative press get to her and asks Palin to pray for McCorkell, who writes that “I need strength to 1. keep employment, 2. not have to choose.”

The Republican Party hasn’t responded to a call for comment, but McCorkell, reached at her office, confirmed that she did send the e-mail to Palin.

I’m refraining from looking at the screencaps on the assumption that (a) if there’s anything foul in there it’ll be all over the wires soon anyway, and (b) if there isn’t then there’s no need to pry. Politico expects the political fallout, such as it is, will only help her, but see the comments at Time for the developing counterspin: How can we trust our national security to a woman who can’t come up with a password that zzzzzzzzz.

Update: I don’t know if Google, AOL, etc., track the number of times each day their users change their passwords, but if so we’re probably in store for a new record.

Update: Outrage from Maverick’s campaign manager, Rick Davis:

“This is a shocking invasion of the Governor’s privacy and a violation of law. The matter has been turned over to the appropriate authorities and we hope that anyone in possession of these emails will destroy them. We will have no further comment.”

Update (Ed): The group taking responsibility certainly has a history of partisan attacks, as Caleb Howe notes in his post.  He has a picture and a video that he took of their protest at the Republican convention, although Howe also wonders exactly why they were there:

As an aside, this is why I tend to stay away from web-based e-mail.