Tiemessen writes in the letter that the e mail “clearly describes the fact that Mr. McGinniss researched and investigated many false and scurrilous allegations, and concluded that there was absolutely no evidence anywhere backing these allegations.”

Palin’s attorney continues, writing it is “malicious” for Crown to publish the book when they have proof McGinniss and Crown “were fully aware the statements in the book were false, intended to be false, and were intended to harm.”

“The final work that was published contains most of the stories that Mr. McGinniss complains were nothing more than ‘tawdry gossip’ that amounted to the wishful fantasies of disturbed individuals,” Tiemessen writes. “Since both your company, and the author, clearly knew the statements were false, admitted they had no basis in fact or reality, but decided to publish in order to harm Governor Palin’s family, you and Mr. McGinniss have defamed the Palins.”…

The email Tiemessen cites in his letter to Mavjee came to light last week when conservative blogger Andrew Breitbart posted the e mail between McGinniss and liberal Alaskan blogger, Jesse Griffin. In the e mail posted on Breitbart’s site without explanation for how they got access to it, McGinniss writes, “Legal review of my manuscript is underway and here’s my problem: no one has ever offered documentation of any of the lurid stories about the Palins.”

Update (AP): Sloppy headline on my part. Palin’s not suing McGinniss but rather threatening to sue the publisher of the book. I’ve corrected it.