Bush's emails detail his relationships with top donors

WASHINGTON -- Among the many thousands of emails Jeb Bush received as Florida governor are a string of notes from campaign donors asking favors and making suggestions.

Invariably, Bush responded quickly. Sometimes, he appointed a person a donor had recommended for a position. Other times, he rejected advice about a piece of legislation.

It's an insight into Bush's work as governor that's possible only because his emails are open for review, something not yet available for those sent and received by Hillary Rodham Clinton as secretary of state.

Like Clinton, the front-runner for the Democratic presidential nomination, Bush used a personal email address and private server. But, positioning himself as a transparent candidate if he runs for the Republican nomination, he has posted online more than 275,000 emails from his two terms in office.

Initially, the emails that drew attention concerned Bush's correspondence about continuing or removing life support for Terri Schiavo, the federal raid to resolve the Elian Gonzalez custody battle and Florida's pivotal role in the 2000 presidential election.

Yet a review by The Associated Press of Jeb Bush's emails found prominent donors to Bush and his family regularly urged him to appoint candidates for judgeships, public boards and other positions. One suggested Bush appoint a political supporter's stepdaughter to a hospital board and asked the governor to support funding for his alma mater.

One Palm Beach County fundraiser told Bush, the best man at his wedding, companies hired him "because of my association with the administration and you."

Bush spokeswoman Kristy Campbell said it was not uncommon for the public to make such suggestions to Bush, and recommendations were routed "through appropriate channels."

Did fundraisers carry special influence? "No. Absolutely not," Campbell said. She did not respond to AP's questions about specific emails involving two fundraisers, but one of them, Mark Guzzetta, said Bush denied his requests just as frequently as he granted them.

"We always joked it would be better to be a stranger with no connection," Guzzetta said. "He was so deliberate because he wanted to make sure we received no special favors."

Bush freely gave out his personal email address during his time in office and often received notes of inquiry, complaint and thanks. Last month, Bush put the emails he said were related to his work in state government on a website, a move he and his aides said was designed to show his administration was open and in touch with constituents.

Bush was required by Florida's notably strong public records law to provide the state with all correspondence related to state government after he left office, and those emails were available publicly before Bush created his website.

Like Clinton, Bush decided which messages were considered personal and not subject to disclosure. In 2007, he said he had received and sent about 550,000 emails via his personal address, meaning a significant number remain private.