From Iceland — Minister of Education's Assistant Apologizes

Minister of Education’s Assistant Apologizes

Published July 30, 2010

Minister of Education and Cultural Affairs Katrín Jakóbsdóttir told Eyjan that her assistant, Elías Jón Guðjónsson, has apologized to her for his “unfortunate e-mail”. He has also apologized publicly, on RÚV.
As reported, an email that Elías had intended for someone within the Icelandic government was accidentally sent to an American journalist, who in turn forwarded the e-mail to Grapevine editor Haukur Magnússon. The e-mail discusses getting in touch with a journalist named “Doddi” and handing him a scoop on the Magma Energy issue, in the hopes that the government could influence the public discussion on the matter.
Elías has said that the email was never meant to be sent; that it was a draft, which he believes his son might have sent by accident while playing with his keyboard.
Katrín told Eyjan that Elías has apologized for the language of the e-mail, which includes the word “tussufínt” (literally, “pussy great”, meaning “awesome”), but as to why he was using a ministerial e-mail address while on paternity leave for matters not related to his job, Katrín said he would need to respond to that himself.

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