UPDATE 9/22/08 1:37 p.m.: WASHINGTON (AP) -- A Democratic state lawmaker in Tennessee is denying any connection to the hacking of Sarah Palin's personal e-mail account.

State Representative Mike Kernell says he "had nothing to do with it" and wouldn't even know how.

According to two law enforcement officials, the FBI searched the residence of Kernell's 20-year-old son David over the weekend looking for evidence linking the young man to the hacking.

David Kernell has not returned repeated phone calls or e-mails from The Associated Press since last week. His father declined last week to discuss the possibility his son might be involved in the case.

Experts say the hacker apparently left an easy trail for investigators.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

-----

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The FBI has searched the home of the son of a Democratic state lawmaker in Tennessee looking for evidence linking the young man to the hacking of Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin's personal e-mail account.

Two law enforcement officials told The Associated Press on Monday that the search was conducted over the weekend at the Knoxville home of David Kernell, the son of state Rep. Mike Kernell. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the investigation.

David Kernell has not returned repeated phone calls or e-mails from the AP. His father is a Memphis Democrat and chairman of the House Government Operations Committee.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)