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Troopergate Report

Politics Buzz An Alaskan legislative investigation found that Sarah Palin abused her power as governor in pressuring a commissioner to fire a state trooper who’d been married to her sister-in-law. But her firing of the same commissioner later wasn’t unlawful, said the lead investigator. My head is spinning from typing that.

6 Responses So Far

  • Notice the report says “I find that…”. The report was the voice of one investigator, Stephan Branchflower - a person who had a relationship with Monegan - and hardly independent. There has been no due process here - just a political hack job. Read the whole report - the findings are clearly a reach given the “facts” of the report - and the “facts” themselves are by no means comprehensive. This will go no further and there will be no prosecution, because none of it will stand up to scrutiny. The damage has been done and that was the whole purpose to begin with - not to uncover any real truth.  The real investigation that needs to be done is why the
    trooper (Wooton) got off so easily and was protected by his buddies in the department. Todd Palin was frustrated by the “good ole boy” treatment he received - and in my opinion rightfully so.  This is a simple political hatchet job - nothing more. Read the whole report and legal response. Don't just be a lemming and get “informed” by reading the headlines.  The report is here: http://graphics8.nytimes.com/packages/pdf/politics/20081010_TROOPER.pdf and the legal response of Palin's counsel is here: http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2008/images/10/11/response.branchflower.report.pdf

    Mark S. about 5 weeks ago

  • http://www.intrade.com/jsp/intrade/common/c_cd.... [link]

    The Troopergate findings have NOT increased the betting odds that Palin withdraws. Regardless or whether she acted illegally or just unethically, it looks like she will be McCain's VP on election day.

    Jonah Peretti about 5 weeks ago
  • (1) Monegan wasn't fired—he was re-assigned to other government duties but then resigned rather than accept. (2) Gov. Palin can't simultaneously be violating the Ethics Act and properly and lawfully exercising her constitutional and statutory authority—way to fail logic there, Mr. Branchflower. (3) This whole thing should have ended with Monegan's public admission:  “For the record, no one ever said fire Wooten. Not the governor. Not Todd. Not any of the other staff,” Monegan said Friday from Portland. “What they said directly was more along the lines of 'This isn't a person that we would want to be representing our state troopers.'” (Anchorage Daily News, Aug 30, 2008) (4) The Trooper in question should not only be fired but should be prosecuted for child abuse (tasering his 11 year old son), drinking and driving in his squad car, and using a deadly firearm to violate fish-and-game laws he was specifically assigned to enforce. A civilian investigated under similar circumstances would have received criminal sanctions—why are the AK democrats and Obama supporters so anxious to defend a child abusing drunk?

    ransom ellis about 5 weeks ago
  • plaid lemur about 5 weeks ago
  • ANIMALnewyork about 5 weeks ago

  • http://wonkette.com/403449/liberal-alaskan-laws... [link]

    I also don't understand why reports on the report aren't clear about whether or not Palin violated the law. This seems reasonably clear.

    Eric Buth about 5 weeks ago

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