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Alaska Inquiry Concludes Palin Abused Powers
SERGE F. KOVALESKI
NY Times
Saturday, Oct 11, 2008
Gov. Sarah Palin abused the powers of her office by pressuring subordinates to try to get her former brother-in-law, a state trooper, fired, an investigation by the Alaska Legislature has concluded. The inquiry found, however, that she was within her right to dismiss her public safety commissioner, Walt Monegan, who was the trooper’s boss.
A 263-page report released Friday by lawmakers in Alaska found that Ms. Palin, the Republican vice-presidential nominee, had herself exerted pressure to get Trooper Michael Wooten dismissed, as well as allowed her husband and subordinates to press for his firing, largely as a result of his temperament and past disciplinary problems.
“Such impermissible and repeated contacts,” the report states, “create conflicts of interests for subordinate employees who must choose to either please a superior or run the risk of facing that superior’s displeasure and the possible consequences of that displeasure.” The report concludes that the action was a violation of the Alaska Executive Branch Ethics Act.
(Article continues below)
What now lies ahead is not fully known at this point. Ms. Palin could be censured by the Legislature, but that is unlikely.
Ms. Palin, who had been elected governor in 2006, was tapped as Senator John McCain’s running mate in late August, about a month after an inquiry was opened into her firing of Mr. Monegan. Her political ascendancy took what was essentially a state personnel matter and elevated it into a national issue, one that has been simmering in the background of an increasingly heated presidential race.
In the report, the independent investigator, Stephen E. Branchflower, a former prosecutor in Anchorage, said that Ms. Palin wrongfully allowed her husband, Todd, to use state resources as part of the effort to have Trooper Wooten dismissed.
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9 Responses to “Alaska Inquiry Concludes Palin Abused Powers”
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October 11th, 2008 at 6:43 am
MS. Palin is a corrupted mess. I wonder if Alaskans even like her? Some should check on her popularity numbers.
October 11th, 2008 at 6:50 am
Just warming up in the bullpen. Wait until she comes into the game about McCain kicks the bucket. And please Sarah Stalin, don’t take Paris Hilton’s advice to show us some skin. We’re really not in the mood.
October 11th, 2008 at 11:03 am
She’s a good looking chick…I for one would give her one, come to think of it that Mc Caine got nise lips…Mmmmmmmmmm.
October 11th, 2008 at 12:44 pm
You are really something-they have went and “investigated” Alaska a dozen times-they all love her except for a few good ole boys that pressed for this panel investigation.
October 11th, 2008 at 2:30 pm
I she has done this as a GOV. I can imagine what it will look like if she makes it to the VP. spot. McCain is almost Dead, and she will make Cheney look good.
October 11th, 2008 at 5:30 pm
Michael. Can you say “Darth Palin?” Or how ’bout “Darth Lipstick?” Or “Darth Pitbull?” Here it is; “Darth Moose.”
October 12th, 2008 at 10:30 am
IMPEACH.
October 12th, 2008 at 1:07 pm
Ron Paul for president.
October 13th, 2008 at 8:26 am
Are these the ususal that write here? Sorry I came here these commentors are less than substantive, just reactive, with little informative reflection, only self projection.