Ethics probe hits hardest at Todd, not Sarah Palin
Originally published Saturday, October 11, 2008 at 5:17 p.m.
Updated Saturday, October 11, 2008 at 7:13 p.m.
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Stumble It!ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- A month after she became governor, Sarah Palin's staff ushered Alaska's public safety commissioner into her private office.
But Palin wasn't there. Her husband, Todd, had called the meeting. He was frustrated that his former brother-in-law remained on the job as a state trooper, and he prevailed upon the commissioner to get rid of him.
"I thought that was odd and made me a little uncomfortable," said Walter Monegan, the commissioner, who later was fired by Gov. Palin. "We're having it in the governor's office, and he's not the governor. I think he was trying to use state trappings to handle a personal issue."
The January 2007 meeting was part of a long pattern of pressure that she and her husband applied on state officials to try to get the trooper fired, according to an Alaska legislative report released Friday. The report said those contacts amounted to an abuse of power and a violation of the state's ethics laws, which prohibit using public office for personal benefit.
But while the condemnation of now-vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin was the conclusion, the nearly 300-page report by investigator Stephen Branchflower was more about her husband. Todd Palin, the self-described "first dude" of Alaska, had extraordinary access to his wife's office, her staff and her power.
Todd Palin spent about 50 percent of his time in the governor's office, making phone calls, participating in meetings or just hanging out, said Gary Wheeler, a member of Gov. Palin's security detail.
"He had a significant influence, in that he was always interacting with the, the employees there," Wheeler told state investigators. "Any time I needed to get information to the governor, I would always go through Todd."
The governor and her staff kept Todd Palin in the loop on a wide range of issues, copying him on e-mails about union matters, public relations and a bill requiring parental consent for abortions.
His efforts to get Mike Wooten, Sarah Palin's sister's ex-husband, fired were extensive. Todd Palin held dozens of meetings and phone calls with state officials, alleging that Wooten threatened the Palin family, was too unstable to be a trooper, and was cheating the worker's compensation system.
Todd Palin would not answer a question about the report during a campaign stop Saturday. GOP presidential candidate John McCain's spokesman in New Hampshire, Jeff Grappone, said Palin would not take questions from the media during his visit.
But in an affidavit he provided to investigators, he made no apologies.
"I have heard criticism that I am too involved in my wife's administration," he wrote. "My wife and I are very close. We are each other's best friend. I have helped her in her career the best I can, and she has helped me."
Taylor Griffin, a spokesman for John McCain's presidential campaign, compared Todd Palin's role to that of other political spouses.
First lady Eleanor Roosevelt was a vocal player in labor civil rights issues, Hillary Rodham Clinton took on health care while first lady, and Nancy Reagan was a close adviser to her husband.
"The role that Todd has played, I don't think is dissimilar from other spouses, and I think it's an entirely appropriate role," Griffin said. "And Todd will play an appropriate role as the spouse of the vice president."
The legislative probe began as an investigation into whether Palin improperly fired Monegan for resisting efforts to fire Wooten. The report concluded that Monegan's firing was legal, because Palin had the right to choose her top administrators, but that the pressure Palin and her husband exerted to try to get Wooten fired was improper.
Palin originally pledged cooperation with the legislative inquiry, which was approved by a bipartisan vote of a committee on which Republicans are the majority.
After McCain tapped Palin as his running mate, however, accusations of political interference quickly pushed the personnel matter into the national spotlight. Democratic state Sen. Hollis French drew heavy criticism for saying the investigation could provide an "October surprise" for the McCain campaign.
That allowed the McCain-Palin campaign to dismiss Friday's report as a political smear. The McCain campaign even issued its own rival report clearing Palin of all wrongdoing.
"I think it did turn into a partisan circus," Palin said Saturday in a brief conference call with Alaska reporters.
She said she was pleased that the investigation upheld her authority to fire Monegan. She said she disagrees with the report's finding that she abused her power.
Though the committee's report reached some stinging conclusions, it was largely toothless. The Legislature has no authority to sanction Palin for ethical misconduct. That's up to the state Personnel Board, which is running a parallel investigation that Palin is cooperating with.
Community Discussion
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Monegan said it was Sarah who pressured him to fire Wooten, as I posted somewhere else, Monegan filed a false report, he should pay the $100,000.00 as a fine to the state.
Mrs. Roosevelt took on civil rights issues while a political spouse. Mrs. Clinton took on health care issues while her husband was president. But our First Dude? He takes on a personal family vendetta. How much did Alaskans pay for Todd's unfettered and "extraordinary access" to the Governor's staff, office, and other resources? He admits to being on a crusade, and is in fact, unapologetic. As soon as the Palins get back home on November 5, Alaskans should seek impeachment, or at the very least, recall.
On what grounds, glow? The findings of the investigation have resulted in no charges against her. When I first read about the actions of Todd Palin, I posted on these threads how much that bothered me...it was obvious the 'first dude' was overreaching his wifes position, and to this day it makes me wonder just how much of a shadow government we have in Alaska. On the other hand, Sarah Palin, however you may feel about her, has bent the law but not broken it; recall and impeachment are not options at this time.
The McCain campaign said the report politically motivated."
French & Monegan, obstruction of justice? Troopergate did the crime, All America viewed that on TV. Child abuse, taz Gun, drinking, Illegal shooting moose. Palin, abused power, No Way!
When will an Obstruction of justice case start?
"Trooper Mike Wooten. That finding required speculation and assumptions on Mr. Branchflower’s part and could not be supported solely on the basis of the evidence that he collected. We agree with the comments made that Alaskans should consider the report in total rather than relying solely on the findings.”
My wife an I were in Juno,Sept 2003.We wanted to take a tour of the capital.We entered the building just as a lady was putting her coat on the leave.She said that a self tour was in order and to take the elevator to the second floor and find the tour pamphlets on the table.We found the building clean and in good order. The only door we found locked was the Governors office.The only people we saw was two young ladies working at a desk and a dog curled up on the floor.They asked if they could help and we told them we could find our way out.Not finding fault,I wish we could leave building open like that in our home state.I think we could have had a meetting and nobody would have known.
We found Alaska an Alaskans wonderful.
Go Sarah!
Precisely, glow! How much public service has Todd contributed to the people of Alaska spending 50% of his time at the governor's office? My understanding of his attachment to the governor office was to prevent another affair rekindling between the governor and an aide! For someone who sits in at meetings pretaining to state affairs having no role on developing or implementing initiatives should be home providing care for his children and not at the governor's office. I agree that Todd Palin must be fined to recover part if not all of the legal fees paid for by the state! He is not a government employee.
Read ADN's article about the interview she gave local press. If anyone can understand a single thing she says, you get a gold star. Sad, sad, sad.
If a young child is tasered by a trooper - what would your reaction be? If a trooper was drinking and driving - what would your reaction be? Nuff said
I'm sick of wooten and the ex commissioner!!! GO AWAY already.
http://www.alaskansongs.com/
Palin allowed her husband to all this access, ultimately she must take on the responsibility of his actions. Its a new concept that a woman is the governor of our state; but that does not excuse her from being responsible for the actions of her family members while she is in office.
glow---
Being on the wrong sides of the Clintons during Bill's administration was known to be dangerous to one's life, health, and/or fortune. I dont believe that I'd hold up either of the Clintons as a shining example of political power being restrained. Did you ever hear of "Filegate", "Whitewater", and the incredible trail of suicides, suspicious aircraft failures, and single vehicle fatalities that they left in their wake.
But hey, if you're a Democrat, it was all a coincidence and they're all saints. Even Teddy Kennedy.
Oh, glacierles...
The stupid! It huuuurrrrts!
Todd isn't the kind of guy who is going to let some punk threaten his family.
Trooper Woo Woo made a death threat against Sarah's Dad.
Trooper Woo Woo threatened other members of the Palin family.
Trooper Woo Woo tasered a child.
Trooper Woo Woo drove a Trooper car while drinking.
Trooper Woo Woo shot a moose in violation of Alaska's hunting laws.
Trooper Woo Woo should have been fired for any one of his crimes.
Next time I see Todd I will thank him for trying to get Woo Woo fired.
Op---
"The stupid. It huuuurts!"
Please translate to English. What are you trying to communicate? Spit it out. Are you in need of medical assistance?
I'm sorry, I dont communicate in grunts and half sentences.
When Hillary was in the White House trying to work on health care, she was vilified and slammed for not being the subservient little wife most conservatives thought she should be. Anybody remember the bumper sticker saying "Impeach President Clinton - And her husband too!"? Her active role was not looked on kindly by the opposite party by any stretch of the imagination. Newt Gingrich even called her the "B" word.
I wonder what will happen when the "first dude" starts holding meetings in the White House. I want somebody in there who knows the difference between their business life and their personal life, and who understands their boundaries when it comes to their wife's official office. Did Mrs. Murkowski hold personal vendetta meetings in the governor's office? Did Mrs. Knowles? Somehow I highly doubt it!
I know this is moot and maybe a dumb question, but did the Palin family have a restraining order against the bad trooper? I've not heard that term in all of the discourse, so I thought I'd throw that out there in case anybody knows. Maybe it's in the report, but I don't have time to read that whole thing. Seems like it would have been the obvious thing to do, especially with the death threat and all.
glacierles - The Clintons are every bit the crooks the Bush family are, only the Bush family has been at it for decades longer.
Actually, doris, she was vilified for trying a government takeover of a substantial portion of the American economy by nationalizing health care. Back then, we used to call it socialism. Most Americans objected to it.
Today, we call it the Democratic platform.
there was a first dude named Todd
who thought he should do his wife's job
he hadn't a clue
like so many of you
why don't he go fishing for cod
The Bush administration has now decided that the government will be taking an ownership role in several banks, and you want to try to convince us that only the democrats have socialist aspirations? Our professional, career politicians are all leading us in that direction.
It amazes me that Sen. Obama is guilty by association to Bill Ayres, Rev. Wright, and every muslim terrorists he was ever in the same state with, but Gov. Palin is totally innocent and not responsible for anything her husband did while sitting in her office. No hypocracy there at all, I guess.
Oh, come on, glacierles. Don't play dumb. You cannot make comments like that and NOT expect to get called on them. This isn't Free Republic, or Little Green Footballs, or Limbaugh.com...
'Cognitive dissonance'. Look it up, AKbychoice...
Op---
Please humor me. I cant hear the little voices speaking in your head, so it's like only hearing half of the conversation.
Is that what you did? You "called" me on something. Was it my comments on the Clintons, their "get rich" schemes, their FBI files on their enemies, and a few inconvenient dead bodies left in their wake?
Or were you "calling" me on my comment about Ted Kennedy?
Akbychoice---
Sadly, Republican leaders have gone along hand in hand with the Democratic leaders down this path of the bailout, socializing the mortgage lending industry. I dont think that anyone I know, or have spoken to, proclaims them innocent. It's a sad time in our history. Both parties share this guilt.
DenaliGuy, I must agree with you. While she may have committed some sort of indescretion, lets let her govern us as she did...fantastically!!
There was a young lass from Wasilla
Who's family was far from vanilla.
The secrets they kept,
How their enemies wept!
She'll crush them all like Godzilla.
hey Walter Monegan
how does your that go again
you caused a commotion
on some silly notion
to keep Sarah out of washington
It seems the Palins are quite upset that Wooten used his wife's permit to shoot a moose. They do not appear upset that Sarah pled no contest to 1993 criminal charge for failure to register in the Bristol Bay Commerical fishing area. With leaseholds valued at up to 250,000, and licenses at 50000 this infraction appears just as wrong as shooting a moose with a wife's permit. Dillingham Court 1993
Talk about double standards
hey Walter Monegan
how does that go again
you caused a commotion
on some silly notion
to keep Sarah out of Washington
glacierles - The trillion dollar, for-profit, sickness-care system we have sure works well for people now, eh? Another nine million people have lost their for-profit health care under the Republican regime, bringing the total number of uninsured to nearly 50 million citizens. But hey, health care is a privilege in America, the wealthiest nation in the history of the world, not a right. We can't spend seven billion dollars a year on health care on saving kids, but we sure can spend 11 billion dollars a month on blowing them away, as well as nearly a trillion dollars in one year bailing out yacht owners. Socialists believe citizens can and should be cared for somewhere in the mix of those trillions of dollars flying through the nation's proverbial fingers for the wealthy and the wars. Are you one of the privileged American citizens who have health care, glacierles? If so, do you pay for it out of pocket or does your employer provide it?
I have five children and understand how hard it is but, WHO IS TAKING care of the Palin kids while Sarah and Todd play politics? What ever happened to family first???
Sarah is an amateur who cannot separate personal and professional issues. She does not possess a basic understanding of civics, has no historical perspective, is devoid of analytical thinking, and seems to lack common sense. My, how I miss Jay Hammond!!
The Anchorage reporter who originally had the contract for the Sarah book (now #3 on N.Y. Times best seller list) was asked recently why she decided not to do the book: "She hadn't traveled. She couldn't name her favorite book. She doesn't struggle with any kind of the big issues of the day. She has not experienced anything like adversity. It took her five colleges to get a journalism degree. Her mother didn't know who Sarah's idols were. She also didn't know how she became the kind of born-again Christian she says she is. She couldn't remember Sarah having interest in public policy, or in reformist movements, or in anything, much, except for sports. Both Sarah and her family are obsessed with Trooper Wooten."
Hea, whats the bottom line here, is the crazy state trooper still running around with a loaded gun, drinking a beer? Somewhere we got lost in what is inportant here. I'm not sure I would still be driving around if I had threnteded to kill anyone, or are troopers allowed to do so???
this is to trooper Wooten
you admit to illegal shootin
you drink in you car
you've gone to far
you're scarier than President Putin
Having read AST's 3/1/06 reprimand of Wooten, Branchflower's report, and other sources objectively, I feel he certainly made some bad judgment calls, however, AST reviewed his violations and took appropriate disciplinary action before Monegan came on board. Since his suspension 2-1/2 years ago Wooten has had a clean record, which I find commendable considering the Palins' obsession and his subsequent vilification on the world stage. I'm not sure I could be so restrained.
If the Heaths and Palins were truly fearful of him, they would have reported said threats immediately, gone to court for long-term restraining orders, and certainly would not have dismissed the governor's security guard. Branchflower came to the same conclusion.
I too was initially shocked by the Taser incident. However if you read the documents, the stepson pleaded to have the probes taped to him so he could brag. It was in training mode for about 1 sec, equivalent to touching the electric fence out on the farm or hitting your funnybone. As I understand, when deployed, a Taser logs in date, time, and length of activation, and cartridges are inventoried by serial number to prevent abuse. So Wooten's story should be easily verifiable. Was it wise to submit to a 11-yr-old's curiosity? Probably not, but the fact that Palins did not bring this up until months later in a custody battle, makes it clear it was not a real concern to them. Failure to notify promptly of child abuse would make them complicit.
Just like using his wife's tag on the cow moose he shot. Molly, Sarah's sister was present at the kill, and hence guilty too. Her father helped butcher it, and the Palins helped eat it, so they too were complicit. The infraction (fairly common in AK) only came up long after in an ugly child custody case--a case in which the judge sternly reprimanded Molly and her family for their behavior toward Mike Wooten (at two separate court appearances), saying it bordered dangerously upon child abuse.
See the pattern? I am not excusing any thing Mike Wooten did, but I do think it needs to be put into perspective, and I do think the Palins had their own agenda which they were able to push from the Governor's office. Mike Wooten has admitted his mistakes, apologized on national TV, and tried to move on. Todd and Sarah, on the other hand, have lied to the American people, are unrepentant for their personal vendetta, and should be held accountable.
I wish people would focus more attention on these folks:
William Ayers - American Terrorist
Raila Odinga - Cousin, Radical Islamist
Raul Reyes - Columbian Terrorist
Antonio Rezko - Slum Lord
Professor Khalidi - Muslim Terrorist Supporter and Got Obama into Harvard
Reverend Wright - Racist Muslim Supporter/Preacher, Anti-American
Reverend James Meeks - Racist
Reverend Louis Farrakhan - Racist Nation of Islam / Faux Preacher
Reverend. Jesse Jackson - Racist - Anti-Semetic
Nadhmi Auchi - Muslim Billionaire
Sohaib Abassi - Muslim Millionaire
Acorn
Tony Resco -Felon
Michael Pfleger-catholic priest
These people "fuel the fire." I am dismayed at their hatred for our Country. I cannot vote for someone who refuses to explain these associations. It lends towards integrity.
Thanks Doris, I was wondering if any of the democrats posting on these threads would ever admit they're blatant socialists. Now isn't there a few more admissions you would like to make, or do you feel comfortable and secure in your self-righteous 'gimme gimme' attitude?
Clearly the error was the Governor Palins. She knew it was happening. It wouldn't have happened if she was not the Governor. Todd would have complained through channels like the rest of us.
And what if you had Todd Palin after you as he was after Wooten. He was not elected or otherwise authorized by anyone including his wife to abridge the State's laws, policy, and procedures. Wooten had already been punished according to the rules.
When the lawsuit happens it will be against the State for allowing him to act recklessly. All of us will pay for this reckless behavior because it was done in the name of the Governor, from her office, and was illegal according to the facts.
By the way the Republican Party is the one who has caused the nationalization of the United States of America. I suggest to all readers to read page D-3 if you do not believe! It will probably enlighten you more than trying to blame the Alaska Majority Republican Legislative Committee for this report, Investigator Branchflower, the Dems, or the boogeyman.
So drop the stupid terms "Demos did, Liberals caused" you're dead wrong over and over. Free our State of the Nationalists, and lets get back to work as the mess is huge.
Alaska should know better than to put lipstick on a pitbull... It gets shmeared and it p--ses off the pitbull... It's no different than painting whitewash on a t--d.. in the end it's still a t--d.
Open and Transparent... Ever since the Neo Con Republicans took over, we've had secrecy, back door dealings, no bid contracts to cronies, Corruption, Conflict of Interest and Collusion between the Neo Con Parasites infesting the Executive Branch and the equally Corrupt Congress, the Neo Con owned Conglomerates yanking King Pinocchio and Congress puppet strings.
For a Republican who keeps reminding us she is married to a 1/8 Eskimo, she's rabidly seeking ways to curtail or wipe out the First Americans Subsistence and Cultural Lifestyle... As is Ted Stevens and Don Young..
As far as I know, only the so called Alaska Native leaders in the state chartered Native corporations have their noses up these Treasonous Scumbags b-tts.. plus a few other misguided "Around the Fort indians".
Treason is Treason and the Neo Con Parasites and Congress was and is busy yanking hundreds of billions of American Taxpayer dollars from programs benefitting the vast majority of Americans and instead steering those same monies to their Corporate Pimps, themselves, the rich and super rich, who constitute 1-5% of Americans... TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION!!
Didn't America have the American Revolutionary War because of Taxation Without Representation, against a King George, his hired Mercenary Armies and the few American supporters called Tories??
We have again, apparently, another King George who put hisself above the law with his many signing statements and accountable to no one... With his Neo Con masters Mercenary Armies masquerading as "Contractors... And the fellow Neo Con Parasites, Republican Mushrooms who are kept in the dark and fed feces by the Neo Con owned News Media Conglomerates... And the Religious Idiots who are keeping these Treasonous Scumbags in power via wedge issues contrived by these Neo Nazis... These idiots constitute th 11-21% of americans who are, apparently "Tories"..
Revolution anyone???
In other words... Treason is Treason!!
We have a up to 53-54 trillion American dollar deficit, in direct and indirect costs, foisted on us by the Republicans and to a certain extent, the Democrats..They and their Neo Con Corporate pimps have their stolen loot stashed in their offshore accounts in countries with no extradition treaties with the USA..
Yep Treason is Treason and they stole the United States Treasury, set up offshore accounts and are just waiting for America as we know it to die so they could set up the "Fourth Reich"!
Treason!!!
CurtJ you need to check your dosage..
So the 50% Todd spent running the state goverment, Sarah (can I call you Sarah) was watching Jerry Springer?
Well said AKAurora and don't forget dummy Todd wanted only Wooten charged (in the Branchflower report) with the moose kill on Palins' sisters tag who was there at the time, that it went to Palins dad house where it was dressed and enjoyed by all the Palins.....again not reported at the time the incident happened........DUH!........lol.
The problem for most Palin supporters is they want to cloud the issues. They are as mad as Palin about the trooper even though many of the Palins' complaints were unfounded. Look at the call about him driving to the school and the snowmachine report, he had permission both times. Get over it, he was punished and you can't punish him twice. Their queen can do no wrong and doesn't have to be responsible or accountable for anything she does, doesn't do or says.
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