Alaska panel finds Palin abused power in firing

[Tom Wetmore]

Alaska Panel Finds Palin Abused Power in Firing

[Bravus]

But, but, Palin released her *own* report yesterday, and it completely exonerated her!

[Neil D]

Quote:

ANCHORAGE, Alaska - Sarah Palin unlawfully abused her power as governor by trying to have her former brother-in-law fired as a state trooper, the chief investigator of an Alaska legislative panel concluded Friday. The politically charged inquiry imperiled her reputation as a reformer on John McCain's Republican ticket.

Investigator Stephen Branchflower, in a report by a bipartisan panel that investigated the matter, found Palin in violation of a state ethics law that prohibits public officials from using their office for personal gain.

The inquiry looked into her dismissal of Public Safety Commissioner Walter Monegan, who said he lost his job because he resisted pressure to fire a state trooper involved in a bitter divorce with the governor's sister. Palin says Monegan was fired as part of a legitimate budget dispute.

The report found that Palin let the family grudge influence her decision-making even if it was not the sole reason Monegan was dismissed. "I feel vindicated," Monegan said. "It sounds like they've validated my belief and opinions. And that tells me I'm not totally out in left field."

I keep telling you people....This lady is scary. She is no reformer...she just does dirty politics....and 'pals around' with it all the time....

[Dr. Shane]

Sounds like a lot of election-season politics. Palin has a lot of enemies in Alaska. Not just the Democrats but she has went against her own party, exposed corruption and made a lot of enemies.

"I think there are some problems in this report," said Republican state Sen. Gary Stevens, a member of the panel. "I would encourage people to be very cautious, to look at this with a jaundiced eye."

The nearly 300-page report does not recommend sanctions or a criminal investigation.

The Public Safety Commissioner is part of the Governor's cabinet. That person, in this case Walter Monegan, serves at the pleasure of the governor. It is not like a typical state job that a person earned the position long before the Governor got elected and then a new Governor comes in and fires. The Governor firing the Public Safety Commissioner is like the President firing the Attorney General or Defense Secretary.

There was a lot of stuff going on with this guy. The reason no sanctions or criminal investigation is being recommended is because Governor Palin had plenty of reasons to fire the guy and was within her rights to do so.

This is just election-year politics.

[olger]

Politics, big-time.

[Bravus]

This was in process long before the election season.

[Dr. Shane]

It was sped up due to the election. It was in the process because Palin rocks the boat. I see no harm done. Should we investigate Bush for firing Rumsfield? The guy was appointed by her. He was part of the Republican establishment. He went around her on a number of occasions. Did things without consulting her. And she gave him the boot. It was really an issue of insubordination.

[Tom Wetmore]

Ah, but you must understand that for Republicans, they politically commandeer anything that either serves their purpose or gets in their way. Prior in time shouldn't matter since they took a very old idea, religion, and turned it political...