November 3, 2008
Posted: November 3rd, 2008 07:23 PM ET

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ANCHORAGE, Alaska (CNN) – Alaska's Personnel Board concluded Monday that Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin did not violate ethics law by trying to get her ex-brother-in-law fired from the state police, contradicting an earlier investigation's findings.

"There is no probable cause to believe that the governor, or any other state official, violated the Alaska Executive Ethics Act in connection with these matters," Timothy Petumenos, the Anchorage lawyer hired to conduct the probe, wrote in his final report.

The announcement comes a day before Palin and Republican presidential nominee John McCain face voters in Tuesday's presidential election. Allegations that she fired Public Safety Commissioner Walt Monegan because he refused to sack her ex-brother-in-law from the state police force have dogged her since before she became McCain's running mate in August.

An earlier probe launched by the state Legislature concluded that Palin unlawfully abused her power by trying to get her sister's ex-husband fired from the state police force. That inquiry concluded that her firing of Monegan stemmed in part from his refusal to get rid of her former relative, but was within her authority as governor.

(Updated 8 p.m. ET)

Filed under: Sarah Palin



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