Report: Palin abused power, violated ethics code in trooper case
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2008/images/10/10/art.palin03.gi.jpg caption="Report: Palin ‘abused her power’"] ANCHORAGE, Alaska (CNN) - Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin abused her power as Alaska's governor and a violated state ethics law by trying to get her ex-brother-in-law fired from the state police, a state investigator's report concluded Friday.
"Governor Palin knowingly permitted a situation to continue where impermissible pressure was placed on several subordinates in order to advance a personal agenda," the report states.
Public Safety Commissioner Walt Monegan's refusal to fire State Trooper Mike Wooten from the state police force was "likely a contributing factor" to Monegan's July dismissal, but Palin had the authority as governor to sack him, the report by former Anchorage prosecutor Stephen Branchflower states. However, it states that her efforts to get Wooten fired broke a state ethics law that bars public officials from pursuing personal interest through official action.
Monegan has said he was fired in July after refusing pressure to sack Wooten, who had gone through an acrimonious divorce and custody battle with Palin's sister. Palin and her husband, Todd, have consistently denied any wrongdoing, describing Wooten as a "rogue trooper" who had threatened their family - allegations Branchflower discounted.
"I conclude that such claims of fear were not bona fide and were offered to provide cover for the Palins' real motivation: to get Trooper Wooten fired for personal family reasons," Branchflower wrote.
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Does this broken law disqualify Palin from running for the vp office?
Anyone that knows anything about how she ran Wasilla and then Governor in Alaska will not be surprised at this.She has been abusing power for years and finally in the big leagues she will not be VP. It would be an outrage to allow this to go unpunished and she must step down.
Why am I not surprised? This woman makes Chaney look like a decent VP. What does this say about McCain's judgment? Talk about being erratic.
Who is Sarah Palin?This is what she was asking about Obama now she can slow her rhetoric and try to define who she really is.They have been insighting hatred in their rallies,and being divisive with what they have been spewing out the republicans have really been going negative is this all they can offer?They need to talk about the issues .
I would hate to be one of the "little people" in her administration. Joe Sixpack and Hockey Mom, she won't even know you if she's elected. Palin has been exposed as a bully of people who are less powerful than her. She's already revealed herself to be a demagogue, and now it is confirmed she is also an abuser of power.
What a shame, abusing public trust, Palin need to step down with immediate effect and apologise to the alaskans whose rights were violated.
This will pale in significance to Obama's impending perp walk. He has so many criminal connections that he will not serve out a first term. He will be in jail.
Ok. she's worn out her welcome, send Sara back home.
Goodbye Palin Family.
Obama/Biden 08!!!
Please republicans pay attention to the fact that this was a BIPARTISAN commission.
WELL, WELL, WELL, THIS IS GOING TO THROW A MONKEY-WRENCH IN MCCAIN'S CAMPAIN...WHAT A SHAME!!!
THIS IS WHAT THEY WERE TRYIING TO HIDE...NOW WHO'S THE LIAR, NOW WHO'S BEING DISHONEST?? HMMMM
The 10 REPUBLICANS and 4 DEMOCRATS on the commission can't all be wrong....hopefully people won't blame this as a DEMOCRATS for this a plot against Palin..her and TODD did this on their own!!!
Isn't it funny how these "family values" hypocrits *never* think ordinary ethics apply to them? You'd think they'd at least have the decency to be ashamed, but they don't.
Those hate-mongering rallies are scary as hell too. But naturally they don't have the ethics to stop those either.
Obama 08 & 12
Oh gee whiz.. the "perfect Christian " full of love, hope and truth got found out.. Some of us can see a phony a mile away.. she is a liar and a cheat. She needs to resign. NOW!
There goes the last wheel on the Straight Talk Express.
Thank God for McCain the "Distraction and Misinformation Express" is raging to go....
All I have to ask is this.....
=- Do we REALLY know Sarah Palin? -=
And yeah, I do know Obama... been watching him for 20+months now.
surprise! surprise!
she is full of them
Noooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!! Now who am I gonna vote for? She spent all week telling me what an unethical liar Barack Obama is. What to do?
yeah, big surprise there...
Is the style of government Americans deserve?
This is disturbing. In a time when we have so many critical issues facing our nation and the world, we need leaders who do not believe that they are entitled to be our leaders and we do not need leaders who abuse the power given to them. Look at what the Bush-Cheny administration has done. At the VP debate, Palin argue for more power for the VP. Scary.
But thru the McCain campaign committee, she CLEARED herself!!!
How does one "clear" herself.??????????
I Turned To Fox News To See What Was Being Said About Sarah Palin Abusing Her Power And All They Are Taking About Is Obama And His Ties To Terrorist And Acorn! I Cant Wait To See How They Try To Spin This!
Not only is Pahlin not competent for the VP position, here are real ethical issues, not the exaggerated nonexistent sound bites that she slings against Obama.
She has no credibility, the McCain campaign tried to cover up this issue, this whole pack of wolves has no credibility.
Campbell Brown says Sarah Palin "is off the hook for this" with regard to the Alaska's Legislature's findings just released re "Troopergate": not so fast - they found that "Governor Sarah Palin abused her power by violating Alaska Statute 39.52.110 (a) of the Alaska Executive Branch Ethics Act" - i.e., a serious ethical violation. Campbell, Mrs. Dan Senor (spokesman for the Coalition Provisional Authority that ran Iraq like a Roman province), is a McCain/Palin supporter and tried to spin the bad news as quickly as posible and switched back to the story then in progress before the CNN "Breaking News" update. That is dishonest.
And she still continues to bash Obama and ignore herself.
Obama/Biden 08
Both Palins used their position for their own gain. What had she done to get elected to the job of Mayor? I do not trust either of them. And this piece of crap is what you want to lead our country? Shoot wolves, take away the homes of bears, and abuse the whales future. This is so wrong.