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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Enshala. Praise Allah for our Messiah, Brother Barry.
What a good Christian.
This will make the GOP base all the more excited...they have a successor to Dick Cheney...the VP in charge of abusing power. She may not be as capable as we'd like BUT she does know how to abuse her power...and among those wacky GOP rally attenders THAT matters!
GUILTY! GUILTY! GUILTY!
CAN'T WAIT FOR THE SUNDAY TALK SHOWS.
What did she say?? I thought she said she didn't have anything to hide...lol.
Awww democrats targeting her to derail her campaign..
We definitely don't want her anywhere near power. One little taste of power got to her head. If she abused her power as Governor what will she do as VP. Who's the real Danger.. Obama or Sarah?
The PALIN/McCain ticket looks like a 'ship of fools'.
I just can't believe these so called 'Christians' are STILL following these candidates.
I guess 'white supremecy' is still alive and kicking in the PALIN/McCain campaign.
And IF Palin is so patriotic WHY did Alaska want to secede from the Union?
These people, and I use that term loosly, are a disgrace to the American People.
The PALIN/McCain campaign are insighting riots and domestic terrorism umungst their own people.
They should be brought up on charges for HATE CRIMES.
...and this person wants to expand the powers of the VP office...WAKE UP PEOPLE!!! Cheney has her under his wing!!!
The words that stick out most when I read this report were:
ABUSE
TRUST
Both were violated by not only Palin but her family.
Yet another reason to keep her from the press. This is what they are hiding. No "Meet the Press" or "Face the Nation." Every politician does those two! Couple that with the fact that she is clueless of any national issue.
It shouldn't be a surprise to anyone that she is guilty of abuse of power. She and her staff wouldn't have tried to get things dropped and refused to cooperate unless she was guilty of something. She is no different than Cheney in my opinion. I'm tired of all these lies on top of lies...and so is the rest of America. I'm will be so glad when this is over and Barack Obama and Joe Biden are sworn in.
Not that we didn't see it coming, but wow. How the mighty fall, but thankfully before she could do any real damage to the way I see America – beautiful and shining without scum like her! Buh bye Palin!
who are you, Sarah Palin?
She is worst than Bush. She isn't as smart and more evil. We are in trouble if she gets in there.
More of the same republcan hypocrisy. Thank God it is about to end. And the elections following this one are going to have millions more young people voting (who overwhelmingly tend Democratic) while the olde repubs will no longer be voting (you know why). A new era is beginning.
WOW!!! I was hoping this report would clear Palin. She is now seen as a liar and fraud.
My vote goes to Obama!
But you see, she still doesn't believe that she was wrong, abused her power, or handled the situation incorrectly. That is the true danger of this woman.
Now, the Republicans are going to try to justify it, explain it away, try to convince us that it really wasn't that bad of a thing. That is the true danger of the Republican party.
Disagree with policies, opinions, and argue them as much as you want. This is America; this is a basic right we have. BUT, when you step all over someone else's rights and safety, we as Americans (Christian, Muslim, Jew, Hindu, atheist, etc) you are violating a basic principle that we all claim to believe.
wow – and add this to the fact there her husband was "palin" around with terrorists from the alaska international party who wanted to be independent from the u.s. i just don't know what da heck she was thinking! lol
How is it that she can be on a presidential ticket? Besides this, she shoots moose and wolves. Mike Vick is in Jail for cruelty to animals, she should get the same.
Sean,
Agreed! A Statute is an enactment, just like the US Code. Statutes sometimes carry penalties, sometimes it doesn't. The main point is that according to Alaska's State LAW, she is guilty. Ethics committees usually have a code of conduct and penalties for not following certain rules, but I don't believe we'll see her step down.
That's fine, we don't need another Cheney in office!
I knew this woman was crooked and how in the world can she continue to say that Obama cannot be trusted when her own legislature said she violated the trust of the Alasken people. Talk about a hipocrit and a liar, my goodness!
Skeletons? Even little Sarah has them!
My, my, my!
If we had learned anything from this administation is the result of abusing power, have we had enough of that already?
haha yes, finally this is exposed
By Golly, I Betcha she will say she is being picked on again. What a hypocrite, I have never trusted her since day one. Just Who Is Sarah Palin? McCain has the nerve to talk about judgement and character. Sounds like the Nixon era. Yes I'm an old lady but remember it all. Independent for Obama-Biden
Well, a apple does'nt fall far from the tree. There is also a saying that when you lay down with dogs you come up with fleas.