Palin Denies Report’s Finding That She Abused Her Power
(CBS)
(PITTSBURGH) As she boarded her campaign bus this morning, Sarah Palin denied the conclusion of a state ethics report, which found the Alaska governor abused her power when she pressured subordinates to get a state trooper fired.
Asked by a reporter if she abused her power, Palin shook her head and said, "“No.”
She added, “And if you read the report, you’ll see that there was nothing unlawful or unethical about replacing a cabinet member. You got to read the report, sir.”
While the investigation by the Alaska state legislature did find that Palin was within her rights to fire public safety commissioner Walt Monegan—state trooper Michael Wooten’s boss—the report found that she violated the Alaska Executive Branch Ethics Act by knowingly allowing her husband Todd to use state resources to try to get Wooten fired.
The ethics report found that Gov. Palin “permitted Todd Palin to use the governor’s office and the resources of the governor’s office, including access to state employees, to continue to contact subordinate state employees in an effort to find some way to get Trooper Wooten fired.”
The report also found that Palin “knowingly permitted a situation to continue where impermissible pressure was placed on several subordinates in order to advance a personal agenda.”
The conclusion of the panel’s report endangered the Republican ticket’s argument that Palin has the track record to facilitate ethics reform in Washington.
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See all 30 CommentsWell, we can certainly play that game, too.
Reminiscent of certain credit card commercials...
"abusing your power to conduct personal vendettas against your subordinates? ...Priceless"
Destroying a career most CERTAINLY causes a material (non trivial) damage not only to the career for the fired individual, but to the respect for the office and the confidence the people have that the Governor will act in the best interests of the people.
The Ethics Laws are NOT exclusively to prevent misdeeds resulting in financial gain. The attorneys dance around this point but do not dispute it.
The idea that previous violations of the Ethics law had a financial component does NOT prevent the broader scope of the law from applying, as we see here.
The Personnel Board report is due around Election Day and should be VERY telling.
It works well to win and election, but not so well at governing. As President you get caught.
Seems she''s not really such a golden girl afterall.
And Todd sure does look like a stooge. He did most of the legwork. Nothing like good old fashioned family politics.
Time.com had the following to say about it:
"But even though she won''t likely face any legal repercussions, the amateurism and cronyism of her brief administration hardly leaves Palin sitting pretty. Troopergate''s final verdict may be even more damaging than a rebuke: her administration was, at least in this regard, just as self-motivated as the Washington fat cats and lobbyists she hopes to unseat."
And now both she and McCain have unethical behavior stains on their records! Apparently an historic first!
I''d be interested in knowing more about Palin''s recent and current ties with the Alaska Independence Party and it''s supporters.
And Todd sure does look like a stooge. He did most of the legwork. Nothing like good old fashioned family politics.
Time.com had the following to say about it:
"But even though she won''t likely face any legal repercussions, the amateurism and cronyism of her brief administration hardly leaves Palin sitting pretty. Troopergate''s final verdict may be even more damaging than a rebuke: her administration was, at least in this regard, just as self-motivated as the Washington fat cats and lobbyists she hopes to unseat."
And now both she and McCain have unethical behavior stains on their records! Apparently an historic first!
I''d be interested in knowing more about Palin''s recent and current ties with the Alaska Independence Party and it''s supporters.
http://www.time.com/time/printout/0,8816,1849399,00.html
Branchflower Report to the Legislative Council
October 10, 2008
Page 8 of 263
II Findings
Finding Number One
------------------
For the reasons explained in section IV of this report, I find that Governor Sarah
Palin abused her power by violating Alaska Statute 39.52.110(a) of the Alaska Executive
Branch Ethics Act. Alaska Statute 39.52.110(a) provides
"The legislature reaffirms that each public officer holds office as a
public trust, and any effort to benefit a personal or financial interest
through official action is a violation of that trust."
Thanks. Couldn''t have put it in a clearer way.
Fact 1:Governor who was wondering why a trooper who taserd a 10 year old with state property.
You need to do a little more research into the tasering. It''s not what you think.
Fact 2: drinking and driving in a State car.
Again just hearsay. No evidence or witnesses came forward.
Fact3: killing a moose out of season
Moose was in season and the wife had the tag and was right there when the moose was shot. Furthermore, there are MANY INSTANCES where someone else makes the kill for he person holding the tag. Also, anyone involved in the shooting and harvesting of the meat is just as guilty as the shooter. The law in Alaska in inclusive of all parties so Palin was just as guilty as Wooten.
Fact 4: I think she acted responsibly do to the facts.
The matter was investigated and punishment was given to Wooten for those actions he was guilty of committing, but they weren''t sufficent to fire him
But you really need to read the divorce agreement between Wooten and Palin''s sister. That''s were all these accusations came out. And the judge recognized the vendetta for what it was. Palin wasn''t satisfied nad when she became governor, she set out to right a perceived wrong.
Where I come from that''s called vigilantism - taking the law into your own hands. And that''s what Palin is guilty of.
Perhaps you shouldn''t drink a Six-Pack before rant
Fact 1:Governor who was wondering why a trooper who taserd a 10 year old with state property.
You need to do a little more research into the tasering. It''s not what you think.
Fact 2: drinking and driving in a State car.
Again just hearsay. No evidence or witnesses came forward.
Fact3: killing a moose out of season
Moose was in season and the wife had the tag and was right there when the moose was shot. Furthermore, there are MANY INSTANCES where someone else makes the kill for he person holding the tag. Also, anyone involved in the shooting and harvesting of the meat is just as guilty as the shooter. The law in Alaska in inclusive of all parties so Palin was just as guilty as Wooten.
Fact 4: I think she acted responsibly do to the facts.
The matter was investigated and punishment was given to Wooten for those actions he was guilty of committing, but they weren''t sufficent to fire him
But you really need to read the divorce agreement between Wooten and Palin''s sister. That''s were all these accusations came out. And the judge recognized the vendetta for what it was. Palin wasn''t satisfied nad when she became governor, she set out to right a perceived wrong.
Where I come from that''s called vigilantism - taking the law into your own hands. And that''s what Palin is guilty of.
She is right, however, that she was within her rights as governor to fire Monegan, although the report''s opinion was that her personal problems with Wooten were likely a contributing factor in MOnegan''s firing.
But, the report is very clear that she violated Alaskan ethics laws in abusing her power as governor. Sorry Sarah, you cannot deny this. People other than you do read the newspapers and watch the TV news.
It''s now up to the people of Alaska to decide what they want to do. After Black Friday of the mcCain campaign, it does not look like the republican ticket has much of a chance any longer. McCain has alienated his base, and Palin was caught abusing her powers as governor. The voters ahve already had one VP--Cheney--who had no respect for the rule of law and abused his power. We have no desire for our next executive branch to do the same.
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