EAGLE RIVER, Alaska, Sept. 4, 2008
Palin E-Mails in Troopergate Revealed
Washington Post: Messages Criticize Investigation Into Ex-Brother-In-Law For Not Firing Him
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Photo
After initially denying that she or any of her staff tried to pressure officials to fire her sister's ex-husband, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (seen here at an Anchorage press conference last month) backpedalled after an audio recording of one such conversation was released. She is currently under investigation. (AP/Anchorage Daily News, M. Lester)
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Sarah Palin
Alaska's youngest and first female governor tabbed to be McCain's running mate.
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Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, the running mate for GOP presidential candidate John McCain, wrote e-mails that harshly criticized Alaska state troopers for failing to fire her former brother-in-law and ridiculed an internal affairs investigation into his conduct.
The e-mails were shown to The Washington Post by a former public safety commissioner, Walter Monegan, who was fired by Palin in July. Monegan has given copies of the e-mails to state ethics investigators to support his contention that he was dismissed for failing to fire Trooper Mike Wooten, who at the time was feuding with Palin's family.
"This trooper is still out on the street, in fact he's been promoted," said a Feb. 7, 2007, e-mail sent from Palin's personal Yahoo account and written to give Monegan permission to speak on a violent-crime bill before the state legislature.
"It was a joke, the whole year long 'investigation' of him," the e-mail said. "This is the same trooper who's out there today telling people the new administration is going to destroy the trooper organization, and that he'd 'never work for that b****', Palin'.)"
Asked about the e-mails, Palin's campaign spokeswoman, Maria Comella, said that Palin was merely alerting officials to potential threats to her family and that there is no evidence that Palin ever ordered Wooten to be fired.
"Let's be clear, Governor Palin has done nothing wrong and is an open book in this process. Mr. Monegan even stated himself that no one ever told him to fire anyone, period," Comella said later in a statement. "The Governor was rightly expressing concern about Mr. Wooten."
Palin is under investigation by a bipartisan state legislative body that was authorized last month to look into whether Palin pressured Monegan to force Wooten from the state police force and whether his failure to do so led to his dismissal.
Palin had promised to cooperate with the legislative inquiry, but this week moved to change the jurisdiction of the case to the state personnel board, which Palin appoints. Her attorney, Thomas V. Van Flein, who was hired last month, challenged the jurisdiction of Stephen Branchflower, the retired prosecutor hired to investigate and report back to the legislature by the last week of October.
When Palin entered the governor's office in late 2006, Wooten already had been reprimanded, reassigned and suspended for five days for incidents reported by Palin's family. They had filed complaints in April 2005 after her younger sister's marriage fell apart and the couple battled in a bitter child-custody dispute.
Palin has said previously that she discussed Wooten with Monegan only in the context of security concerns for the family. Monegan has said that Palin never directly told him to fire Wooten but that the message was clearly conveyed through repeated messages from Palin, her husband and three members of her Cabinet.
"To allege that I, or any member of my family ... directed disciplinary action be taken against any employee of the Department of Public Safety, is, quite simply, outrageous," Palin said in a statement in mid-July after Monegan's dismissal.
In August, Palin acknowledged that "pressure could have been perceived to exist, although I have only now become aware of it."
Fast Fact
During an interview here Wednesday, Monegan said that as Alaska's top law enforcement official, he took his duties seriously. "I would willingly die for the governor, but I would never lie for her," he said.Palin's lawyer said this week she will refuse to testify in the case unless the investigation is switched to a 3-person state board (whose members she appointed).
He showed The Post two e-mails he received from Palin, but he declined to give copies. The first e-mail came on Feb. 7, 2007, after the governor's husband, Todd, met with Monegan to press the case for disciplinary action against Wooten. Palin's family had accused the trooper of shooting a cow moose without a permit, Tasering his stepson, and drinking while driving a trooper vehicle. After her husband met with Monegan, Palin followed up with a phone call to Monegan.
In that first e-mail, sent a few weeks after the meeting, Palin encouraged Monegan to testify for a bill that would require 99-year sentences for police officers found guilty of murder. "For police officers to violate the public trust is a grave, grave violation - in my opinion. We have too many examples lately of cops and troopers who violate the public trust. DPS has come across as merely turning a blind eye or protecting that officer, seemingly 'for the good of the brotherhood'."
She cited Wooten's case as an example of violating the public trust. She recounted his transgressions, beginning with the killing of the cow moose using a permit obtained by his wife. Molly McCann, who uses her name from a previous marriage, was with Wooten at the time.
"He's still bragging about it in my hometown and after another cop confessed to witnessing the kill, the trooper was 'investigated' for over a year and merely given a slap on the wrist," the e-mail said. "Though he's out there arresting people today for the same crime!"
"He threatened to kill his estranged wife's parent, refused to be transferred to rural Alaska and continued to disparage Natives in words and tone, he continues to harass and intimidate his ex. - even after being slapped with a restraining order that was lifted when his supervisors intervened," the e-mail said. "He threatens to always be able to come out on top because he's 'got the badge', etc. etc. etc.)"
Palin wrote that the Wooten matter had contributed to "the erosion of faith Alaskans should have in their law enforcement officials." She concluded by saying the e-mail was "just my opinion."
The second e-mail Monegan produced came from Palin's Yahoo address on July 17, 2007, after the local newspaper publicized a legislative proposal that would keep guns out of the hands of the mentally ill.
Her first thought about the bill, the e-mail said, "went to my ex-brother-in-law, the trooper, who threatened to kill my dad yet was not even reprimanded by his bosses and still to this day carries a gun, of course."
"We can't have double standards. Remember when the death threat was reported, and follow-on threats from Mike that he was going to 'bring Sarah and her family down' - instead of any reprimand WE were told by trooper union personnel that we'd be sued if we talked about those threats. Amazing. ...
"So consistency is needed here," the e-mail said. "No one's above the law. If the law needs to be changed to not allow access to guns for people threatening to kill someone, it must apply to everyone."
Research editor Alice Crites in Washington contributed to this report.
© 2008 The Washington Post Company
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See all 304 Comments2. Does each ticket have sound and sustained "Judgment and Caliber"?
3. Does each ticket have a "presidential depth and degree" in regard to their purpose, policies, and positions?
4. Does each ticket have adequate, "understanding and knowledge" of workings around Washington"?
5. Does each ticket have enough "vigor, wisdom and Vision" for the future of our beloved Great-grand Nation?
6. Does each ticket possess enough joint foreign policy experience and ex-poser based on "American Values, Virtues, Vastness, and strong soul"?
7. Are their campaign talk, slogans, ads, plans, and programs based on facts and are they free of fear, fiction, frivolous labels, unfair attacks, negativity, and impulsivity?
PS: This nation will not buy into kitchen sink approah. We are getting deeper into internal and external holes thru these attack and world is laughing on us and enjoying our kitchen sink gimmics. I am sure GOP.RNC, FOX, RUSH, And McCains his surrogates will fail to dupe, decieve, and deprive USA its deserved leadership.
Believes that creationism should be taught in schools, not evolution;
Believes that women shouldn''t have the right to choose; even in cases of rape and incest or severe medical indications;
Believes that citizens should have the right to bear AK-47s;
Believes only in abstinence education; despite the fact that her daughters have been having unprotected ***;
Has only been out of the country once in her life and that was just last year;
Was mayor of a small town with fewer than 6000 residents with a budget of less than 12 million a year and fewer than 50 city hall employees;
Is governor of a state that is closer to Russia than to Florida;
Was part of a group that wanted Alaska to succeed from the Union;
Is involved in 2 state firing scandals
Flipflopped on the "bridge to nowhere"
And this woman will be our next vice president and possibly our president?!?!?!?
Scary!!
Believes that creationism should be taught in schools, not evolution;
Believes that women shouldn''''t have the right to choose; even in cases of rape and incest or severe medical indications;
Believes that citizens should have the right to bear AK-47s;
Believes only in abstinence education; despite the fact that her daughters have been having unprotected ***;
Has only been out of the country once in her life and that was just last year;
Was mayor of a small town with fewer than 6000 residents with a budget of less than 12 million a year and fewer than 50 city hall employees;
Is governor of a state that is closer to Russia than to Florida;
Was part of a group that wanted Alaska to succeed from the Union;
Is involved in 2 state firing scandals
Flipflopped on the "bridge to nowhere"
And this woman will be our next vice president and possibly our president?!?!?!?
Scary!!
The only complaints against this trooper were from the Palin family...ever! A little suspicious. Palin made a mistake when she didn''t just butt-out.
The NRA should have a good time with that statement from Palin.
Posted by Ariel133 at 11:11 AM : Sep 04, 2008
Ariel you should get your facts straight; first off it is a lie that Obama is going to increase taxes on the middle class in fact the vast majority of his cuts go to the middle class. That is part of public record. I know that neo cons don''t read public record so look it up at his web site or on line it is at all the news stations so you can see it on fox if you want. Notice I did not say the pundits I said the news itself.
Next both of them will not balance the budget in McCain will be worst then Obama''s plan. That is also part of public record on fox NOT THE PUNDITS. Sorry to burst you bubble. But you are trying to keep a lie alive. Als you could go to factcheck.org they are non-partisian.
This is a woman worthy of George Bush and Karl Rove.
So it''s funny how she pretends she never heard of them.
Maybe mail delivery is slow in Wasilla. You''d think she''d have heard who''s been running the country the last 8 years.
But she sure has the sleazy, dishonest tactics of the Rovians down to a T.
cbs
abc
nbc
cnn
the black news networks!
because of this I would vote for cheney before obama
It''s like this woman is Bushit''s daughter and learned from Uncle Karl!
She looks just like a modern NEO-Republican. No wonder the national PARTY loves her.
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NOT TRUE!
The Alaskan Senator in charge of the investigation is A democrat senator and Cornel Grad that works for Shell oil.
Please remember Sara was hard on the oil companies & Rep. in Alaska
"I dont see anything wrong here and those who do hate America."
I suppose it was her love for America was the reason for her wanting Alaska to secede from America.
You do know what secede means right?
Please remember Sara was hard on the oil companies & Rep. in Alaska
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Posted by macamaca
So you think that Palin''s own appointees will do a better job? REally?
And Palin was only "hard" on her political mentors when it became to her advantage. Before that she used them and supported them at every opportunity, like on the "bridge to nowhere".
Hard on the oil companies?
Her only critcism of them is she wants them to pump their reserves dry FASTER! And of course pay more baksheesh to the ruling clique in Alaska.
Other than that, she''s the oil companies'' darling.
An independent investigation of Palin''s abuse of power is called for.
Not one run by her little pets.
I feel sorry for the NeoCons. After last night an average performance of a typical Republican Ideology speech at RNC, they think Sarah''s issues will magically and mysteriously disappear.
It''s OVER!
http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0908/Noonan_Murphy_trash_Palin_on_hot_mic_Its_over.html#comments
After the big speech, what next? And does it (should it) matter? Palin has not answered specifically to many allegations or scandals swirling around her nor has she addressed any of the real issues of this campaign. Instead, she comes blazing with negative attacks and pleading that she be considered fit for the job simply because she is a woman who is your %u201Caverage hockey mom.%u201D With that any woman can be Vice-President or even President. Left behind in this calculation are women who are truly qualified for the job%u2014K. Baily Hutchinson, for example, on the Republican side! To add insult to injury in this gamble, Palin felt able to compare her competency and background with that of Obama--a Harvard-educated lawyer chosen by his Party (not by one man) who served eight years in the Illinois Senate, is serving in the Senate as a member of the Foreign Relations Committee, has managed a very successful campaign and is received enthusiastically within the United States and around the world. I can''t believe it. The only way Palin is better than Obama is gutter talk!
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Posted by gophockeymom
You''re GOP_forever in drag, right?
Do you know what Hardball vs. Hardball (mano a mano) means? Ask Karl Rove for Clarification.
What are you talking about? How does using ones political position to settle a personal vendetta accomplish that?
Speaking before the Pentecostal church, Palin painted the current war in Iraq as a messianic affair in which the United States could act out the will of the Lord.
%u201CPray for our military men and women who are striving to do what is right. Also, for this country, that our leaders, our national leaders, are sending [U.S. soldiers] out on a task that is from God,%u201D she exhorted the congregants. %u201CThat%u2019s what we have to make sure that we%u2019re praying for, that there is a plan and that that plan is God%u2019s plan.%u201D
Religion, however, was not strictly a thread in Palin%u2019s foreign policy. It was part of her energy proposals as well. Just prior to discussing Iraq, Alaska%u2019s governor asked the audience to pray for another matter %u2014 a $30 billion national gas pipeline project that she wanted built in the state. %u201CI think God%u2019s will has to be done in unifying people and companies to get that gas line built, so pray for that,%u201D she said.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QG1vPYbRB7k
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k84m2orSOaM
ALL THE PROUD LIBERALS NOW ADORE MCCAIN!!!
SARAH NEEDS TO PUT THE BIBLE DOWN!
Amazing how little is required to make the NeoCons jump up and down.
In addition, if it''s a partisan which hunt, how do you explain the fact that it was the Republican-dominated Legislative Council that voted UNANIMOUSLY to pursue this investigation? Besides, they voted to look into it way before Palin was even a gleam in John McCain''s eye.
Sorta like trying to insurrmount a ghetto-blasting, hippity-hopping Muslim-Kenyan with a crank-cocaine covered finger next to the same button, eh?
Awesome point!
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/9/3/161925/2509/510/579198
Talk about sticking to the party lines!!!
Cant you Liber-Brats repeat ANY mantra different than ''same failed policies''???
Absolutely no new ideas. Just the same recycled Republican''''s ideology of which I am sick of it.
Government is still big and Taxes are still high according to NeoCons. Then when in the hell are the Republicans going to deliver these promises? When is "government going to be cut to the bare bone" like president Ronald Reagan said he accomplished in his State of the Union speech of 1982?
What? Its now time for a Quran thumper ? ? ?
Which outstanding policies are you talking about? Are you talking about the Clinton''s Massive Tax Increase of 1993 that delivered a Massive Budget Surplus in 1999 and 2000?
OR
Are you talking about the Bush''s Massive Tax Cuts of 2001 and 2003 where we continue to borrow from China and Saudi Arabia to save this bankrupted government?
Which?
Barry Obamas African Slave Grandparents spent AT LEAST 6000 years in the belly of a Slave ship!
Posted by TheVicar2
Speaking of same old tired talking points.
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