Subpoenas Due In Palin Trooper Probe

Gov. Backpedaled in Cooperating With Inquiry Into Fired Official Following Her VP Announcement

(CBS/AP)  The Alaska Legislature is hastening its ethics investigation into Gov. Sarah Palin's firing of her public safety commissioner, announcing that a report on the matter will be released three weeks earlier than previously announced.

A lawyer for Palin had said earlier this week that the governor would not speak to investigators, preferring to have the investigation transferred to a state personnel board (whose three members are appointed by the governor) for review. Palin had previously said she would cooperate with the probe.

In addition, seven witnesses told the Legislature's investigator they will refuse depositions and canceled their meetings.

In response, State Sen. Hollis French, who is overseeing the investigation into whether Palin abused her power, said the Legislature will subpoena these witnesses.

Palin was not on the list of those to expect subpoenas. French told the Anchorage Daily News that legislators decided not to subpoena Palin as a way to "de-escalate the situation" given the tension that has arisen between the Governor's office and the inquiry. But they clearly expect her to live up to her earlier promise to talk to investigators.

"We just want the truth, clear the air," French told the paper.

Lawmakers are putting the investigation on a fast track now that Palin is Republican John McCain's running mate. The investigation previously was expected to end on Oct. 31, just a few days before Election Day. French said the new target date for investigator Stephen Branchflower to complete the report is Oct. 10.

"It's just basic fairness to the governor," said French, an Anchorage Democrat who heads the Senate Judiciary Committee. "We started to focus on Oct. 31 because that's the end of Mr. Branchflower's contract, but our motion says prepare a report in a timely manner."


Background To Troopergate

In July, a state oversight committee approved $100,000 for an investigation into whether Palin fired public safety commissioner Walt Monegan because he would not dismiss a trooper, Mike Wooten, who went through a messy divorce with her sister before Palin's election as governor.

"I would like to put this behind me and move on with my life," Wooten said in an interview with The Washington Post, published on its Web site Friday night. "I don't wish ill will on anyone. I think that the nomination that Sarah got is great for the state of Alaska. I wish her good luck and the family good luck. I honestly think that everyone involved in this wanted to put this beyond us."

Wooten said he was proud he had once been part of the Palin family, but he contradicted Palin's statement that she overheard him in 2005 threaten her father during an argument with Palin's younger sister, Molly McCann, Wooten's wife at the time.

Wooten noted that an internal investigation failed to sustain the death-threat allegation.

"That did not happen," Wooten said. "There was obviously arguments between Molly and I, but there were no confrontations where I threatened to kill her father. I haven't threatened to kill anyone in that family."

Wooten said he had no direct information about efforts to have him fired after Palin became governor in 2006.

Monegan has said that he received calls from Palin, members of Palin's office and her husband, Todd Palin, about Wooten. Todd Palin has no official role in the Palin administration.

French and Branchflower, both former Anchorage prosecutors, said the state's Legislative Council has the right to authorize the investigation.

But Palin's state-hired attorney Thomas Van Flein said the matter should be taken up by the state's personnel board. Van Flein and Palin have asked the three members to resolve the dispute over the firing.

The board's members are appointed by the governor. One of the three, Debra English, was re-appointed by Palin in January. The other two members - Laura Plenert and Alfred Tamagni, Sr - have served since 2004 and 2006, respectively.

Tamgani donated $400 to Palin for her 2006 race for Governor.

In the meantime, several state employees working for the governor or her administration and deemed crucial witnesses by Branchflower have canceled appointments to give depositions. All potentially could be subpoenaed.

The seven who canceled their deposition who are being targeted by investigators include Palin aide Frank Bailey; Annette Kreitzer, Palin's administration commissioner; staffer Kris Perry; state personnel and labor relations director Nicki Neal; Karen Rehfeld, the governor's budget director; state risk management director Brad Thompson; and human resources manager Dianne Kiesel.

The state's two judiciary committees will meet Sept. 12 to call for the subpoenas, but Palin will not be among those targeted.

"I'm pleased that Gov. Palin will not be subpoenaed," said Rep. Jay Ramras, R-Fairbanks, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee. "I don't think it's appropriate that we attach a tinkerbell to her sweater. That would be a bad show on our behalf."

Bailey, the governor's director of boards and commissions, was recorded on tape questioning why Trooper Mike Wooten was still employed.

Wooten divorced Palin's sister and served a five-day suspension after the Palins filed a complaint against him for threatening Palin's father.

The Palins also accused Wooten of using a Taser on his stepson, drinking in his patrol car and illegally shooting a moose.

In the recorded conversation, Bailey is heard telling a lieutenant with the state trooper's office: "Todd and Sarah are scratching their heads, why on earth hasn't, why is this guy still representing the department? He's a horrible recruiting tool. ... You know, I mean from their perspective, everyone's protecting him."

Bailey is on paid leave. Last week he gave a sworn statement to Van Flein, telling the attorney he acted on his own.

But Bailey's lawyer Greg Grebe had kept Bailey from meeting Branchflower because, like Van Flein, he questioned Branchflower's jurisdiction.

Separately, senior Assistant Attorney General Mike Barnhill wrote a letter to Branchflower, complaining that the investigation is moving beyond the scope of Palin's firing of Monegan.

Barnhill says the investigation is now looking into whether employees from the Department of Administration illegally obtained confidential information from Wooten's personnel file.

Barnhill wrote that depositions of employees from the Department of Administration are "canceled until further notice."

French, however, said the written mission of the investigation, as approved by the Legislative Council, is clear. It states Branchflower is to "investigate the circumstances and events surrounding the termination of former Public Safety Commissioner Monegan, and potential abuses of power and/or improper actions by members of the executive branch."

[spinguy12]

Well here''s a howdy doo! More hypocrisy and mendacity in high places. I guess even a pit bull with lipstick ain''t squeaky clean.

[jmurrieta1]

What''s she got to hide?

Sounds like another round of Republican sleaze.

[smurfcrusher]

I guess this means she shouldn''t have abused her power.

It''s great to have handy reminders like this - how would she get along without them!

It''s tough to navigate treacherous political waters with a broken moral compass... LOL

[starleo146]

I wonder if she has a Gordon Liddy look alike up there,she will be free and he will be pardoned by shrub because it is before the election Oct will be the results they say

[gop_fornever]

How do you get 2 pigs to wear lipstick?

Have Palin kiss the 2nd pig.

[smurfcrusher]

"Subpoenas Due In Palin Trooper Probe
Gov. Backpedaled in Cooperating With Inquiry Into Fired Official Following Her VP Announcement"


Of course she did. What''s most important for her continues political ambitions, is the PERCEPTION of transparency, not the REALITY of it.

This is true because transparency would reveal inappropriate activities - such as looting the American taxpayer for ridiculous projects - while at the same time denying earmarks are used.

That''s why although McCain pledges to veto every earmark and "YOU WILL KNOW THEIR NAMES!" he gives Palin a pass and acts as if she hasn''t looted the Treasury.

You''ll never her them admit her actions unless cornered with no escape, or additional evidence making it impossibly to credibly deny.

Typical Republican strategy.

[smurfcrusher]

"At least she isn''''t Hitlery, that isa good thing! it sucks to be a liberal! LOL!!!!"

Posted by zgomer


Proof that "just say no" doesn''t work.

Each party chooses candidates that reflect their values.

Is it any wonder the Republicans choose fluff and "bottom .6%" McCain?

If they had intelligence, they would vote Democratic.

[obungler]

This is McCian''''s reform?


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by Policrypt at 10:06 AM : Sep 06, 2008

Actually, it''s called due process. But honk on...

[smurfcrusher]

"A lawyer for Palin had said earlier this week that the governor would not speak to investigators, preferring to have the investigation transferred to a state personnel board (whose three members are appointed by the governor) for review. Palin had previously said she would cooperate with the probe."


Too bad for her. Palin has a reputation for replacing people who aren''t "yes men" - so it''s a great thing indeed that her request was denied.

Otherwise, she would replace the state Personnel Board with her buddies - and they of course would agree with her lies.

Too bad, Palin! The whole country has its eyes on you now, and we tire of corruptive Republican influences.

[smurfcrusher]

"Another Democratic sleeze witch hunt. The''''ll get a Demo Judge and a Demo prosecutor and put together as many lies as they think the Demo media will tout for them."

Posted by whatwhy001

Funny thing about testimony under oath - it''s under oath.

You and other Republicans have plenty to fear from the truth.

I noticed the Democrats mentioned George Bush''s name more than ten times more frequently than the Republicans at their convention!

Hiding the truth does not change it. It astonishes me that so many Republican''s don''t "get" this...

[a8151947]

Any thing to help Osama. Why don''t we stop the whitch hunt?

[smurfcrusher]

"Key Alaska allies of John McCain are trying to derail a politically charged investigation into Gov. Sarah Palin''''s firing of her public safety commissioner in order to prevent a so-called "October surprise" that would produce embarrassing information about the vice presidential candidate on the eve of the election.

They shouldn''''t be interfering with "due process" should they OBungler?"

Posted by Policrypt


Perception versus reality.
So many people are struggling to stay financially solvent, that they don''t have the time to uncover Republican sleaze.

But the DO have time to read the conclusions of Grand Jury investigations. Republicans fear this. If they can derail the process early, they can limit the damage.

They don''t care if she abused her power. Let''s face it - the Republicans did the same thing by dismissing Democratic candidates for government jobs!

But in their minds, although doing this is illegal, it wasn''t a crime. Go figure.

[christviews]

every political ___ (you fill in the space) has dirty on them. You have done bad things. She will be in office if God appoints her and no one can stop that.

[smurfcrusher]

"According to Nicole Wallace of the McCain campaign, the American people don''''t care whether Sarah Palin can answer specific questions about foreign and domestic policy. According to Wallace -- in an appearance I did with her this morning on Joe Scarborough''''s show -- the American people will learn all they need to know (and all they deserve to know) from Palin''''s scripted speeches and choreographed appearances on the campaign trail and in campaign ads."

Posted by Policrypt


This beauty school dropout belongs in a GREASE play, not our highest offices!

[ljb6599]

a8151947....The maverick candidate is in trouble.Just another corrupt reublican!!The old man is in trouble!!
OBAMA/BIDEN 2008

[smurfcrusher]

"every political ___ (you fill in the space) has dirty on them. You have done bad things. She will be in office if God appoints her and no one can stop that."

Posted by christviews


Just like Hitler, right?

I take it you are for legalizing marijuana...

[mainedoggie]

=============
A lawyer for Palin had said earlier this week that the governor would not speak to investigators, preferring to have the investigation transferred to a state personnel board (whose three members are appointed by the governor) for review.
==============

How does the saying go? "Handing the fox the key to the hen-house"

Show me a republican, and I''ll show you a crook.

[aeasus]

Just more of the same......

[christviews]

all this sweat talk and "big terms" and "big thinkers" doesnt mean anything at the end of the day. I would like for the first person who hasnt sinned to throw the first stone. Come on people. I would have fired him too. Thank God she didnt abort her son or have her daughter put in a boarding school and forget about her. THank GOd there are some real parents with real issues with political standing! I say GO SARAH!!

[labourboss]

I guess the repubs forgot what happened to Spiro Agnew

[jmurrieta1]

Everyone''s innocent until they''re proven guilty.

It''s just when they want to stop the trial you get suspicious.

Is there a pattern of Republican sleaze here?

More Tricky *** / Curious George type "justice"?

You see, you just can''t run away from yourself, Palin!

[shazam118]

Sarah penguin mccain will make you do the monkey dance and you will so sorry that you ever accepted to be his ding wing vice president.....don''t cry sarah baby me understand these oil thugs very very well they are all blood suckers and full of evil that drives their engines....

[smurfcrusher]

"all this sweat talk and "big terms" and "big thinkers" doesnt mean anything at the end of the day. I would like for the first person who hasnt sinned to throw the first stone. Come on people. I would have fired him too."

So much for not throwing the first stone. I guess if you''re Christviews that principle doesn''t apply.

Think logically for a moment. If nobody "threw the first stone" - no body ever questioned government wrongdoing, because we all have "sinned" -

do you think this would improve our political system, or harm it?

Be real. The day we stop getting slime out of our political offices is the day we surrender to evil.

[shazam118]

correction;Sarah penguin mccain will make you do the monkey dance and you will be so sorry that you ever accepted to be his ding wing vice president.....don''''t cry sarah baby me understand these oil thugs very very well they are all blood suckers and full of evil that drives their engines....




Posted by shazam118 at 10:31 AM : Sep 06, 2008

[joker1944-2009]

Of course if this was a Democrat the rightwing would be choking on their own rage demanding immediate impeachment hearings and so forth.

But it''s one of their, so naturally it''s some kind of ''librul conspiracy.''

You fools picked this disaster so don''t blame us for what happens. Now that her hate-filled speech is fading, people are going to get to know the ''real'' Gov. Palin. And many of the voters she was supposed to bring over won''t like her.

[cattlekate]

Palin, July, 2008: %u201CAs for that VP talk all the time, I''ll tell you, I still can''t answer that question until somebody answers for me what is it exactly that the VP does every day?%u201D

[christviews]

Well, dont you worry we wont''t have to survive "rep reform" much longer. I''m sure while we are daunting around and whining about PALin, instead of focusing on terrorists, we will be wiped off the face of the earth. EVer noticed how the USA Is never mentioned in the bible? Yeah, so instead of getting your grippie pants on and complaining "Democrat this and Republic that" Maybe we can start praying for our future president and stand behind him/her him/him. What a novel idea. Everyone tries to be God. HInt: DONT try to be God. Let GOD Handle this. PEACe

[neoconrcrazy]

no surprise, palin is tainted goods....

mcBushes "valid till" date is expired....

victory for obama/biden guaranteed

[smurfcrusher]

"Palin, July, 2008: %u201CAs for that VP talk all the time, I''''ll tell you, I still can''''t answer that question until somebody answers for me what is it exactly that the VP does every day?%u201D"

Posted by cattlekate

Screws the American people daily, of course.. Just look at *** Cheney (can''t use his first name, the censors blocked it).

Of course the current Administration is so secretive, I doubt if many people understands what our current vice president does... the worst VP for the worst President ever.

[christviews]

Well, dont you worry we wont''''t have to survive "rep reform" much longer. I''''m sure while we are daunting around and whining about PALin, instead of focusing on terrorists, we will be wiped off the face of the earth. EVer noticed how the USA Is never mentioned in the bible? Yeah, so instead of getting your grippie pants on and complaining "Democrat this and Republic that" Maybe we can start praying for our future president and stand behind him/her him/him. What a novel idea. Everyone tries to be God. HInt: DONT try to be God. Let GOD Handle this. PEACe

[mainedoggie]

Palin is a pig. Period. She''s following in the footsteps of big pig Karl Rove (oink, oink),
bigger piggie Donald Rumsfeld,
and the following piglets:
Bush, Cheney, Wolfowitz, Feith, all of those at the now defunct "PNAC"
(you know who you are you thugs...)
all of you at Fox News,
and the National Review (hogs)...
Rush Limbaugh (uneducated quack) ,
Sean Hannity (*********),
Laura Ingraham(Right-Wing Radio%u2019s High Priestess of Hate)

Did I miss anyone?


And by the way... your dear Palin speech is the best you''ve heard in the last 8 years because your president cannot speak the english language!

Perfectly written rhetoric, delivered perfectly by a former sports-newscaster... mediocre at best, and lacking any content that Americans care about.

nicely done neocons!

[smurfcrusher]

"... we will be wiped off the face of the earth. EVer noticed how the USA Is never mentioned in the bible? Yeah, so instead of getting your grippie pants on and complaining "Democrat this and Republic that" Maybe we can start praying for our future president and stand behind him/her him/him. What a novel idea. Everyone tries to be God. HInt: DONT try to be God. Let GOD Handle this. PEACe"

Posted by christviews

HUH??! Columbus discovered the New World a little after the bible was published!

The bible doesn''t mention dinosaurs either; there weren''t a lot of Paleontologists around 2,000 years ago....

Baffling.

[smurfcrusher]

"no surprise, palin is tainted goods....

mcBushes "valid till" date is expired....

victory for obama/biden guaranteed"

Posted by neoconRcrazy

Judging by the 1,000 + pages of medical reports on McCain since 2000, I''d say his warranty has expired.

[cattlekate]

We aren''t going to see Palin on any grilling shows like Meet the Press - she''ll just be on right wing shows with a script.

Americans can''t be this stupid.

[rocketjl]

Poor try. You news nuts are trying to make it seem as if the person whose name you listed will/may get a subpoena. Then you say the person is not being considered for a subpoena. Pretty desperate to get readers. This is the kind of news *** that makes a reader wonder about the truth in an article.

[shoebox119]

You have to hand it to Sarah Palin. She''s wasting no time fitting in with the Republican culture of corruption. No wonder the GOP faithful love her so much.

[lontrotsky]

Why do we have to put the nation thru more subpeonas, investigations, court cases, headlines, etc during a presidential campaign? Why couldn''t he have vetted her adequately so we don''t have to go thru this--not a good indicator or how he would act as President.

[sandy19731]

Raise your hand if you have ever had a boss like Sarah Palin.

Great experience, wasn''t it?

[rjstolba]

So much for Palin''s honest. open government position. She and her cronies are cicling the wagons. Oh yeh, she will speak to her APPOINTED CRONIES on the personnell board. This lady is good. She''a already taking a page from the BUSH how to not comply with honest inquiries and only reply to those you want to.

[ragnar30066]

There is no area in which Palin and Obama differ more than on the topic of reform. While Obama talks about "Change", the fact of the matter is that he spent the overwhelming majority of his politcal career being a cog the infamous Chicago machine politics, protecting the status quo from reform. Palin is viewed as a "conservative" or "traditionalist", yet the overwhelming majority of her political career helping the voters get rid of "politics as usual".

Let''s face it. Good government doesn''t sell many newspapers. It provides little content for the News broadcasts. Perhaps that is why we''ve never heard anything of the tons of well documented stuff about Obama as a foot-solder in the Chicago machine politics, but the media is falling all over itself to turn Palin''s transferring an insubordinate bureaucrat for not getting a dangerous cop off the road.

I''ve known a number of governors. I don''t know of one who would have been as "nice" about it as Palin.

[shoebox119]

''Gov. Backpedaled in Cooperating With Inquiry Into Fired Official Following Her VP Announcement"

In perfect harmony with all the Bush administration cronies... thumbing her nose at a perfectly justifiable and legal investigation. What does she have to hide?

[ttkkdd]

Sarah Palin should get the same result as what she did. Fired.

[ljld]

It seems to me that Obama''s supporters are not going by the reverend King''s speach...Judge a man by the content of his charactor not the color of his skin.
It appears that the color of Obama''s skin is the very reason many of his supporters are voting for. As for Obama''s change, I for one did not hear any specifics in his acceptance speach. There is not one President that has changed anything without Congress and the polls I see give them the worst approval rating ever. Could be that maybe Ms. Pelosi isn''t the mesiah anymore than Obama.

[shoebox119]

Why couldn''t he have vetted her adequately so we don''t have to go thru this--not a good indicator or how he would act as President.

Posted by lontrotsky

_____

It does speak volumes as to the ability for John McCain''s to make a sound and rational judgment. In this case, his choice was personal and selfish, and not in the best interests of the American people.

[smurfcrusher]

"Why do we have to put the nation thru more subpeonas, investigations, court cases, headlines, etc during a presidential campaign? ..."

Posted by lontrotsky

Two reasons.

1. She refuses to cooperate
2. McCain''s first two choices, although far more qualified than Palin, weren''t extreme enough for the Right Wing.

because of this, McCain had no time to properly vet others. He would never admit to such a gaffe - it might reflect on his poor judgment.

(Joe Lieberman, and Tom Ridge)

[sean5002]

Sounds very ROVE like...not showing up , thats the change we can believe in MY FRIENDS.

[shoebox119]

It seems to me that Obama''s supporters are not going by the reverend King''''s speach...Judge a man by the content of his charactor not the color of his skin. It appears that the color of Obama''s skin is the very reason many of his supporters are voting for.

Posted by ljld

______

Name ONE INDIVIDUAL who has publicly gone on record who says he/she is voting for Obama because he is black.

Name one... I''ll wait.

[sandy19731]

But, But, But,
=She shoots live animals and eats them.
=She decided to get pregnant at age 45 knowing the odds of having a Down Syndrome baby was one in fifty.
=Her 17 year old daughter is pregnant and Mom''s government health insurance is going to pay for the birth because to get married now would meant the couple would be uninsured.
=And,..... she looks like a Fox news reporter.
SARAH! SARAH! SARAH!

[shoebox119]

It seems to me that Obama''''s supporters are not going by the reverend King''''s speach...Judge a man by the content of his charactor not the color of his skin.
It appears that the color of Obama''''s skin is the very reason many of his supporters are voting for. As for Obama''''s change, I for one did not hear any specifics in his acceptance speach. There is not one President that has changed anything without Congress and the polls I see give them the worst approval rating ever. Could be that maybe Ms. Pelosi isn''''t the mesiah anymore than Obama.

Posted by ljld


_______

Do your homework, idiot. Clinton WAS impeached and the Senate cleared him.

[ljld]

Excuse me aint, but I am not a racist! I intend to vote for the person not the party and not the color of ones skin. You sound like you are the one that has a problem with race. I however, will vote the content of one''s charactor. I have worked for someone that was in that nice little place called "The Hanoi Hilton" that was imprissoned with McCain and I can attest to the charactor of the men and women that have endured what they had to endure. I believe charactor and service matters to more Americans than you think!