ANCHORAGE, Alaska, Sept. 18, 2008
Todd Palin Ignores Troopergate Subpoena
Lawyer Says Governor's Husband Objects To Probe, Finds Call To Testify "Unduly Burdensome"
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Troopergate Inquiry Dogs Palin
Alaska Republicans seek to delay an inquiry into whether Governor Sarah Palin acted improperly and used her office to settle a personal grudge. Chip Reid reports.
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Republican vice presidential candidate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin waves with her husband Todd as she arrives in Fairbanks, Alaska, Sept. 10, 2008. (AP)
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Palin's Path
A look at Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's life and career
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Sarah Palin
Alaska's youngest and first female governor tabbed to be McCain's running mate.
Todd Palin, who participates in state business in person or by e-mail, was among 13 people subpoenaed by the Alaska Legislature. Palin's lawyer sent a letter to the lead investigator saying Palin objected to the probe and would not appear to testify on Friday.
"The objections boil down to the fact that the Legislative Council investigation is no longer a legitimate investigation because it has been subjected to complete partisanship and does not operate with the authority that it had at the time of its initial authorization," McCain-Palin presidential campaign spokesman Ed O'Callaghan said.
Sarah Palin initially welcomed the bipartisan investigation into accusations that she dismissed the state's public safety commissioner because he refused to fire her ex-brother-in-law, a state trooper. "Hold me accountable," she said.
But she has increasingly opposed it since Republican presidential candidate John McCain tapped her as his running mate. The McCain campaign dispatched a legal team to Alaska including O'Callaghan, a former top U.S. terrorism prosecutor from New York to bolster Palin's local lawyer.
In the letter, Palin attorney Thomas Van Flein lists nine objections to the Legislature's investigation into Gov. Palin. Van Flein also argues the subpoena is "unduly burdensome" because Palin has travel plans that require him to be out of the state.
Earlier this week, Alaska Attorney General Talis Colberg said the governor, who was not subpoenaed, declined to participate in the investigation and said Palin administration employees who have been subpoenaed would not appear.
State Sen. Bill Wielechowski, a Democrat, said the McCain campaign is doing all it can to prevent the Legislature from completing a report on whether the GOP's vice presidential nominee abused her power as governor.
Wielechowski and another member of the panel that summoned the witnesses, told The Associated Press that the witnesses can avoid testifying for months without penalty and that court action to force them to appear sooner is unlikely.
Republican Sen. Gene Therriault agreed with Wielechowski's analysis.
"If we had turned the rhetoric down and turned the pressure down to do some things we might have gotten voluntary cooperation," said Therriault, who opposed the subpoenas.
The McCain-Palin campaign said Thursday that Gov. Palin is cooperating with a separate Alaska State Personnel Board investigation into Troopergate. Palin initiated that investigation after she joined McCain's ticket. The three-member board is appointed by the governor.
"I can't say it enough, the governor is an open book on this matter," McCain spokeswoman Meg Stapleton said. "She is fully cooperating with the unbiased, legally appropriate and independent investigation of the State Personnel Board."
Palin fired Walt Monegan in July. It later emerged that Palin, her husband, Todd, and several high-level staffers had contacted Monegan about state trooper Mike Wooten. Palin maintains she fired Monegan over budget disagreements, not because he wouldn't dismiss her former brother-in-law.
Wooten had gone through a nasty divorce from Palin's sister before Palin became governor. While Monegan says no one from the administration ever told him directly to fire Wooten, he says their repeated contacts made it clear they wanted Wooten gone.
Alaska Senate President Lyda Green, a Republican foe of Palin, said Wednesday that the investigation is still on track.
"The original purpose of the investigation was to bring out the truth. Nothing has changed," she said.
Without the testimony, the retired prosecutor hired to head the investigation could still release a report in October as scheduled, based on the evidence he's already gathered. As of Thursday, Steven Branchflower had interviewed or deposed 17 of the 33 people he had identified as potential witnesses in the probe.
The Legislature does not have the leverage to compel any witness to testify before Nov. 4, said Wielechowski, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Wielechowski said he did not know whether Branchflower has enough material for a complete and fair report with so few witnesses. But he said delaying the probe would only politicize the matter more.
"It would be to appease the McCain camp," Wielechowski said. "They're doing everything they can to delay."
Ignoring a legislative subpoena is punishable by a fine up to $500 and up to six months in jail under Alaska law. But courts are reluctant to intervene in legislative matters and the full Legislature must be in session to bring contempt charges, Wielechowski said. The Legislature is not scheduled to convene until January.
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See all 1042 CommentsBTW, how many hair colors does Sarah have? That woman changes color more often than a chameleon!
Subpoena him. And then jail the SOB when he says he is above the law.
*** its bad when your own party is going after you
Subpoena him. And then jail the SOB when he says he is above the law.
Posted by jumkey at 10:46 PM
They have already subpoenaed him.
Also, Todd Palin is not a state employee, he is not a politician, he is just a ordinary CITIZEN! Would any other citizen get away with refusing a subpoena?
Posted by BCDwriter
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Actually the Bush administration has been refusing to answer to subpoenas all the time. Other excuses they use to keep the laws they break from being exposed are State Secrets, National Security and executive privilege. If McSame becomes President we will be in for nothing less than what we have gotten for the last 8 years. It%u2019s said that proof is in the pudding and this is bowel of pudding goes in the Guinness World Records.
As for how stupid the American people are? Just under half the voting population and most of the Electoral College voted for Bush.
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So why exactly is Todd Palin "participating in state busniness?" Is this a true feminist that has to have her man help her run the state. We have a woman gov. here is Kansas and I have never heard that her husband participates in state business. So, no we have to worry about Todd running the country??
To say "hold me accountable!" and then obstruct the investigation? To claim it''s partisan when the unanimous vote to move forward was mostly by Republicans?
They just don''t get it - and freedom loving people everywhere are grateful.
Obama / Biden ''08!
Posted by kansas1946
Note too, that Todd Palin, who has no official State function, was in possession of confidential employment records which should have been in custody of the state.
Perhaps Palin is afraid HE will be in custody of the state when the investigation eventually moves forward!
He''ll be the Iron BAR dog, then.
With good reason, the Palins fear the light.
you went to hawaii and couldnt find any dirt so you try to create some? even to the extent of taking the woman''''s private emails?
Let the Revenge be God''''s."
Posted by fenner
Excuse me? Who says it wasn''t a Republican?
Maybe it was "God''s Will" that Palin should be revealed as using a Yahoo account to conduct Official business, in violation of Alaska law.
One Yahoo deserves another.
Posted by fenner at 11:41 PM : Sep 18, 2008
If Palin was willing to testify 2 months ago, has all the documentation to support the firing, and the firing was legitimate, she and her husband wound DEMAND their day in court to clear their "Good Names". After all, they would have NOTHING TO HIDE!! It would be great free publicity and bolster her position as a "reform" candidate, cleaning out the bad apples. Real change (as McSame would like us to believe).
But like Bush and so many of his GOP cronies, a subpoena today usually equates to running and hiding, because they are GUILTY, not innocent.
Why do you think Bush always wants to talk but only when he is "not under oath"? Simple - he can "legally" lie like a leaky bucket and can''t be touched.
W & McSame: Worst ever and Worst that might let be
I was expecting some bonehead-******* defense of Palin refusing to cooperate with Troopergate (after she said she would), and even though 8 Republicans and 4 Democrats voted to move forward with the investigation.
You guys and gals out there? Any defense for poor Sarah? Let''s hear it... or admit what she is doing is wrong.
Posted by fenner
Yes, by all means, McCain & Co. should prove that politics don''t have to be dirty.
After all, even KARL ROVE himself has said McCain''s lying campaign has gone too far!
From him, that''s really saying something.
http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/09/14/campaign.wrap/
Before you think Rove is crazy for saying that, consider this - McCain''s lies are SO beyond the pale, that average Americans see right through him. This is more destructive to McCain than if he said nothing. So Rove is still looking out for his party by his comments.
Executive privilege (while a misnomer), certainly does not apply to him. He cannot just refuse to show up.
He should be ARRESTED if he does not comply with the court or subpoena.
Period.
Posted by johncain4
Actually, Sarah Palin wants an office that SHE APPOINTS to lead the investigation.
Fortunately folks are not that stupid. Excuse me, most people. They know that it would be impossible to get a fair investigation if the personnel were in (justified) fear of losing their jobs.
Anchorage Daily News:
"The three-member Personnel Board is appointed by the governor"
http://www.adn.com/monegan/story/513137.html
"(CNN) -- Republican vice presidential pick Sarah Palin wants a quick ruling from the state Personnel Board she has asked to investigate her firing of the state''s public safety commissioner, her lawyer said Wednesday."
http://www.bahamasissues.com/showthread.php?t=18025
Republican corruption at it''s finest.
How can you defend this conduct?
Posted by trishab58 at 12:03 AM : Sep 19, 2008
I knew she was bad news from the very moment I saw her. I have ESP.:)
"History will be made with a woman in the White House and not an African muslim man who is strongly antisemitic."
Posted by johncain4
He surely KNOWS this is a lie, but it''s such an obvious one that people aren''t falling for it. It shows the Republicans for what they are - desperate, and lusting for power so strongly that they''ll lie and cheat, and try whatever they think will work, to get them in office.
It''s like blood to vampires!
So let them spread their lies - Karl Rove already warned the campaign, because of all the damage it causes - and let their poll numbers melt like snow in the Spring. :)
Posted by trishab58 at 12:03 AM : Sep 19, 2008
I knew she was bad news from the very moment I saw her. I have ESP.:)"
Posted by erasmus81
She''s shrill and getting shriller! She''ll break your eardrums before she''s through...! ;)
"GOVERNMENT OF THE PALINS, BY THE PALINS AND FOR THE PALINS." Thanks Sarah for putting your family first and the average citizen second.
Posted by URSODUMB
Your intellect is incredible.
Sadly, not in the way you might prefer.
Troopergate is about an abuse of power. About inappropriately firing people. Inappropriately is the key word. It''s a long word, but I think you can read it slowly and let it sink in.
Of course people get fired. But if you pressured an administrator to fire someone because they were in a bitter divorce with your sister, would that be right?
Then again, I''ve been fired lots of times so anything I say is false. (by your ''reasoning'' anyway)
You really should cut down on those inhalants. It can cause some serious long-term damage. What did your brain cells do to deserve this?
how exactly does this even make sense??
Posted by URSODUMB
Perhaps Alaska does not have "employment at will".
Eight Republicans and four Democrats voted to move forward with the investigation.
Again, this investigation is about abuse of power. The firing is incidental. These are serious allegations, Todd Palin can do six months of jail time if he continues to refuse the subpoena. He can be held in contempt when the full legislature convenes again in January.
Plus, the Republicans are looking like real slimeballs for saying "hold me accountable!" and when the bipartisan panel does just that, Palin clams up and gets a lawyer.
Get a clue, you.
Honarary PHD from the *** Cheney School Of Abuse of Power for "PUTTING A PALIN FIRST". Obviously shes guilty any investigation would NOT clear her name.
how exactly does this even make sense??"
Posted by URSODUMB
Allow me to explain. If Palin said, "fire this jerk, he''s causing my sister major grief in their divorce" a major scandal would have erupted and Palin would be finished, politically.
Instead, she is alleged to have lots of people pressure the administrator to fire the trooper in question. It was much more subtle. She is careful about such things.
For example - in Wasilla Alaska, before firing the librarian, she asked "what would you say if I wanted certain books removed?" She didn''t say, Ban these books! because, again, there would have been a scandal.
Her staff investigated how it might be possible to subvert a subpoena, such as by using personal Blackberries and public email (like Yahoo mail) instead of the official Alaska email system she was required to use (and which is archived and examined for wrongdoing).
Do you get it?
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