Troopergate Probe To End Before Election

Lawmaker Says Probe Into Gov. Sarah Palin's Alleged Abuse Of Power Will End In October

(AP)  The Alaska lawmaker directing an abuse-of-power investigation of Gov. Sarah Palin promised Friday the probe will be finished before the election, despite refusals by key witnesses to testify, including the governor's husband.

After waiting 35 minutes for Todd Palin and two state administrative employees to appear under subpoena before the state Senate Judiciary Committee, Sen. Hollis French condemned their refusal to testify and the attorney general's broken promise that seven other witnesses would testify who were not subpoenaed.

French said the retired prosecutor hired by the Alaska Legislature to investigate Palin, Stephen Branchflower, will conclude his investigation by Oct. 10. Still, that report will not include testimony from the Republican vice presidential nominee, her husband or most of the top aides Branchflower hoped to interview.

Sarah Palin's allies hoped the investigation would be delayed past the election to spare her any troublesome revelations or at least the distraction before voters have made their choice. Palin's reputation as clean-government advocate who takes on entrenched interests is central to her appeal as Republican John McCain's running mate, and possibly at risk in the probe.

Palin initially promised to cooperate in the investigation, telling the Legislature to "hold me accountable." Lawmakers were investigating accusations she dismissed the state's public safety commissioner because he refused to fire her ex-brother-in-law, a state trooper. She now opposes the investigation.

Palin spokesman Bill McAllister declined to comment Friday. The McCain campaign said there are concerns about the effect of political influence on the Legislature's inquiry and Palin will provide any information needed to a separate investigation by the Alaska State Personnel Board.

The committee subpoenaed six people to appear Friday to testify or meet for private interviews with Branchflower. French said three of those six had complied. Todd Palin, special assistant Ivy Frye and Randy Ruaro, who is the governor's deputy chief of staff, did not.

Todd Palin's attorney sent French a letter Thursday listing Palin's objections to the Legislature's investigation of his wife. Among them, the attorney said, were jurisdiction questions, separation of power issues and an inconvenient travel schedule.

Subpoenas were approved on seven other government employees, but not served because the state attorney general's office had agreed to cooperate, French said. But Attorney General Talis Colberg earlier this week reversed himself, saying the governor declined to participate and that Palin administration employees would not appear.

French said subpoenas will be issued for those seven people, ordering them to testify on Sept. 26.

Witnesses who refuse to testify can be found in contempt under Alaska law. But the full Legislature must be in session, which won't happen until January. That means witnesses can stonewall without penalty beyond the Nov. 4 election, lawmakers said.

One of them, Sen. Gene Therriault, opposed the subpoenas. He said Friday the investigation was intended to uncover whether the governor was justified in firing Public Safety Commissioner Walt Monegan, and he believes she was.

Palin fired Monegan in July. It later emerged that Palin, her husband and several high-level staffers had contacted Monegan about state trooper Mike Wooten. Palin maintains she fired Monegan over budget disagreements.

Wooten had gone through a nasty divorce from Palin's sister before Palin became governor. Monegan has said no one from the administration ever told him directly to fire Wooten, but he said their repeated contacts made it clear they wanted Wooten gone.

[augustman53]

It is my humble view that all elected officials have the responsibilty to repond honestly and swiftly to his or her constiuents any and all "questionable" acts that disrupts or potentially disrupts the governing process. Especially if "one" has agreed to the people one was voted into to office to do so.

[nodevils2]

The most significant change that Obama/Biden will bring to the White House is leadership that actually leads, by changing our government%u2019s strategies and culture so that they have a better fit to the global economy. Obama has an excellent ability to shape a strategic vision of a realistic and attractive future that binds us together as Americans and focuses our energy toward super ordinate goals as a nation. Obama stands alone as the candidate who can frame messages around a grand purpose with emotional appeal that captivates the best in us. Transformational leaders not only talk about a vision; they enact it. They walk the talk by stepping outside the executive suite and doing things that symbolize the vision, the way that Obama performed during the primaries and the way he has run a STELLAR overall campaign. Obama stands alone as the candidate best equipped to demonstrate a Can Do attitude with an image of honesty, trust, and integrity. OBAMA IS THE BEST CANDIDATE FOR PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES! Obama 08; Yes We Can

[nodevils2]

What many extreme evangelical Christians fail to realize is that Obama is truly a real Christian. The Dobson group mocked Obama by caricaturing him as an Uncle Ben''s rice or Aunt Jemima type character on a waffle box, which was sold at their function. Many may have seen the video discussing the box on The View, as Hasselbeck spoke out against Obama racism. This demeaning act showed that real Christianity is not exhibited by Dobson%u2019s group. Jesus spoke of the Good Samaritan, as a clear example that racism is a weakness, not strength. In our economy, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination on the basis race, national origin, ***, age, and disability. Racism is un-patriotic, anti-Christian, sinful behavior, according to any and all Christian bibles!

Barack and Michelle truly love God as Christians and have a marriage that reflects real Christian and American values. Their cute marriage and precious daughters are an inspiration for all Americans and represent America%u2019s best. Together with the Christian love between Joe and Jill Biden, Obama/Biden will govern with fairness and God will bless America as a beacon of hope for the whole world.

[nodevils2]

White privilege is when you can attend four different colleges in six years like Sarah Palin did (one of which you basically failed out of, then returned to after making up some coursework at a community college), and no one questions your intelligence or commitment to achievement, whereas a person of color who did this would be viewed as unfit for college, and probably someone who only got in in the first place because of affirmative action.

White privilege is being able to be a gun enthusiast and not make people immediately scared of you. White privilege is being able to have a husband who was a member of an extremist political party that wants your state to secede from the Union, and whose motto was "Alaska first," and no one questions your patriotism or that of your family

"I don''t know why they''re trying to paint this [legislative investigation] as a Democratic partisan attack," said state Sen. Wielechowski. "The thing I constantly remind people of is: Democrats didn''''''''t push this. You know who pushed it? It was the Republicans. This is the thing people conveniently forget now. There were no Democrats out there screaming for an investigation."

The House Judiciary Committee vote to endorse the issuance of the subpoenas included five Republicans and two Democrats.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-troopergate21-2008sep21,0,2158301.story?page=2

[clay_nc]

see Obama saying here what he will do to our military in a time of war .... very scary !!!
www.calebgrace.com

McCain / Palin ''''08

[im4honesty]

ARE YOU STUPID ENOUGH TO VOTE FOR McCAIN/PALIN???

[pastdue1]

Well, it looks like, again, the McCain-Palin camp is thwarting all efforts to let the public know just what and who Palin is. They have pressured the Commission on Presidential Debates to limit the vp debates to , guess what, prepared answers. They justify with " want Ms Palin to have opportunities to present Mr. McCain''s position. . . NYTimes.
Is there something so basically wrong with Palin or something so damaging in her past that allowing her to answer, without script, would damage the McCain-Palin ticket?

[simon9999-2009]

Prediction-

After the end of Sarah Mooseburger''s first term:
Dow 3000
Unemployment 20%
Foreclosures 25%
Twenty more major banks fail.

She''s re-elected in a landslide because she''s pro-choice and cute.

[flarebel77]

*yawn* this is all the liberals have on Palin. Fact remains the lousy no good trooper wasn''t fired and Monodam could have been fired for any reason because he was appointed to the position. Sorry Demorats smear tactics are getting old. McCain/Palin 08

[clovisbuford]

So Obama''''s radical stance on letting babies die in soiled linen closet is going to get him elected? Posted by McCainO8NC at 10:39 PM : Sep 20, 2008
eerrr thats what you got when abortion was illegal and performed in back alleys .Pro choice people are just as committed to reducing the number of abortions,while still laving the choice to a woman, they just happen to believe it involves more than Just say no *** education , it also includes access to reliable birth control , condoms included ,an age appropriate *** education. Its funny to me that republicans are now against contraceptives and family planning while railing against abortions.
The first reduces the second .The truth is Republicans want to impose a state morality about *** on Americans, a decision that most Americans dont agree with .

[clovisbuford]

Obamas Top Advisers---
Al Sharpton
Louis Farrakhan
William Ayres
Anthony Rezko
Rev. Wright
Posted by mr22581
YOU ARE RIGHT...AND THEY ALL HAVE OBAMA''''S CELL PHONE NUMBER WHERE THEY WILL CALL HIM FOR PUSHING THEIR ANTI-AMERICAN POLICYS
Posted by johnny302 at 11:19 AM : Sep 20, 2008
You really ought to consider whether you are delusional or not,or at least find a new place to troll

[mccaino8nc]

Posted by McTwoteeth

So Obama''s radical stance on letting babies die in soiled linen closet is going to get him elected?

[cessna172_]

You know Ladies and Gentlemen if more individuals were removed from office rather than being re-cycled back into the system this country might not be in such heavy *** debt from government agencies .

Maybe she will improve Washington by holding individuals responsable for their actions .

This is why our late Peter Jennings hosted the news program Fleecing of america on NBC .

[cessna172_]

This is nothing more than a pissing contest between Sen French and Gov/VP to be Palin .

You know Ladies and Gen

[seriously121]

See what I''m saying "WA WA WA...It''s the Democrats doing it!!!" THIS IS SO SO SAD!!!

[seriously121]

I''m just amazed at some of the comments I see on here and other news websites. I don''t care how guilty Palin looks, everyone acts as though they don''t see NONE OF IT!!! But you continue to make false accusations and lies against OBAMA. It''s so sad people, see it for what it is... A CAMPAIGN OF MASS DISTRACTION. I''ll be so happy when Palin''s stuff finally smacks her in the face and the Republican party falls apart for this election. Then what will everyone do then...Say OBAMA caused it??? Sad people, open your eyes and deal with the fact that the next president of these United States...WILL BE A BLACK MAN!!! Don''t HATE about it...ACCEPT IT!!!

[lindaredtail]

I know that the lies about Obama will continue. The "swiftboaters" are out in full force. What saddens me more is the poll that came out this morning on CBS news of how big a factor race will play they think. (not in Obama''s favor either) A large number of people actually lied when polled that they had voted for him when really they had voted for Hillary Clinton. Where they got the numbers from I am not certain. Perhaps as a nation and as individuals we need to examine ourselves and our prejudices. Otherwise we will end up with the dishonest, McCain/Palin ticket in office. Another at least 4 years of economic, social and world-relation disasters.

[mediawatch50]

The righty spammers aree also lying about Obama''s legislative record. Again, they can''t defend Palin, so they need to play unbeievably stupid and try to change the subject with more lies....Obama has sponsored 130 bills since he has been a Senator....McCain has sponsored 38....Keep lying, righties. I''ll keep laughing.

[lindaredtail]

I begin to think StormyOne that you are seriously deluded. Sarah Palin did none of those things. I lived in Alaska. The money she supposedly ''gave back'' is given back to taxpayers from a fund that has existed for more than a decade. People defy supboenas when they don''t want to tell the truth. She also lied about the jet. It was not sold on e-bay and there was no profit. The state of Alaska took a loss on the sale. She has done very little in her state and certainly nothing on a federal level.

And as for ''infrastructure''. That is being built with the earmarks she tries to insist she doesn''t accept.

[mediawatch50]

Too funny! You just proved yourself a LIAR!


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Posted by StormeyOne at 10:20 AM : Sep 20, 2008
+ report abuse


Gosh, righty. Let me explain. "8-15-2008" is a way to write a date. You know what a date is, don''t you? It marks a certain time. Time is a concept that includes "before", "during" and "after". Are you still with me? I hope this isn''t too complicated for you. Now, "8-15-2008" is a date that is "before" Palin was chosen as VP. It is also "before" anyone thought she would be chosen. So, it proves that Troopergate was going on "before" she was chosen as VP. Too complicated for you? That would make sense, since only a complete blithering idiot could vote for this ticket.