Untold Chapter Of Troopergate

Governor's Replacement For Top Cop Quit Within Two Weeks Amid Scandal

(CBS)  CBS News investigative producer Laura Strickler wrote this story for CBSNews.com.

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Today, Alaska legislators will release the results of their “Troopergate” investigation into whether or not Governor Sarah Palin abused the power of her office. Palin is accused of pressuring her Commissioner of Public Safety, Walt Monegan to fire her brother-in-law, a state trooper who was undergoing a bitter divorce with her sister.

But while much attention has focused on Monegan’s firing, some point to how she handled his replacement as a real test of judgment.

Late on the afternoon of Friday, July 11, 2008 Palin’s office announced Monegan would step down and be replaced by Kenai Police Chief Charles Kopp. Kenai is about 160 miles from Anchorage and has less than 8,000 residents. Palin said she brought in Kopp to usher in a “new direction.”

Kopp was no stranger to Palin, nor Juneau. He served on transition teams for both Governors Frank Murkowski and Palin. But he was not given the role of top cop in her administration. That only came after Palin fired Monegan.

Almost as soon as Kopp was named to the job, John Cyr of the Public Safety Employees Association says he began receiving complaints, about 10 in all, about Kopp. Even before his first day, news broke about a sexual harassment claim that was filed against him a few years earlier by a former employee.

A letter of reprimand was placed in Kopp’s file for the incident that he referred to as a series of “friendly hugs.” Since no further complaints were made, the letter was removed from his file after two years and Kopp said there were never any other complaints. Kopp also told reporters that Palin knew about the complaint before she appointed him.

The harassment allegations became the awkward focus of his first press conference, forcing a stammering Kopp at one point to declare, “There’s no skeletons in my closet.”

During the press conference a press secretary interrupted reporters’ questions saying, “The point of this press conference is to discuss our [department’s] future.” And yet when reporters asked Kopp to define the new direction he deferred to the governor's office saying, “It’s not the role of me to comment on new directions."

“She didn’t understand how important it is to truly vet anyone who would be in a position of that authority,” says the trooper union’s John Cyr who says Kopp’s qualifications were nowhere near as strong as Monegan’s.

Less than eight days after the press conference, Kopp sat down with reporters again to divulge explicit details of the sexual harassment claim, indicating the complainant was someone he had known socially since high school.

Within days, the governor went from supporting Kopp to saying she was disturbed by the allegations. According to the Anchorage Daily News, Palin said when she appointed Kopp she knew about the complaint but did not know it was substantiated.

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Todd Palin's Affadavits In "Troopergate" Investigation

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One week later, again on a Friday evening, the governor announced at a three minute press conference that Kopp would be stepping down, “We’re going to move forward now,” she said. Unlike Monegan who did not receive a severance package, Kopp was given $10,000 after his tenure of 14 days.

[spaan2]

It is apparent that Monegan has been fired by Governor Sarah Palin based on exceptionally poor and unsound judgement. If the Republican Party wins the 2008 Elections, is USA safe with a Vice-President who is only a heartbeat away from the Presidency?

[mjvw2]

Wow, what poor judgement, vindictive and incompetent Palin. And how did Palin get this VP nod? That should be investigated, did the Republican''''s all get under a shell, where is your outrage? Interesting...


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Posted by marwha

and hanging out with ayers, farrakhan, flager, and rezko shows good judgement?

[truthspeake2]

Ironically, this sounds like the same methods by which McSame chose McPalin! These folks just never learn...

[babooph]

Win or lose ,almost half of US voters will vote for this incompetent whaco-not much hope for the nation -they are unable to learn after putting BUSH in TWICE!!!

[pga39120]

Its funny how McCain is focused on Ayers, yet he has yet to explain his friendship with G. Gordon Liddy, or wait can his Palin explain her relationship with the AIP. He is using race to rile people up on an issue that doesn''t matter yet he supports racists groups. Is that a double standard. If the media did a special on McCains questionable associates like Obama, It will show the true face of MCCain.

[aboz3]

If character is to be discussed openly, lets discuss McCain''s character when he turned his back on his disabled wife, ran around and then married a much younger woman with lots of money?

[skysoldier75]

Palin doesn''t sound like a maverick "reformer" at all -- she sounds like a ruthless political climber who got to where she is now by climbing on the bodies of those she''s stabbed in the back, whenever she felt doing so would get her ahead somehow.

What''s really revealing is that she''s done most of the back-stabbing on her own Republican colleagues and staffers. She''s risen through the GOP ranks by destroying those above and below her, within her own party.

She may prefer to call it "reform" but it looks much more like pure, ruthless opportunism, ego-centric ambition and deep personal disloyalty to me.

I sure wouldn''t turn my back on her if I were a Republican. That might very well turn out to be a truly fatal mistake - as quite a few Alaska Republicans have already discovered.

[teacher1917]

So, in other words she threw him under the buss.

[chevyman541]

Palin least concern is troopergate, although it shows her wenchness. The real issue is her husband''s membership with a hate group promoting anti-American sentiment and her attempt to put its top member on the seat she vacated when becoming Gov. That is down right scary!

[groundloop-2009]

When is the main stream media going to start looking into Sarah Palin and the Alaska Indepance Party, their founder''s incindiary hatred of the United States, First Dude''s membership, and Sarah not only attending their conventions, but telling them to "Keep up the good work"?

[txlakeside]

Yep ... she is qualified! She has a husband who will do the dirty work and gosh *** it she is just so cute! Best thing McSame did was to chose her as it clinches the election for the dems. The old fa_t and the lipstick girl .... what a team leading their country toward the same ole same ole.

[ms38654ob]

What I find strange is that the topic of McCain''s gambling habit and the relationship to the casio''s hasn''t been brought up yet at all. Surely that''s a bombshell.

McCain, are you willing to let him gamble with our country''s future?

[saj210]

Sarah Palin is vindictive and a person who will stab you in the back if you don''t agree with her way of thinking.

McCain didn''t help the Republican party at all! He and Palin have blown it.

They will go home with their tails tucked between their legs!

Good Riddance!!

[aboz3]

If character is to be discussed openly, lets discuss McCain''''''''s character when he turned his back on his disabled wife, ran around and then married a much younger woman with lots of money?


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Posted by aboz3 at 11:12 AM : Oct 10, 2008


that make what Obama has done ok then? yes or no?

Simply put, if character matters, I''ll take Obama as the lesser of two evils!

[gangesdak]

If character is to be discussed openly, lets discuss McCain''''s character when he turned his back on his disabled wife, ran around and then married a much younger woman with lots of money?
Posted by aboz3 at 11:12 AM

You people do not understand. This is Republican idea of "free market".

[geneonlbk]

Nothing has proven the utter hollowness of John McCain''s "Country First" slogan than Sarah Palin''s vile behavior the past few days.

We all know by now that her low-blow, guilt-by-association stump speeches, in part claiming that Obama is "palling around with terrorists" -- called "unsubstantiated," and "racially-tinged" by the Associated Press and "appalling" and "the dark territory of race-baiting and xenophobia" by the New York Times -- are part of a negative attack strategy announced publically by senior Republican operatives on Saturday.

[joker1944-2009]

Wow. This just gets better and better!

The only thing that could make it more fun is if Palin is booted off the ticket!

McCain should have stuck to his guns (isn''t he supposed to be a ''maverick?'') and not allowed Sarah to be selected for the VP slot. He still would have lost, but at least he would still have a shred of dignity left when it was over.

[dburfears]

SARAH PALIN "HANGS OUT WITH" and is MARRIED TO A TRAITOR TO AMERICA

PALIN and "ALASKA INDEPENDENCE PARTY"

The Alaskan Independence Party (AIP) believes:
-- Alaska must SECEDE FROM THE UNITED STATES (can you say "49 states"?)
-- That "the vote for Alaskan statehood was invalid"
-- End ALL environmental regulation
-- TURN OVER All government lands to private parties
-- "INFILTRATE" THE MAJOR PARTIES TO OBTAIN ALASKAN INDEPENDENCE

WHAT IS THE EXTENT OF PALIN''S RELATIONSHIP TO THE AIP?

PALIN BELONGED TO THE AIP. A fact corroborated by the AIP until Palin was picked as VP candidate. Then the AIP suddenly changed their story.

PALIN''S HUSBAND SUPPORTED and BELONGED TO THE AIP until his wife ran for governor..

THE AIP SUPPORTED PALIN FOR GOVERNOR.

Vice Chairman of the AIP, Dexter Clark revealed this year:
"the one we were hoping would get elected, Sarah Palin, did get elected... She was an AIP member before she got the job as a mayor of a small town, that was a non-partisan job. But you get along to go along, she eventually joined the Republican Party"

Sarah Palin recorded a nice message to the AIP Convention THIS YEAR, saying that the party "plays an important role in our state''s politics" and that "we have a great promise to be a self-sufficient state."

Is Sarah Palin a radical Alaskan secessionist? She certainly believes in them, "PALS AROUND WITH THEM, and she belonged to their party before it became politically expedient for her to join the Republicans...

[asamiller]

Interesting revelation: Did Palin turn on Kopp when he seemed like he could be trouble? At least McCain has shown loyalty to her by keeping her on the ticket even though she''s largely a negative. Bet he secretly wishes he had selected someone personable, competent and powerful like Florida Gov. Charlie Crist.

[miles1967-2009]

Check out the REAl Sarah Palin at the below link:

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/23318320/mad_dog_palin

[joker1944-2009]

Again, this is SO AWESOME.

The little GOP piggies were counting on the ''librul'' to repeating their smears and talking points. But instead it looks like the news cycle will be dominated by Troopergate!

All H3LL might bust open if this report is 1/2 as bad as the GOP seems to think it is.

[wltr1]

Win or lose ,almost half of US voters will vote for this incompetent whaco-not much hope for the nation -they are unable to learn after putting BUSH in TWICE!!!


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what is a "whaco" ?


Posted by jamesm12341 at 11:41 AM : Oct 10, 2008

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you, breathing

[vanlear]

It just keeps getting better and bettter. Before you know it we will find out she tried to hire a hit man to solve her problems.

[antoniof123]

Palin is a real work of art garbage art.

Neo cons think that it is becuase it is the evil liberals doing this.

Well, neo cons more and more people are deciding in favor of Obama/Biden each day your hopes must already be in the toilet right.

But hey it could be worst you could lose even more seats in congress.

Oh wait the lastest news says in upwards of 20 maybe into the 30''s seats in the house and it looks good that the Democrats will get the 9 seats in the senate.

Wing nut hardliners must be getting nervous right about now.

[wltr1]

Win or lose ,almost half of US voters will vote for this incompetent whaco-not much hope for the nation -they are unable to learn after putting BUSH in TWICE!!!


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what is a "whaco" ?


Posted by jamesm12341 at 11:41 AM : Oct 10, 2008

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you, breathing

[john6pack]

[Unlike Monegan who did not receive a severance package, Kopp was given $10,000 after his tenure of 14 days.]
So she did not give the severance package to a veteran that worked for years and gave it instead to a high school pal that worked for 10 days.
This crazy woman is replacing veterans with family pals in her administration and then calls herself a maverick!...resembles Bush naming a pal for FEMA before Katrina!...we all saw that movie.

[christiansin]

I''ve said it before and I''ll say it again many times before the election.

We should forget pitbull''s with lipstick. We should forget pigs with lipstick. Sarah Palin is George W. Bush with lipstick.

[irreverent1-2009]

Digging up bones!, digging up bones! Happy Halloween McCain Palin campaign!

[longtree-2009]

How in blazes anyone can support, much less vote, for Palin is beyond comprehension. How anyone can support Palin on the McCain ticket is also beyond comprehension. How anyone could vote for Palin & McCain after the troopergate affair, the extreme negative campaigning, the cover-ups, the evasiveness, the lying, the..well you get the picture. Never thought I would see the day the GOP and its candidates would all be so very low. Dark times, indeed.

[barbaraf4]

"The fact of the matter is, I honestly think Palin will survive this fiasco, and remain on the ticket. But, this is a foreshadowing of what''s to come if she is elected. If half of what has been alleged about her is true, then she clearly is not fit to be the second in command of this nation. We need a vice-president---and a president as well---that is above petty vindictiveness. That she would use her authority as governor of the great state of Alaska to punish her ex-brother-in-law is scary, and doesn''''t say much for McBush''s judgement. He had to know about this possible scandal before he selected her to be his running mate. Palin is not helping her own campaign." Posted by tj217
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I suspect Karl Rove knew exactly what he was getting with he put Palin on the ticket. She is more than suitable to continue the under-handed, illegal and self-serving goals of the Republican lemmings.

[ash81052]

So, in other words she threw him under the buss.
Posted by teacher1917 at 11:27 AM : Oct 10, 2008
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teacher? there is only one "S" in bus
Posted by jamesm12341 at 11:31 AM : Oct 10, 2008
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I got it, teacher! Very good!

Jamesm12341, a "buss" is a kiss. Palin dismissed Kopp because of complaints of sexual harassment. Therefore, she threw him under the "buss"!!!

[simplemind2]

LOL.
WINK WINK!

[jaxspp]

Time mag is reporting that Palin sometimes speaks in tongues. I''ve noticed that even when she speaks English she seems to be speaking in tongues.

[jolsonbear]

Weeeeeeee! This ride is so exciting!

[scott64232]

I''m amazed at how much some of you HATE (I mean HATE) Palin. There is something very wrong with you! Of course, I know that it''s really FEAR on your part, because you know that she''s right.

Furthermore, Palin fired a man who repeatedly used his stun gun on his 12 year old stepson. I would have fired his @$$ too! It took two tries to find the right fit for the job. Would have rather she had settled for mediocraty? This only proves that she is diligant and all-the-more qualified.

B.O. (Who is running for President, not V.P.) is a good actor, but his trackrecord shows that he is all for out-right socialism. Can you immagine going to the DMV for medical care? "Now serving Heart attack C073 at window number six." ...And you''re number C237. The sad part is, there are just enough of you full-grown children out there to vote a caretaker into office.

Where did all the Americans go?!

[pibrnj1]

this is pretty lame its like this is all they can get a soap opera in alaska pales next to voter fraud being involved with extremist in more then once all obama buddys seem to have one thing in common and that is hate for usa he wont ware a flag but hey the libs hate the usa too so does the media bottom line is the landslide the dems hope will fail unless they can figure out how to get a dead person to vote

[shadrack45]

What a self-serving liar!!!!!

%u201CA lot of people are apathetic about campaigns because you see a lot of the garbage that goes on in campaigns and the personal attacks and the character assassinations that are so unnecessary,%u201D she said. %u201CThey%u2019re useless; they detract from the issues.%u201D Sarah Palin, Fairbanks Daily News Miner Editorial Board Interview, 2006

[pibrnj1]

this is pretty lame its like this is all they can get a soap opera in alaska pales next to voter fraud being involved with extremist in more then once all obama buddys seem to have one thing in common and that is hate for usa he wont ware a flag but hey the libs hate the usa too so does the media bottom line is the landslide the dems hope will fail unless they can figure out how to get a dead person to vote

[pibrnj1]

this is pretty lame its like this is all they can get a soap opera in alaska pales next to voter fraud being involved with extremist in more then once all obama buddys seem to have one thing in common and that is hate for usa he wont ware a flag but hey the libs hate the usa too so does the media bottom line is the landslide the dems hope will fail unless they can figure out how to get a dead person to vote

[jaxspp]

Goodbye, Mr. Nebbercracker.

[formlessness-2009]

It sickens me that McCain/Palin incite violence and bigotry at their rallies. Especially since Palin has ties with this Alaskan Independence Party, of which her husband was a member until 2002. Of which she delivered the opening speech to their convention this year. A party which hates America, a party whose former leader was killed during an illegal arms sale gone bad. You don''t buy C4 to hunt moose, this guy was going to carry out terrorist attacks against the U.S. and Palin lacked the judgement to see that. The Palins need to be more truthful about their participation with the violent anti-American Alaskan Independence Party.

[sly_64]

They have a new phrase in IT at work now, "dumb as Palin"

[skysoldier75]

What exactly is a maverick?

Not a follower, but not a leader either. If people followed him, he would, by definition, be a leader, not a maverick.

A maverick is somebody who just doesn''t really fit in anywhere -- someone who''s off all on their own somewhere.

It took Bush 8 years to become a politically isolated loner -- McCain is determined to be an isolated loner from day one.

It''s going to take an enormous amount of bipartisan support to fix all of our nation''s current problems. McCain doesn''t even seem to have the support of his own party, let alone within the opposition party.

Being a maverick during such tough political times really doesn''t sound like a big plus to me. It sounds a lot more like serious trouble down the road.

[shadrack45]

scott64232:
You''ve proven your ignorance.
Palin did not fire the trooper. The whole issue is that she used her influence in an attempt to get the Commissioner of Public Safety to fire the trooper.

You''re the perfect example of who will vote for McGimmick and Failin''Palin. Hopefully a majority of the country is more educated than that.

[sly_64]

Posted by sly_64 at 12:07 PM : Oct 10, 2008


at work? i thought you libs couldnt get jobs because of Bush? which is it?


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Posted by jamesm12341

Sorry, I''m an independant. but she''s just stupid.

[heartlandjim]

The man was fired with no severence pay? What a slimball!! Then a man who is charged with sexual harrassment gets $10,000 for 2 weeks work. This woman has poor judgement

[scott64232]

I am amazed by just how much some of you B.O. supporters actualy Hate Palin. There is something very wrong with anyone filled with that much hate.

Furthermore... Palin fired a man who repeatedly use his stun gun on his 12 year old stepson. I would have fired him too. It took her two tries to get the right man for the job. Would you have rather she had settled for mediocraty? This only shows that she is all-the-more qualified to be V.P.

B.O., who actually running for president, has a trackrecord of being an outright Socialist. Let''s take his healthcare plan for example. Can you imagine going to the DMV for health care? "No serving Heart Attack C073 at window number six." ... and you''re number C896. The sad part is that there are just enough full-grown children out there to elect a caregiver to office.

Where did all of the Americans go?!

[PulSamsara]

Why would America REWARD complete Republican failure ?

We wont.

[windmaster12]

Mccain Resume---

Bottom 5 in his class at the academy
Was admitted only because of family ties!!!

By his own admission
Gave away his countries secret damaging intel
When he was broken
By the Viet Cong --
Putting his fellow servicemen''s lives in Jeopardy

Dumped his first wife for the Budweiser babe
After his first wife was debilitated.

Keating 5

Voted with Dumbya 90% of the time
Missed more votes than any other Senator this year--

Now that''s what I call being a Maverick
Who puts Country First!!

Palin
Bad Choice
Bad hair
But she can see the moon from her front door
That should qualify her to head NASA.
After this failed VP bid goes south.

Does anyone really believe Palin was in the dark
while her husband actively sought her brother in laws firing?
If so-- I have a road to nowhere for sale!!!
GOP--
Grand Oil Party
Dumbed down red state BS!!!

[republcnred1]

Again here is CBS and Laurie Strickler, who really needs an ethics class, to bring up more BS...The above article does nothing more than show that yall are desperately trying to cover "The Messiahs," butt.
This article doesnt show anything about what the headline says....everything in it has ALREADY been published. And yall actuall pay this Laura S. to do reporting????