Palin: Probe Exonerated Me

While Troopergate Report Said She Broke State Ethics Law, Alaska Gov. Says She's Been Cleared Of Wrongdoing

(CBS/AP)  Despite the finding of a legislative report that she had broken the state's ethics law in the scandal dubbed Troopergate, Alaska Governor Sarah Palin said Saturday that the report actually cleared her of any "legal wrongdoing or unethical activity."

The report, which was released by Alaska lawmakers Friday, examined whether Palin abused the powers of her office by exerting pressure to have her ex-brother-in-law, an Alaska State Trooper engaged in a bitter divorce and child custody fight with her sister, fired. After the state's public safety commissioner Walter Monegan rebuffed pressure to fire him, Monegan was fired by Palin.

The report affirmed that, as governor, she had the constitutional right to hire and fire at will, and therefore her termination of Monegan was lawful.

However, the report found that Palin, her husband Todd, and her subordinates used pressure and intimidation to try to force the firing of Michael Wooten, beginning before her swearing-in ceremony took place, and therefore broke the law.

The investigation said she violated Alaska Statute 39.52.110(a) of the Alaska Executive Branch Ethics Act, which states, "… each public officer holds office as a public trust, and any effort to benefit a personal or financial interest through official action is a violation of that trust."

Palin said she's happy the report affirmed her right to fire Monegan. But she said she still doesn't think she abused her power like the report says she did. In fact, she said she considered herself vindicated.

In a brief conference call with press reported by the Anchorage Daily News, Palin said, "I’m very, very pleased to be cleared of any legal wrongdoing … any hint of any kind of unethical activity there. Very pleased to be cleared of any of that."

Palin said that her husband Todd was justified in complaining about Trooper Wooten (which the report finds he did for months on end), and said there was "nothing to apologize [for] there with Todd’s actions, and again very pleased to be cleared of any legal wrongdoing."

When reminded that the report's first finding was that she had broken the state's ethics law in pressuring for Wooten's dismissal, Palin responded that she felt she had done nothing wrong at all, and directed her response to the firing of Monegan, which the report said she had the authority to do:

"I think that you’re always going to ruffle feathers as you do what you believe is in the best interest of the people whom you are serving. In this case I knew that I had to have the right people in the right position at the right time in this cabinet to best serve Alaskans, and Walt Monegan was not the right person at the right time to meet the goals that we had set out in our administration.

"So no, not having done anything wrong, and again very much appreciating being cleared of any legal wrongdoing or unethical activity at all."

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Read the Legislative Committee's Troopergate Report

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During the call she said she thought the investigation "did turn into a partisan circus."

The Republican-led state legislature began the bipartisan investigation in July. Palin at first agreed to participate, saying that she had nothing to hide.

However, once she was named to the GOP ticket in late August, her cooperation ceased. Subpoenaed witnesses refused to give testimony, and the state's Attorney General, a Palin appointee, tried to get a judge to kill the subpoenas, claiming they were not valid.

The McCain campaign sought to characterize the investigation as a partisan effort aimed at undercutting her vice presidential bid, and was behind legal efforts to block the release of the report, or at least delay it until after Election Day.

Palin's office had accused the head of the investigation of being partisan, when a Wall Street Journal interview with State Sen. Hollis French, a Democrat, implied that the Governor would face impeachment following the probe.

French explained to the Anchorage Daily News that he'd told the Journal that nothing might come of the investigation or, in a worst-case scenario, it could lead to impeachment proceedings, but that the paper didn't use his entire quote. He said the Palin administration overreacted.

After Palin stopped cooperating, more ink was spilled when French talked to ABC News. In a comment about the GOP's vetting process of Palin for the vice presidential spot, he said, "If they had done their job they never would have picked her. Now they may have to deal with an October surprise."

That comment fueled criticism from the Republicans that the investigation was being turned into a smear job, despite the fact that Stephen Branchflower, the lead investigator, was a highly respected former prosecutor.

While the report said Palin broke state ethics laws, it is not within the legislature domain to devise punishment, if any.

That is up to the state Personnel Board, which is made up of three members appointed by the Governor's office.

Palin herself re-appointed one member last year, and another member contributed to her gubernatorial campaign.

[robocop123-2009]

If the TrooperGate Report was a vindication in Palin''s view, what in the world did she know the report should have said?

[txgrouch2007]

Isn''''t LYING a big deal any more?
Posted by urnot at 10:55 AM : Oct 13, 2008

Ever since Bill Clinton it doesn''t seem to be a big concern anymore.

[txgrouch2007]

I know politicians lie, but come on. It''''s like the little kid with cookie crumbs all over his face holding the cookie denying he EVEN KNOWS WHAT A COOKIE IS!!
Posted by sasidechick at 10:04 PM : Oct 13, 2008


Bill Clinton, on the other hand, denied having "relations" with "that woman" and pretended he didn''t know what "is" means. He "spoke with intent to mislead" the court, but it wasn''t lying or perjury.

But THAT''S DIFFERENT because - umm, umm, umm - well, HE''S A DEMOCRAT.

We''ll talk about Ted Kennedy next time...

Later, troll.

[purplelydia]

As usual, the whole story (i.e. the truth) is lost in the low attention span the media has trained the public to have.
These people asked the Palin''s for their input about the guy and then penalized them for giving it. The finding is Bogus!

[misha128-2009]

Washington Post: Four Pinocchios for Palin''s "Cleared of Any Legal Wrongdoing" Claim.

[misha128-2009]

I say We find this guy Monegan and elect HIM president!

Posted by nangoat at 05:33 PM

How about Gov Of Alaska assuming Gov Palin is convicted and removed from office?

[misha128-2009]

Gov Palin LIES, yet again.

[taxthechurch]

What drugs is Palin taking to say that she was vindicated? Can I get some from her so that I too can see her dream world?

[sasidechick]

Posted by PaulaAnne2 at 03:28 PM : Oct 13, 2008

Why would the media cover a story about that...that has no relevance to the campaign. Gotta love the fact that democrats take what they read and hear from our liberal media as fact. They have no thought process of their own.
______________________________________

The report was UNANIMOUSLY approved by the ENTIRE BOARD WHICH HAD 10 REPUBLICANS AND 4 DEMOCRATS. They ALL said she ABUSED HER POWER. Actually, SHE WASN''T EVEN PAYING ATTENTION. HER HUSBAND HAD THE POWER. THAT''S EVEN SCARIER!

[sasidechick]

I know politicians lie, but come on. It''s like the little kid with cookie crumbs all over his face holding the cookie denying he EVEN KNOWS WHAT A COOKIE IS!!

Are we living in a parallel universe now and somehow I missed the news?

[kopana]

All I keep hearing from Republicans and some others is how honorable and law abiding and respectful of our government and institutions that McCain is... then for gods sake why is McCain not saying anything about his VP pick Governor Palin''s regarding the report that she has violated the Ethics law in the State of Alaska? Is he ignoring this report and its contents and the bipartisan group that wrote it! And he wants to President of U.S. a nation of laws!!!

[kansas1946]

Alaska Governor Sarah Palin said Saturday that the report actually cleared her of any "legal wrongdoing or unethical activity."
********************************

Gosh, this is getting worse and worse. Not only is she not prepared to be VP, now we learn that she can''t read.

[vpo610]

The Palins seem to be headed toward their next scandal.

Questions have emerged regarding the construction of the Palin home in Wasilla, AK. "Todd Palin told Fox News that he built the...house himself, with the help of contractors he described as ''''buddies.''''" Since "Sarah Palin (as mayor) blocked an effort to require the filing of building permits in the wide-open city...there is no public record of who (those) ''''buddies'''' were."

Wayne Barrett of the Village Voice, in his article entitled, "The Book of Sarah (Palin)," touches upon the issue. According to Barrett, the timing of the Palin home construction coincides with the construction of the Wasilla Sports Complex. Were these "contractor buddies" employees of firms that had been awarded lucrative contracts by then-mayor Sarah Palin to build the Wasilla Sports Complex? It is certainly an issue which should be pursued. If this proves to be a story, perhaps Sarah Palin will become the next Ted Stevens.

http://www.villagevoice.com/2008-10-08/news/the-book-of-sarah/5

http://www.stopthinkvote.com/whatsnew/palinshouse.html

[nangoat-2009]

Well, believe me. She won''t be your PAL IN Washington.

[poggylu]

Yes, Palin is a typical republican. DOn''t want to deal with the truth - just lie about it and repeat it enough until enough idiots believe it.

The report did find Palin guilty of unlawful behavior. Read it. She is simply lying, like a loyal republican.

[nangoat-2009]

I say We find this guy Monegan and elect HIM president!

[abman827]

The Trooper was never fired. But when Ashley Biden got a DUI in Delaware, the arresting officer was fired. HMMM no coverage on that story tho.


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Posted by PaulaAnne2 at 03:28 PM : Oct 13, 2008

Why would the media cover a story about that...that has no relevance to the campaign. Gotta love the fact that democrats take what they read and hear from our liberal media as fact. They have no thought process of their own.

[cariboubarbi]

Palin is an insult to the intelligence of all Americans.

[misha128-2009]

Posted by whatithink10 at 02:55 PM : Oct 13, 2008

Yeah, strange isn''''''''t it...there is no recording whatsoever of his having ever said that, just the word of a bunch of radical left wing reporters...

Frnakly I sincerely doubt he ever said it.

Posted by GetRealTex at 03:02 PM : Oct 13, 2008

Frankly I don''''t consider that any cruder than Joe Biden saying Palin is beautiful.....but....

Seems like WhatIThinkNot can call the republicans on crude rude jokes, but not her own!

Posted by GetRealTex at 03:05 PM

That conservative reporter that sat up straighter in when Gov Palin winked at him during the debates is an example of the standards of disrespectful conduct tolerated by the right.

[paulaanne2]

The Trooper was never fired. But when Ashley Biden got a DUI in Delaware, the arresting officer was fired. HMMM no coverage on that story tho.