Panel: Palin 'unlawfully abused' authority
Posted: Friday, October 10, 2008 8:35 PM by Carrie Dann
Filed Under:
Sarah Palin
From NBC's Carrie Dann
The panel of legislators investigating the "Troopergate" controversy in Palin's home state has concluded that the Alaska governor "unlawfully abused her authority" in the firing Public Safety Commissioner Walter Monegan, per the AP.
More: "The investigative report concludes that a family grudge wasn't the sole reason for firing Public Safety Commissioner Walter Monegan but says it likely was a contributing factor."
*** UPDATE *** The report by investigator Stephen Branchflower found that Palin's dismissal of Monegan was "proper and lawful" and within her executive authority, but that she violated the state's ethical code in that she "knowingly ... permitted Todd Palin to use the Governor's office and the resources of the Governor's office, including access to state employees, to continue to contact subordinate state employees in an effort to find some way to get Trooper [Michael] Wooten fired."
Although Palin has said she was afraid of a safety risk posed by the trooper whom Monegan refused to fire, the investigator writes in the report that "such claims of fear were not bona fide and were offered to provide cover for the Palin's real motivation: to get Trooper Wooten fired for personal family related reasons."
Supporters of the governor believe that the investigation was politically motivated.
*** UPDATE 2 *** The McCain-Palin campaign reacted to the report with the following statement from spokesperson Meg Stapleton: ""Today's report shows that the Governor acted within her proper and lawful authority in the reassignment of Walt Monegan. The report also illustrates what we've known all along: this was a partisan led inquiry run by Obama supporters and the Palins were completely justified in their concern regarding Trooper Wooten given his violent and rogue behavior. Lacking evidence to support the original Monegan allegation, the Legislative Council seriously overreached, making a tortured argument to find fault without basis in law or fact. The Governor is looking forward to cooperating with the Personnel Board and continuing her conversation with the American people regarding the important issues facing the country."
