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Legislative panel: Palin abused authority

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  • Legislative panel: Palin abused authority

    ANCHORAGE, Alaska - A legislative committee investigating Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin has found she unlawfully abused her authority in firing the state's public safety commissioner.

    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.

    The Republican vice presidential nominee has been accused of firing a commissioner to settle a family dispute. Palin supporters have called the investigation politically motivated.

    Monegan says he was dismissed as retribution for resisting pressure to fire a state trooper involved in a bitter divorce with the governor's sister. Palin says Monegan was fired as part of a legitimate budget dispute.

    THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

    ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Alaska lawmakers have emerged from a private session in Anchorage where they spent more than six hours discussing a politically charged ethics report into Gov. Sarah Palin's firing of her state public safety commissioner.

    The legislative panel began its public session by discussing whether to release the report's findings. The investigation was examining whether Palin, the Republican vice presidential nominee, fired a state commissioner to settle a family dispute. The report was also expected to touch on whether Palin's husband meddled in state affairs and whether her administration inappropriately accessed employee medical records.

    Critics claim Palin fired Public Safety Commissioner Walter Monegan after months of pressure on him to fire Mike Wooten, a state trooper involved in a nasty divorce and custody dispute with the governor's sister.

    Lawmakers indicated they planned to release the report even though there was disagreement about its findings.

    "I think there are some problems in this report," Republican state Sen. Gary Stevens. "I would encourage people to be very cautious, to look at this with a jaundiced eye."


    http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081011/...in_troopergate;_ylt=ArlVaUZFlTjLLYHng5x_Q.CYExkF
    "The issue is there are still many people out there that use religion as a crutch for bigotry and hate. Like Ben."
    Ben Kenobi: "That means I'm doing something right. "

  • #2
    Bad day for the McCain campaign all around.
    "My nation is the world, and my religion is to do good." --Thomas Paine
    "The subject of onanism is inexhaustable." --Sigmund Freud

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    • #3
      A legislative committee investigating Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin has found she unlawfully abused her authority in firing the state's public safety commissioner.
      CNN says the report found she abused her authority, but broke no laws...
      "In the beginning was the Word. Then came the ******* word processor." -Dan Simmons, Hyperion

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      • #4
        We need the specifics.
        I drank beer. I like beer. I still like beer. ... Do you like beer Senator?
        - Justice Brett Kavanaugh

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        • #5
          Why are you guys acting like any of this still matters?

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          • #6
            Wait, I thought Palin cleared herself?
            "My nation is the world, and my religion is to do good." --Thomas Paine
            "The subject of onanism is inexhaustable." --Sigmund Freud

            Comment


            • #7
              Republicans. don't. care.
              Tutto nel mondo è burla

              Comment


              • #8
                No one should care. Obama already has the election wrapped up and the global economy is on the verge of collapse.

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                • #9
                  Alaskans should care.

                  On the other hand, they are Alaskans.
                  "

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                  • #10
                    Originally posted by Koyaanisqatsi


                    CNN says the report found she abused her authority, but broke no laws...
                    CNN jumped the gun with their original news story as part of their attempt to get the news out quickly. The reporter simply didn't read and sufficiently interpret the 300 page report before coming out with the news story. More recent versions clearly specify that the report did find that Palin broke Alaskan state law.

                    Finding Number One

                    For the reasons explained in section IV of this report, I find that Governor Sarah Palin abused her power by violating Alaska Statute 39.52.110(a) of the Alaska Executive Branch Ethics Act. Alaska Statute 39.52.110(a) provides

                    The legislature reaffirms that 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.


                    While the report apparently says that Palin acted within her authority regarding simply firing Monegan, (although Branchflower says that he believes the Wooten issue played a contributing role in the firing contrary to Palin's claims on the subject) she did break the law regarding the pressure she personally and knowingly let others who were part of her administration (as well as Todd Palin) put on Monegan to fire Trooper Wooten. (With part of the issue being members of the administration effectively represent the governor and knowingly letting them continue to pressure Monegan over Wooten is still an abuse of the office given its a personal matter for Palin and they are presumably acting that way because of how the situation personally involves Palin.)

                    Its specifically a crime according to Alaskan state law for a public office holder to specifically make an effort to benefit a personal interest with an official action. (The law goes on to advise them to avoid such potential conflicts of interest.)

                    Its true no penalties were specifically recommended in the report, but the legislature does potentially have the option of pursuing criminal penalties.

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                    • #11
                      Didn't read the op. Was it sexual abuse?
                      Blah

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                      • #12
                        I think it's time for some sort of political outsider to sweep in and clean up the mess in Juneau .
                        "The purpose of studying economics is not to acquire a set of ready-made answers to economic questions, but to learn how to avoid being deceived by economists."
                        -Joan Robinson

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                        • #13
                          Maybe a Russkie, since they're soo close yet so far.
                          I'm consitently stupid- Japher
                          I think that opinion in the United States is decidedly different from the rest of the world because we have a free press -- by free, I mean a virgorously presented right wing point of view on the air and available to all.- Ned

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                          • #14
                            Putin for Alaska Governor!
                            Tutto nel mondo è burla

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                            • #15
                              Well I, for one, am thrilled to have been given a sneak peek at the "reforms" the Straight Talk Express has in mind for us, should they win the election next month!

                              Go Mavericks!

                              -=Vel=-
                              The list of published books grows. If you're curious to see what sort of stories I weave out, head to Amazon.com and do an author search for "Christopher Hartpence." Help support Candle'Bre, a game created by gamers FOR gamers. All proceeds from my published works go directly to the project.

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