Gov. Sarah Palin abused the powers of her office by pressuring subordinates to try to get her former brother-in-law, a state trooper, fired, an investigation by the Alaska Legislature has concluded. The inquiry found, however, that she was within her right to dismiss her public safety commissioner, Walt Monegan, who was the trooper’s boss.
A 263-page report released by lawmakers in Alaska found that Ms. Palin, the Republican vice-presidential nominee, had herself exerted pressure to get Trooper Michael Wooten dismissed, as well as allowed her husband and subordinates to press for his firing, largely as a result of his temperament and past disciplinary problems.
“Such impermissible and repeated contacts,” the report states, “create conflicts of interests for subordinate employees who must choose to either please a superior or run the risk of facing that superior’s displeasure and the possible consequences of that displeasure.” The report concludes that the action was a violation of the Alaska Executive Branch Ethics Act.
What now lies ahead is not fully known at this point. Ms. Palin could be censured by the Legislature, but that is unlikely…
No kidding.
Results like this are always complicated by politicians taking care of their own. The Legislative Committee which issued this report is bipartisan. Their trepidation about mandating sanctions for lousy ethics are probably bipartisan as well.
How will American voters react?
#14 >>in the UK it just amazes and worries everyone that she could be a heartbeat away from the Presidency if McCain got elected. <<
She is much further than a heartbeat away and getting farther away every day.
What struck me was the report is 263 pages! I remember all-nighters writing three page reports on The Scarlett Letter or Walden Pond. I’m impressed.
#29 contempt:
Your reply has the markings of a racist fear-monger, from p.261 of the ACTUAL book (stolen from Snopes):
In the wake of 9/11, my meetings with Arab and Pakistani Americans, for example, have a more urgent quality, for the stories of detentions and FBI questioning and hard stares from neighbors have shaken their sense of security and belonging. They have been reminded that the history of immigration in this country has a dark underbelly; they need specific reassurances that their citizenship really means something, that America has learned the right lessons from the Japanese internments during World War II, and that I will stand with them should the political winds shift in an ugly direction.
Never mentioned anything about Muslims, it was about unfairly treated immigrants. Where do you people pull these old, false, quotes from?
I’m going to quote the text of my post about this from cagematch in its entirety since few would bother to follow the link.
This is classic on so many levels:
1) The uber-sexist repugnicans wanted to steal the Hillary vote and thought they could just find any right wing vagina to play the part of VP without any further research. Clearly women, like men, come in a variety of shapes, sizes, colors, and creeds. And, like some men, some women are corrupt. Maybe finding a corrupt woman was perfect for a republican candidate. Or, maybe, the republicans didn’t think women were human and didn’t think they required the same level of due diligence. Oops. Women are human and do require the same level of care in the selection of a running mate.
2) Those voting on the issue of morals will now either be turned off or shown for their hypocrisy.
3) The wiretapping, email monitoring, etc. are all now coming into play against the very party that wanted them in the first place.
Schadenfreude feels good!!
#12 – dan,
burn her… she’s a witch.
Don’t we have to confirm that she weighs less than a duck first?
still cant believe how close the numbers are. This country is full of stupid people!
#35 “still cant believe how close the numbers are.”
That’s what you get when you run a weak candidate. If the dems would have run someone better it’d be like the sweep Reagan made against Carter.
#12 – Dan – burn her… she’s a witch.
#34 – Misanthropic Scott – Don’t we have to confirm that she weighs less than a duck first?
Burn her!!
#25 – MikeN – this issue with firing a trooper is no big deal
But if it was Obama it would… after all, he’s been “palling around with terrorist”, right?
#26 – Uncle Dave – I assume you felt the same way about Clinton’s actions that lead to the impeachment over a minor, no big deal thing.
Very good point.
#29 – contempt – Sounds like the makings of a traitor to me.
On the topic… What about Sarah?
#36 Paddy-O said
“That’s what you get when you run a weak candidate. If the dems would have run someone better it’d be like the sweep Reagan made against Carter.”
Same could be said for the Republicans, don’t you think?
#32 halifax
What kind of argument is that? Where do you think Obama stole the quote? Sorry but your white guilt bombs are weak, tiresome and are no longer effective on people who see past the charade.
Please tell be what country doesn’t have a dark underbelly of immigration? Any host country that desires to keep their culture will always require immigrants to assimilate.
Since you bring it up, the fact that Arab/Pakistani don’t assimilate is the problem. They flee from tyranny but don’t embrace their new culture. Instead they seek to impose the same tyranny they fled on the people that offer them freedom. The fact that you condemn the people offering sanctuary instead of those who abuse them is the problem.
#34 Misanthropic Scott
I think she’s made from very small rocks or gravy.
#36 – Paddy-O – That’s what you get when you run a weak candidate.
I believe it has more to do with the conservative values of the republican voters. Obama is threatening their core values and opinions.
I told her: Wink more. They can’t possibly resist that winking.
#38 “Same could be said for the Republicans, don’t you think?”
Right. McCain is a very weak candidate, which really highlights Obama as a very poor candidate…
Jägermeister and Paddy-O. Politics aside, I think it’s amazing how fast Obama has come up to speed as a candidate.
Honestly, he was weak coming into the Democratic primaries and was beaten to crap by the Clintons and won. Now he’s in his first serious campaign against a Republican and is nicely ahead on points and money. I find that remarkable and Republicans underestimate his political ability at their peril.
#41 “I believe it has more to do with the conservative values of the republican voters. Obama is threatening their core values and opinions.”
And that is causing repubs to not embrace McCain and thus making the close numbers even MORE condemnatory of Obama’s candidacy?
#45 – Paddy-O
Nope, it’s the reason why not more republicans are willing to vote for Obama.
Such an easily dismissible mark on her conduct, tends to cover up her past politics, that might more frowned upon. Like being involved with Alaska’s Independent Party, before switching to Republican. And said AIP had secessionist aims to free Alaska’s Wildlife Reserves from Federal protection. I’m thinking it was all about getting oil drilling in the ANWR. Cause there’s precious little else for these Alaskans have to fight over. But we’ve been hearing more about Obama’s past “Weatherman” ties, than Palin’s own radical affiliation. Or why she spend only one semester at Hawaii Pacific College, before returning to get educated in the states. Maybe a baby, was the reason. Palin seems to have this thing about well timed pregnancies and educational interruptions, in her family. Just what bullets has she dodged in her life? And will they come back to haunt her, when she’s VP? Then McCain can pick the guy the RNC really wanted for the spot (but the voters would never vote for).
#46 “Nope, it’s the reason why not more republicans are willing to vote for Obama.”
You crack me up.
No Repub would vote for ANY candidate that wants to crash small business & investment $ into the U.S.
Has nothing to do with anything other than realizing a regressive tax policy against the sector that supplies most of American’s jobs.
I’m so happy to hear that the democrats are suddenly interested in ethics violations: (lying, suspicious pardons, impeachable offenses, perjury, obstruction of justice, abuse of power), you know… the stuff that was thoroughly ignored or defended under the Clinton administration by the same people who want to jump all over the firing of a state trooper who tasered a child and engaged in sociopathic behavior.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Clinton_pardons_controversy
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impeachment_of_Bill_Clinton
#44 – QB – I think it’s amazing how fast Obama has come up to speed as a candidate.
Obama isn’t just a strong candidate, but he seem to have a very good campaign staff supporting him. McCain on the other hand… well, let’s just say that they’ve done some major mistakes.
#48 – Paddy-O
Keep believing.
#50 “Keep believing.”
Typical lib response to undeniably bad policy.
Who is this Sarah Palin? What do we really know about her?
For the last 21 months we’ve gotten to know exactly who Obama is.
√ Consistent.
√ Even tempered.
√ Internationally inspirational.
√ Smart.
√ Constitutional scholar.
√ Responsible.
√ Shows outstanding leadership.
√ Refuses to paint opponents as jerks.
√ Condemns behavior, not the person. Never (ever) engages in Argumentum Ad Hominem.
√ Considerate.
√ Doesn’t automatically adopt viewpoints of those around him.
√ Good listener.
√ Looks you in the eye when challenging you.
√ Always respectful of opponent’s achievements.
√ Does not say one thing to your face and a harsher thing behind your back.
What an ass.
Palin, on the other hand. What a babe.
Babes need to solve their problems through shortcuts.
We’ve seen this with Palin and are ready to fully forgive her for techniques that raw beauty requires to survive in a world clouded with complicated, often contradictory ideas such as fairness, ethics, principles, ideals or morality.
If the smile is big and the shout-out to third graders strikes a chord, the battle for hearts and minds is achieved. No need to get all logical on things.
Beauty at all costs.
#45 – O’Pinocchio
>>And that is causing repubs to not embrace
>>McCain and thus making the close numbers even
>>MORE condemnatory of Obama’s candidacy?
Jesus, O’Pinocchio. Do you think that if you confound us with pretzel logic, you have somehow “won”?? What you just said sets a new record in doublespeak, even for you.
Face it. McBush is a loser with 50 years’ worth of skeletons in his closet, Palin is a budding loser who’s filling up her skeleton closet.
And speaking of traitors/ Palin, I’d like to see a discussion of Jägermeister’s secessionist video.
What exactly does this woman believe??
#52 Buzz
Are you saying Obama would make a good VP candidate?
#53 “Jesus, O’Pinocchio. Do you think that if you confound us with pretzel logic, you have somehow “won”??”
I was trying to understand the pretzel logic of the post I was commenting on. GIGO.
Yes, McCain was about the worst choice for the repubs this time around. Notice that the RNC isn’t spending its war chest on McCain? I know why.
I’d be interested if you can figure it out. No biggie if you can’t. Just wondering how obvious the ploy is.
#23 – O’Furniture
>>So, the govs inaction was such a serious
>>breach that the recommendation is that no
>>further action be taken? Sounds pretty
>>important!
Uhhhhh…. the committee investigating Palin’s ethical lapses HAS NO POWER TO IMPOSE DISCIPLINARY MEASURES, O’Pinocchio. They didn’t “recommend that no further action be taken”, they simply have no say in the matter.
Now she’s going to be investigated by the Personnel Board (that she appointed). And in the off chance they’d bite the hand that feeds them and find her deserving of disciplinary action, their findings won’t be ready until loooooooooooong after the election is over.
#49 – Montanaguy – …the stuff that was thoroughly ignored or defended under the Clinton administration…
The republicans wanted Clinton impeached for lying about an affair with an intern… a more recent President lied to the country about the reasons to start a war where – until this date – 4,168 American servicemembers have died (not including American contracts, allied casualties and civilian casualties)… and I’ve not seen or heard any republicans who want to impeach him and his regime? Fucking hypocrites.
#56 – O’Furniture
>>GIGO
Whatever your other shortcomings, O’Furniture, you always exceed expectations on the “GO” part of GIGO.
I was able to decode your message on the basis of your blind opposition to everything that Obama stands for (honesty, ethics, principles, integrity, etc.), but certainly not on the basis of any “meaning” that could be extracted from your words. And I take meaning from words, don’t you know?
I agree with you that McBush/ Palin is a dogshit ticket. I think the polls may be artificially INFLATING McBush/ Palin’s numbers, b/c people are afraid to say they’ll vote for Obama. Have you seen the drooling, maniacal refugees from Deliverance that show up at McBush/ Palin rallies, shouting that Obama is an “Arab”, a Muslim, “BOMB OBAMA” and “KILL OBAMA”??? I’m not sure I’d want to identify myself as an Obama supporter with those rabid dogs in the vicinity.
Wait for Nov 4, when people can vote for their choice behind closed curtains. McBush will be vaporised.
#59 “I agree with you that McBush/ Palin is a dogshit ticket. I think the polls may be artificially INFLATING McBush/ Palin’s numbers, b/c people are afraid to say they’ll vote for Obama.”
I think it will be a bigger win than the current maps are showing too. Bush will be gone but the current mess that is Pelosi & crew remain.
Oh well…
My sense of things is that McCain has lost control of his own campaign. Expect a meltdown.
Before the right wingers jump on me, I don’t think that’s good for the US at this time. It will only fuel the anger you see at the McCain-Palin rallies. That anger is coming from fear that things are collapsing and could turn uglier.