Story Created:
Oct 10, 2008 at 5:59 PM AKDT
Story Updated:
Oct 10, 2008 at 6:11 PM AKDT
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.
To download 263 pages of the report, follow this link: http://w3.legis.state.ak.us/
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.
Governor Sarah Palin’s communications director Bill McAllister released the following statement on the report issued today from Steve Branchflower: “The so-called ‘Troopergate’ incident began with Governor Palin’s removal of Walt Monegan as commissioner of public safety. Today, investigator Steve Branchflower vindicated the governor by finding that she acted within her constitutional authority to remove ‘at-will’ employees.
"However, along with several members of the Legislative Council, we question how Mr. Branchflower reached the conclusion that Governor Palin abused her power with respect to Trooper Mike Wooten. That finding required speculation and assumptions on Mr. Branchflower’s part and could not be supported solely on the basis of the evidence that he collected. We agree with the comments made that Alaskans should consider the report in total rather than relying solely on the findings.”
The Office of the Governor has released the depositions of the seven state employees named in the investigation, which include their testimony regarding internal administration discussions about Mike Wooten. The documents can be accessed at the following links:
http://www.gov.state.ak.us/pdf/Affidavit_Randy_Ruaro.pdf
http://www.gov.state.ak.us/pdf/BaileyTranscript_8-27-08.pdf
http://www.gov.state.ak.us/pdf/BradThompsonAnswers_Signed.pdf
http://www.gov.state.ak.us/pdf/CommissionerKreitzerAnswers_Signed.pdf
http://www.gov.state.ak.us/pdf/DianneKieselAnswers_Signed.pdf
http://www.gov.state.ak.us/pdf/JaniceMasonAnswers_signed.pdf
http://www.gov.state.ak.us/pdf/Letter_SenateJudiciary_10-08-2008.pdf
http://www.gov.state.ak.us/pdf/Email_January-29-30-2008.pdf
http://www.gov.state.ak.us/pdf/Email_March-2-2008.pdf
http://www.gov.state.ak.us/pdf/Email_October-18-2007.pdf
http://www.gov.state.ak.us/pdf/IvySubpoenaResponses.pdf
