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Troopergate Report: Palin Abused Power, Violated Ethics Law
by: Foiled Goil
Troopergate report: Palin abused powerAnchorage Daily News:
An investigation has concluded that Gov. Sarah Palin abused her power, according to a report just now unanimously released by the legislative council.
The report by investigator Steve Branchflower found that Palin violated the state's executive branch ethics act, which says 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."
Branchflower was investigating whether Palin abused her power by pushing for the firing of state trooper Mike Wooten, who once was married to the governor's sister.
The Branchflower report:
FINDINGS:
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.
Finding Number Two
I find that, although Walt Monegan's refusal to fire Trooper Michael Wooten was not the sole reason he was fired by Governor Sarah Palin, it was likely a contributing factor to his termination as Commissioner of Public Safety. In spite of that, Governor Palin's firing of Commissioner Monegan was a proper and lawful exercise of her constitutional and statutory authority to hire and fire executive branch department heads.
Finding Number Three
Harbor Adjustment Service of Anchorage, and its owner Ms. Murleen Wilkes, handled Trooper Michael Wooten's workers' compensation claim property and in the normal course of business like any other claim processed by Harbor Adjustment Service and Ms. Wilkes. Further, Trooper Wooten received all the workers' compensation benefits to which he was entitled.
Finding Number Four
The Attorney General's office has failed to substantially comply with my August 6, 2008 written request to Governor Sarah Palin for information about the case in the form of emails.
Full Branchflower Report to the Legislative Council (.pdf) here or here.
Report: Palin broke state law
Oct. 10: Anchorage Daily News’ Michael Carey discusses the Alaska State Legislature's newly issued report on the Troopergate investigation which finds that Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin “abused her power” while in office.
[ 5:51 ]
Palin report weakens McCain attack strategy
Oct. 10: MSNBC political analyst Lawrence O’Donnell considers the damage the Troopergate report will do to Sarah Palin's moral posturing on the campaign trail and how it undermines the McCain campaign's character attacks on Barack Obama.
[ 6:30 ]
