F Troop
The long awaited Troopergate report is out and, as October Surprises go, this one's about as exciting as the prospect of a Ray's-Phillies World Series. Over at Townhall.com, Beldar's done the heavy lifting for us so let me just summarize:
First of all, despite what you may have read, the report does not represent the opinion of any member of the Alaskan State Legislature (with the possible exception of State Senator Hollis French, a Democrat and Obama supporter, who commissioned the report and hand-picked the investigator, Steve Branchflower). The entire 263-page report is the opinion of Mr. Branchflower. As Beldar points out, the report:
...hasn't been approved or adopted or endorsed by so much as a single sub-committee of the Alaska Legislature, much less any kind of commission, court, jury, or other proper adjudicatory body.
It is, at best, a public Op-Ed or, at worst, a political hit-piece, take your pick.
The report boils down to two contradictory findings: 1) That Sarah Palin abused her power and violated a statute of the Alaskan Executive Branch Ethics Act (in the firing of Walt Monegon, the then Alaska Public Safety Commissioner) and 2) That the firing of Mr. Monegon was: a proper and lawful exercise of her constitutional and statutory authority to hire and fire executive branch department heads.
Now, I don't know about you, but I remember my Sesame Street and one of those sentences is definitely NOT like the other. You cannot simultaneously have a violation of ethics and a lawful exercise of constitutional and statutory authority. It's either one or the other but it can't be both.
Of course, your mileage may differ.
Coming soon, the Wasilla librarian names books!
posted by VermontGuy @ 3:47 AM
6 Comments:
So its clear she used her power as Alaska governorto try torpedo a jerk of an ex-brother-in-law. Enemies lists are old hat. What else is new? Next.
I'll try to do my own heavy lifting, thanks, before commenting on the substance of the report. But the idea that a report unanimously commissioned by a Republican-dominated committee of the Alaska legislature, and then approved by that same committee to be released, could be dismissed as a "political hit-piece" is truly laughable.
It is so clear that she did this that were I advising her, I would suggest she embrace the charge- "You're damn right I tried to get this loser out off the police force. Maybe East Coast elitists don't understand protecting your family and doing what's necessary, but down home in the heartland we know what to do with creeps....."
Completely indefensible to people who already don't like her, of course but would have the effect of rallying the troops who have already decided she is their hero.
Ok, I read enough of it to understand the report's conclusions. Pages 65-72 are particularly instructive.
Finding one is that she abused the power of her office by working with her husband to try and get Trooper Wooten fired. That's the ethical violation. Thus, her claim that there was no finding of an ethical violation is, um, a bit fantastic.
Finding two is that she had some good, ethical reasons along with some bad, unethical reasons for firing Commissioner Monegan. The good, ethical reasons were good enough for firing him, given the very low threshold, thus it's a legal firing.
Finding three is that Trooper Wooten's workers comp claim was properly handled.
Finding four is that Sarah Palin is Dick Cheney in a dress.
Having now read through the first 72 pages of the report (thanks, QG!), let me walk back my statements a bit.
There's no question that Governor Palin (and her husband) wanted Trooper Wooten gone. They lobbied for it as private citizens before she was elected and once in office, each of them - or their representatives - brought up the subject to relevant parties on at least six occasions.
Now, as usually is the case with these things, no one ever told Monegan (or anyone else) to fire Wooten. However, it's fair to say that they made clear to those involved what they wanted to see happen. So I have to agree with QG and say that she did abuse the power of her office.
But Dick Cheney in a dress? Please. This doesn't even come close to Hillary Clinton and Travelgate, much less Cheney.
Besides, I have it on good authority that she's a much better shot.
What, you had to step on my joke just to set up your own? Things are getting pretty cutthroat around here.
In all seriousness, I agree -- she's nowhere near Cheney's equal [cue ominous music] . . . yet.
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