NYT: Palins Repeatedly Pressed Case Against Trooper

From left, Gov. Sarah Palin, former public safety commissioner Walt Monegan and state trooper Mike Wooten.

The New York Times is reporting about the “obsession” Sarah and Todd Palin had with her ex brother-in-law Mike Wooten “and the most granular details of his life.”  When Alaska public safety commissioner Walt Monegan wouldn’t fire Wooten at Palin’s behest, Monegan was dismissed from his job.  Now, Alaska’s legislature is looking into whether or not Palin abused her power as governor in order to carry out a personal vendetta.

Ms. Palin has denied that anyone told Mr. Monegan to dismiss Trooper Wooten, or that the commissioner’s ouster had anything to do with him. But an examination of the case, based on interviews with Mr. Monegan and several top aides, indicates that, to a far greater degree than was previously known, the governor, her husband and her administration pressed the commissioner and his staff to get Trooper Wooten off the force, though without directly ordering it.

In all, the commissioner and his aides were contacted about Trooper Wooten three dozen times over 19 months by the governor, her husband and seven administration officials, interviews and documents show.

Kim Peterson, Mr. Monegan’s special assistant, says there was a smear effort against Wooten and that “it was very clear that someone from the governor’s office wanted him watched.”  And Palin has had ever-changing explanations for the firing of Monegan.  She’s accused him of insubordination and of opposing her fiscal reforms.

As evidence, she has contended, among other things, that Mr. Monegan arranged two unauthorized lobbying trips to Washington. But according to interviews and records obtained by The New York Times, the governor’s office authorized both trips…her explanations have evolved, from saying that he was lagging on filling trooper vacancies and tackling alcohol-abuse problems in rural Alaska to showing an “intolerable pattern of insubordination” and a “rogue mentality” by resisting her authority and spending reforms, sometimes publicly.

Palin also claims Wooten made a death threat against her father, something Wooten denies.  Palin originally said she’d cooperate with the investigation into the case, but has been stonewalling ever since she became the VP nominee.  But don’t we deserve a full explanation concerning whether there has been an abuse of power and just what the cirumstances were in this case?  After all, the Republicans have decided they want to make this election about “judgment”.

By: Alan

Alan Colmes is the publisher of Liberaland.