Palin and Troopergate

[Jersey Girl]

Legislative panel: Palin abused authority
46 minutes ago

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — A legislative committee investigating Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin has found she unlawfully abused her authority in firing the state's public safety commissioner.

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jOTk11gvqDAgD0cY3i4WjI_2YOxwD93NV5L00

[_dartagnan]

Actually, what the report said is that she didn't stop her husband from persuing Wooten's removal and that constituted some kind of "ethic" breach in some Alaskan law for politicians. They were discussing this on FOX with someone who actually read the 300 page report. She was not accused of unjustifiably firing anyone, which is what everyone initially accused her of doing. On that charge she has been exonerated.

But the Democrats in Alaska were trying their best to come up with some technicality to use in their favor during the last month of the Presidential election, and even this is based on questionable premises. Her crime, according to the report, isn't what she did, but rather what she didn't do. Apparently, she was supposed to see her husband's actions as a conflict of interest or something and should have put a stop to it. I don't see how that can be called an "abuse of power" in any sense.

But I think this works in favor of the McCain camp, the more light is shed on this Wooten scenario. Again, most Americans would find it noble that she use whatever power necessary to remove a jackass like Wooten from the police force. Someone like that has no business being a police oficer in any State.

[_Some Schmo]

But I think this works in favor of the McCain camp, the more light is shed on this Wooten scenario. Again, most Americans would find it noble that she use whatever power necessary to remove a jackass like Wooten from the police force. Someone like that has no business being a police oficer in any State.

OMG... LOL

So you know him personally, do ya? And you say he's a jackass?

Well then, he must be! Especially if the Palin family says so.

Apparently, there's no "two sides to every story" in dart's world.

LMAO... wow... just, wow.

[_moksha]

But I think this works in favor of the McCain camp, the more light is shed on this Wooten scenario. Again, most Americans would find it noble that she use whatever power necessary to remove a jackass like Wooten from the police force.

Darn right! Pesky Brother-in-Laws who are involved in messy divorces involving custody must be fired for the public's own good. Who could possibly suspect personal motives? Besides if Sarah's tried to put pressure on for this firing, he was only acting as a man.

[_EAllusion]

More independent analysis from Kevin. I caught Fox News, and their defense of Palin essentially was that Wooten deserved to be fired, so while she abused authority, it was actually a responsible thing for her to do because it was necessary to maintain public safety. It's quite humorous.

[_Some Schmo]

But I think this works in favor of the McCain camp, the more light is shed on this Wooten scenario. Again, most Americans would find it noble that she use whatever power necessary to remove a jackass like Wooten from the police force.

Darn right! Pesky Brother-in-Laws who are involved in messy divorces involving custody must be fired for the public's own good. Who could possibly suspect personal motives? Besides if Sarah's tried to put pressure on for this firing, he was only acting as a man.

Yeah, it's hilarious that, because Obama served on the same board as a terrorist from the 60's, he's somehow not to be trusted.

But if Palin has a police chief fired after he refused to fire her ex-BIL, well... obviously, that guy was just a jackass and had it coming to him.

But you know, it's the libs that are biased and the republicans just state the facts, doncha know. You betcha! *wink wink* Ooohh, those good ol' mavericks doin' their mavericky stuff!

[_collegeterrace]

OMG... LOL

So you know him personally, do ya? And you say he's a jackass?

Well then, he must be! Especially if the Palin family says so.

Apparently, there's no "two sides to every story" in dart's world.

LMAO... wow... just, wow.

Dart has no choice but to find this. He wants McPain, err McCain to win so he is forced to believe in his running mate.

Dart is an official apologist for the McPalin party.

[_beastie]

Dart is just trying to help you all understand the mentality of folks who come up with phrases like "turdblossom".

[_moksha]

Dart is just trying to help you all understand the mentality of folks who come up with phrases like "turdblossom".

I thought he was being mavericky.

[_dartagnan]

So you know him personally, do ya? And you say he's a jackass?

Well then, he must be! Especially if the Palin family says so.

Apparently, there's no "two sides to every story" in dart's world.

I actually know both sides moron, whereas you and your ilk can't even seem to get one side down right.

I saw the interview with him where he essentially admitted everything he's been accused of, albeit with his "poor me" spin. The original report from an Alaskan newspaper quoted the investigator from 2006 who also said some of those accusations were beyond dispute:

"The record clearly indicates a serious and concentrated pattern of unacceptable and at times, illegal activity occurring over a lengthy period, which establishes a course of conduct totally at odds with the ethics of our profession," Col. Julia Grimes, then head of Alaska State Troopers, wrote in March 1, 2006...

Troopers eventually investigated 13 issues and found four in which Wooten violated policy or broke the law or both:

• Wooten used a Taser on his stepson.

• He illegally shot a moose.

• He drank beer in his patrol car on one occasion.

• He told others his father-in-law would "eat a f'ing lead bullet" if he helped his daughter get an attorney for the divorce.

So yes, he has no business being a policeman, and my conclusion is based on the indisputable facts presented from both sides. The four facts above are verified. He admited doing all of it in the investigation. So how foolish do you and Alan Colmes look for acting like these are not verified claims, and just Republican's taking Palin's word for granted.

I have family members who are in the police force and I know how hard it is to get in, and to stay in. Any one of these acts alone would have meant termination for any policeman in the Cobb County Police dept in Marietta Ga. Yet, this guy has racked up a long history of illegal activity. How can anyone pretend he deserves to be patroling the highways?

The Cobb County police won't hire anyone who has had their license suspended due to points. Why? Because they fear attorneys will argue to the judge, "How can this officer arrest my client for driving with a suspended license when his own history shows he did as well?"

How much more would an attorney make a mockery of a police force if an officer is busted for drinking and driving while on duty.

Darn right! Pesky Brother-in-Laws who are involved in messy divorces

"Messy" divorce huh? Talk about mimicking the liberal spin. The "messiness" is emphasized by you guys without much explanation how this is supposed to be any more messier than your average divorce. You just want to steer everyone down this silly conclusion of Palin on a rampage, out for vengence for her hurting sister. What a joke.

This guy has been married and divorced four times for crying out loud. There is nothing pleasant about him.

involving custody must be fired for the public's own good.

Are you trying to be obtuse? Do any of you realize how obtuse you sound by trying to downplay what this jackass has done? This isn't about trying to get custody of the kids. If it were, then you might have a point. But it wasn't, so you don't.

Who could possibly suspect personal motives?

Suspect all you want, the fact is there is no evidence to support your suspicions; suspicions which are essentially politically motivated. The report found no compelling evidence to support the claim that Palin herself tried to get Wooten fired illegally, so they went with the next best thing and said Palin pressured her subordinates into trying to get Wooten fired! What a joke!

What "subordinates"?

The argument goes like this. Palin frequently talked to her friends and family about Wooten being a disgrace to the police force. People who knew Palin complained. Thefore Palin "pressured" them to complain so she wouldn't have to. LOL!

What a crock of non sequiturs and political mish mash. And then they say her husband used State resources for her "personal" gain. Well that begs the question now doesn't it? If she is genuinely concerned about a loose canon wearing a badge, then how is this "personal"? If the guy killed his wife, and Palin was out to see him arrested, would it be dismissed because she had a "personal" agenda, or is this something we'd expect a Governor to take action on?

The entire conclusion is based on psychoanalysis of why people complained about Wooten. I mean it couldn't have been because they were also disgusted with his actions. No, of course not. They knew Palin, so she must have "pressured" them.

Besides if Sarah's tried to put pressure on for this firing, he was only acting as a man.

Don't you even realize the report denied that she did this? The report said she was only unethical in the sense trhat she didn't stand up to her husband when he was trying to have him fired. What a stupid argument for bad ethics! This is the best the democrats in Alaska could come up, so I think they're in good shape, and yes, most Americans who aren't caught up in theObama nirvana realize theyw ould have done more than Palin did to see this guy fired.

ependent analysis from Kevin. I caught Fox News, and their defense of Palin essentially was that Wooten deserved to be fired

Who in their right mind would argue he doesn't? This isn't an exclusive "FOX News" position. I argued this a month ago when the hoopla was first propagated by beastie, and long before anyone at FOX said squat. The man threatened to kill her father for crying out loud. Yes, if I were her, I would have gone way beyond my powers to have him fired.

so while she abused authority

She didn't "abuse authority." The conclusion is an utter joke considering the dearth of evidence these democrats used to arrive at that conclusion.

it was actually a responsible thing for her to do

She didn't "do" anything. It would help if you actually knew the facts. She was accused of being unethical for what she didn't do. And as far as firing that guy, she didn't need a good excuse anyway (although she had very good ones) because she could fire him for being too short if she wanted.

because it was necessary to maintain public safety. It's quite humorous.

Not nearly as humorous as watching the four of you hop on this as if you had the faintest clue about the facts. I mean really, take a deep breath and think about what you're doing here. Troopergate?

LOL.

Like I said, I am confortable with the facts and so will most Americans be. Nobody would fault Palin for trying to fire Wooten even if she did. Would you try to fire someone who threatened your father's life? Think hard before responding.