Troopergate Investigation Concludes Palin 'Unlawfully Abused Powers'

Not Just Unethical..... She Broke The Law!!!

"I find that Governor Sarah Palin abused her power by violating Alaska Statute 39.52.110 (a) of the Alaska Executive Branch Ethics Act," Branchflower wrote in the report.

The Troopergate Investigation Report has concluded that Sarah Palin, the first-term Governor of Alaska, abused the powers of her office in a vendetta against a State employee. See more from the UK's Telegraph.

The Telegraph also offers a breakdown of the major findings:

FINDING ONE
Governor Sarah Palin abused her power by violating the Alaska Executive Branch Ethics Act. That states: "Each public officer holds office as a public trust and any effort to benefit a personal or financial interest though official action is a violation of that trust."

The most damaging finding. Stephen Branchflower, the investigator appointed by Alaska legislators, concluded that the Governor abused her power by conducting a campaign to have her former brother-in-law Mike Wooten fired as a state trooper, or by failing to prevent her husband Todd from doing so. He deemed this an effort to secure "a personal interest" under the Ethics Act, through her position.

FINDING TWO
Public safety commissioner Walt Monegan's refusal to fire Trooper Wooten was not the only reason Mrs Palin dismissed him, but was "likely a contributing factor". Nonetheless, the Governor has authority to sack executive branch department heads, and acted within that.

Technically a plus for Mrs Palin, but reveals she bears grudges. Mrs Palin can hire and fire her department chiefs as she wishes, so long as she acts "in good faith". She said she dismissed Mr Monegan because of a budget dispute but he said he believed he was sacked because he resisted pressure to oust Trooper Wooten.

FINDING THREE
A worker compensation claim by Mr Wooten was correctly handled and he received the benefits to which he was entitled.

An all clear for Mrs Palin. Her husband, Todd, had circulated pictures of the trooper driving a snowmobile while he was supposed to be on sick leave and receiving benefits for a bad back sustained at work - implying he was feigning the condition. The Palins denied interfering in his benefit claim and the inquiry did not disagree.

FINDING FOUR
Alaska's Attorney General, who was the conduit for requests for information from the executive branch, failed "to substantially comply" with the investigator's request to Mrs Palin to answer by email questions from the inquiry.

An implicit criticism of her refusal to cooperate. Gov Palin initially welcomed the investigation, saying she and her staff would co-operate fully and had nothing to hide in her dismissal of Mr Monegan. But after she was chosen as the Republican vice-presidential candidate, she withdrew her co-operation, saying the investigation had become a partisan witchhunt. The legislature authorised subpoenas on several of her aides to force them to testify but did not issue one against Mrs Palin. Investigator Stephen Branchflower offered to travel anywhere in the US to meet Mrs Palin or to accept answers from her by email, but the suggestion was ignored.

See the Troopergate Investigative Report Here (pdf)

This looks like the final verdict on John McCain's judgement and fitness to be President - He does not have the judgement nor the fitness for the top job in the land. Sarah Palin could conceivably be censured or impeached for her actions, but it does not appear that any action will be taken to punish her, at least not right now.

She will argue that this investigation was a witch hunt by Democrats, but this is a bold faced lie. The investigation was already ongoing when she was chosen to be John McCain's running mate. Palin welcomed the investigation when it got started, claiming that she would be vindicated. She also promised that she would cooperate fully. As for this being a partisan witchhunt... it's a complete lie, and she knows it. The effort to launch the investigation was bi-partisan. In fact, the panel that decided to investigate had more Republicans than Democrats. It was not until she was chosen to be John McCain's running mate that she began making all of the false claims about a witch hunt, and decided not to cooperate.

She is unfit to serve as VP... I don't see how she could be allowed to even compete for the job at this point. But the McCain camp will gloss over this over the next few weeks. She was already unqualified in terms of her background... now she's morally and ethically unfit. I don't care how the McCain camp tries to sweep this under the rug.

See a more detailed breakdown of the findings from The DailyKos

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Related Links

TIME looks at the Troopergate Report from another angle

See Report from the New York Times