Palin Investigation Stalled By McCain Campaign, State Legislator Says

ABC News reports:

Is the McCain campaign afraid of an 'October surprise' involving vice-presidential pick Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska?

The Alaska state senator running an investigation of Gov. Palin says the McCain campaign is using stall tactics to prevent him from releasing his final report by Oct. 31, four days before the November election.

"It's likely to be damaging to the Governor," said Senator Hollis French, a Democrat, appointed the project manager for a bi-partisan State Senate Legislative Counsel Committee investigation of claims that Palin abused her office to get the Alaska public safety commissioner, Walt Monegan, fired.

An Anchorage Daily News story suggests that Palin's lawyer is helping stall the investigation. He's trying to get the probe into the hands of a governor-appointed board:

The state has hired a private lawyer to represent Gov. Sarah Palin's office in the Legislature's investigation into the firing of former Public Safety Commissioner Walt Monegan. The lawyer already has challenged whether lawmakers even have authority to oversee the inquiry.

...

Van Flein said the investigation should be handled by the state Personnel Board, not the Legislature, because it's "statutorily mandated" to handle ethics cases. The three-member Personnel Board is appointed by the governor.

And he's making it difficult for Special Counsel Steve Branchflower to interview Palin:

Branchflower hasn't been able to set up an interview with Palin. French said the state will fly Branchflower to wherever Palin is on the campaign trail if needed.

"Clearly the governor's new political role will make it more challenging for her to make time for this investigation," French wrote. But Palin needs to be interviewed sometime in September, he said.

Van Flein said the investigation is "bad timing" in the middle of a presidential campaign. He said he couldn't guarantee her availability this month.

If witnesses don't become available, French says, he'll ask for subpoenas.

Comments

[Grunty1]

My uncle's mother-in-law, who seems like a staunch Republican, refered to Mc'Cain as "McLooney" over the Palin pick :-)

[GardenGnomes]

If only other staunch Republicans felt the same way. She is a "champion" for the values they share, despite the MANY OTHER issues our country and world faces.

[starfire426]

Depending on the findings of the POST vetters of Sarah...un­der the right circumstnaces, I fully expect to see her sporting a matching arm sling (like CindyLou's) in the coming days.

[adnmoh1]

http://www.politico.com/static/PPM41_palin.html


thanks to politico for all off palins info.

[DebbieinPhx]

You're right!! Politico Rocks this one~!!!!!

[MOregon]

The page is now gone. Was anything new in it?

[ernie1806]

Why am I not surprised???

[akkadian]

The Bailey Phone Call

Audio recording of THAT call. 20 mins +

http://www.adn.com/monegan/story/499248.html

[WeMustChange]

Please take a peek at this video and share with all you know!

http://www.talk-it-out.com/video/video/show?id=1876466%3AVideo%3A10190

[eyecon]

I hate to be the naysayer and I think that this is disgraceful. However, it looks like McCain accomplished exactly what he was trying to do. By all accounts, the Christian right is ecstatic. This has energized McCain's base.

Sure, Obama picked a VP and McCain picked a running mate. Hopefully this has energized progressives at least to the extent that it has excited McCain's base. Furthermore, hopefully this drives more Hillary supporters back to the Democratic party.

[stevietheman]

The far-right base may be excited, but everyone else is now excited as well _against_ McCain.

[bpowell1]

The christian right is not ecstatic about this pick. That is what the Republican pundits are saying. I don't think they are going to vote for Obama I think they will just stay home or vote for Barr. But I don't think they will be voting over whemingly at this point for McCain.

[MOregon]

The good thing is that in polling among all Christian groups other than Evangelicals, Obama has the lead. And there are progressive Evangelicals like those at Sojourners who will not fall for McCain's politically expedient religion. But I do agree with you that the far right Chriistian base is ecstatic at the choice of Palin.

What ever happened to consistent ethic of life among Christians. Catholics call it the "seamless garment" where life is sacred from the womb to the tomb. No party fulfills all of these which are:

No Abortion, no Capital Punishment, war as the last possible means in very few circumstances, a preferential option for the poor, being good stewards of the environment, no Euthanasia, compassion toward the immigrant, etc..

With the above in mind, the Republican right only carries ONE of these in their platform and that is the abortion issue. The Democrats are leaders in the rest. With dialogue, there is still hope!

[MOregon]

Whoops they only carry two - no abortion and no euthanasia.

[peskime]

Sara Palin is the gift that keeps giving (to democrats, that is.)
I was speaking to a wealthy client of mine today who is a staunch republican and asked her what she thought about the GOP VP candidate and she was not only nonplussed about McCain's choice of Sara Palin but she believes McCain didn't vet her at all. As a conservative and an older woman she was appalled by Ms.Palin's daughter's teen pregnancy. This fits into my theory that conservative women are going to criticize Sara Palin for being a woman with too much on her plate to successfully raise children. The GOP are going to eat their own!

[Mysticalsister]

I think what we are seeing here is the beginning of a backlash. The overwhelming level of frustration felt by so many people toward the corrupt administration of George W. Bush is now going to be focused on Sarah Palin and her abuse of power scandal. And rightly so. The majority of American people do not want another corrupt administration in the White House. This issue must be brought to light fully. When it is, it will become a turning point in this election.

If this charge is not investigated properly, and is seen to have been obstructed by the McCain camp, John McCain will lose. If she is found guilty of charges, he will lose. Any effort on his part to obstruct the legal process in Alaska will reveal another aspect of his character that he shares in lock step with George W. Bush. And he will lose.

[ruffmama]

I just heard on MSNBC that the Palin kids had no idea that she had accepted the VP slot until the morning of and that the kids all thought that they were being flown somewhere to celebrate their parent's 20th anniversary. So poor Bristol had absolutely NO SAY in being thrown into this considering her condition.­...nor did poor Levi for that matter! If I were Levi's mom I would be royally ticked off at the Palin's.

[beginswithz]

I'm pretty sure, considering his "contribution" to this situation, that Levi's feelings, and those of his parents, are not raking too very highly in the decision tree over at the Palin household.

Just a guess ; )

[lisakaz2]

Me too. That boy might be getting railroaded into marriage as well as fatherhood. Given the attempted firings and whatnot of Palin's brother-in-law, I kinda doubt this other family really wants their kid to legally become part of the Palin clan.

What a soap opera.

[evekendall]

MORE. OF. THE. SAME.

[Buddly]

October Surprise? Sarah pulls off her mask and reveals she is Monica Goodling in Disguise?

[seal62]

hahahahaha­hhahaha..I­s this not the mcsame?She 's under investigation for what ?Abuse of power.What lobbyists??Stalling until after the election??Sure sounds the mcsame as the last 8 yrs.

[jkh1122]

Is October the month when Sarah Who is going to debate Joe Biden? She is going to get steamrolled, but that's hardly a surprise.

[TekBoss]

If this is how they run their campaign .... how do you think they will run the country?

These people are walking disasters waiting to happen. Do NOT vote these people in to power.

[eyecon]

There COULD be more bad news coming for Palin. It appears that she MIGHT not have filed required financial disclosures for two years:

Starting here:
https://webapp.state.ak.us/apoc/searchfinancialdisclosure.jsp?pagetype=Public+Official

At the top of the return form is "Statements DUE"

It looks like she failed to file the financial disclosure
form due 3/15/2007. Presumably, one was due in 2008 as well.