Police Chief: Palin Fired Me For Campaign Contributors

The Washington Independent reported on Monday that another Sarah Palin firing scandal had been overlooked:

Early in her tenure as mayor, the city council threatened to recall her over accusations that she fired the city's police chief, Irl Stambaugh, and the library director, Mary Ellen Emmons, without warning. She accused them in a letter saying: "I do not feel I have your full support in my efforts to govern the city of Wasilla. Therefore I intend to terminate your employment ..." (The Anchorage Daily News, via nexis)

Ultimately, Palin let the library director have her job back; though Stambaugh's position was not returned. The police chief took the matter to court, where a judge sided with Palin, saying city law allows the mayor to fire the police chief without cause.

ABC News today gives more information on this scandal. The police chief says he was fired because her campaign contributors, including bars and the NRA, didn't like his work:

After taking over as Mayor of the small town of Wasilla, Palin fired the longtime local police chief. The former police chief, Irl Stambaugh says he was fired because he stepped on the toes of Palin's campaign contributors, including bar owners and the National Rifle Association.

Stambaugh's lawyer, William Jermain, says the chief tried to move up the closing hours of local bars from 5 a.m. to two a.m. after a spurt of drunk driving accidents and arrests.

"His crackdown on that practice by the bars was not appreciated by her and that was one reason she terminated Irl," said Jermain.

Comments

[novowel4me]

This is about as interesting a bio of Sarah Palin as I have seen: http://www.andrys.com/palin-kilkenny.html

[KiwisCanFly]

YUP that was a good read from a local Wasilla resident, keen on local government. Thanks novowel4me.

My fav comment from this bio on Palin.

As an oil producer, the high price of oil has created a budget surplus
in Alaska. Rather than invest this surplus in technology that will
make us energy independent and increase efficiency, as Governor she
proposed distribution of this surplus to every individual in the state.

Do u think she has been buying her popularity?

[novowel4me]

Pass it on - people need to know who this person is.

[keepemhonest]

In 5 days we've learned Palin wants to BAN BOOKS, fires people for political reasons and has NO IDEA what a VP's job description. FORGET EXPERIENCE SHE HAS NO CREDENTIALS

In 5 days:
*Palin was mayor of town of 5,000 people - that's comparable to size of 4 high schools in Indianapolis.

*1997Mayor Palin wanted BAN BOOKS in library.

*1997Mayor Palin instituted policy REQUIRING city employees get HER approval before talking to reporters - gag order on city employees

*1997Palin fired police chief, town librarian, and finance director.

*Alaska Court decided Palin had right to fire city employees for political reasons.

*Palin hired Abramhoff lobbying buddy to lobby Sen.Stevens for earmarks.

*8/28/08Gov. Palin LIED to Newsweek Mag. that she "sued big oil." Truth is Alaska sued big oil in 2005 Palin not gov.

*Todd Palin was long time member of an Anti-American group, Alaska Independence Party, a radical party that hates the "lower 48" and wants Alaska to seceed from United States.

*Palin being investigated for Abuse of Power. McCain/Palin hired lawyer, NOW Palin refuses to give deposition.

*Palin supports ABSTINENCE-Only--that hasn't helped reduce unwanted teen pregnancy in her family.

*8/28/08 Palin LIED on national tv about saying "no" to bridge-to-nowhere money. Palin was FOR bridge, TOOK the money USED the money on other things.

*7/2008 Palin admits national tv that she has NO IDEA what the job description of the VP is. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=006axc2aELE

[SKonnery]

If you want more pain vote McCain.

[nedustbunny]

Even George and Dick are looking like better politicians...well, not really, but you get the point. Corruption...in the GOP.

Where is more info on Russia saying America was involved in the Georgia skirmish and why has eveyone in the Bush/Cheney/Cindy McCain crowd beat it over there?

[barriosbabe]

Oy, vey!

Totally corrupt!

OBAMA BIDEN 08

[wesx]

I am glade there is someone with enough balls to fire someone! Makes me want to vote for her not condem her . thanks for this article

[alguien]

yeah. that's all it takes to be next in line for leader of the free world-having the cojones to fire someone. hopefully you're not actually of voting age yet.

[metalpipe]

Oh, so the idea is to indicriminately fire people? You're definately management material.

[MrClean]

And I'm glade you're glade!
What does that even mean....BALLS to fire someone?
She went on a personal vendetta....kind of like "W" avenging his Daddy from that mean ole Saddam guy!
One question, Is she the best and the brightest that this country has to offer?
If you answered yes....YOU have balls....but NO BRAINS!

[zurcl]

balls? balls impress you? how about judgement? how about character? how about honesty? how about competence? does that mean that in your book anybody with testicles can be vice president? c'mon, fess up, just how dumb are you? has it ever beem measured?

[debrouillard]

you will definitely be voting for the ticket she is on judging from ur assessment. You think people shld used their balls and guts when making decisions such as firing people,going to war,etc.

O is defintely not ur pick,he always uses his brain and common sense.

[NatteringNabobs]

This must give Rove a woody.

[BLinCincinnati]

While Sarah was Mayor of Wasilla she tried to fire the highly respected City Librarian because the Librarian refused to consider removing from the library some books that Sarah wanted removed. City residents rallied to the defense of the City Librarian and against Palin's attempt at out-and-out censorship, so Palin backed down and withdrew her termination letter. People who fought her attempt to oust the Librarian are on her enemies list to this day.

[keepemhonest]

Imagine that, a rightwinged zealot, Palin, wanting to BAN BOOKS in libraries.

[metalpipe]

They should all form a group and make a stand against this ticket.

[debrouillard]

Dude u r joking.Those ppl wants her as far away as possible from their town .lol

[SKonnery]

Why do republicans take pride in being ignorant?

[marymansour]

I hope this dame blows sky high and takes old Johnny Mac with her.

[Max7073]

Don't forget about the glimpse into her character (and soul) during that radio interview she participated in laughing about the cancer victim. She is small minded in every way.

[keepemhonest]

In 5 days we've learned Palin wants to BAN BOOKS, fires people for political reasons and has NO IDEA what a VP's job description. FORGET EXPERIENCE SHE HAS NO CREDENTIALS

In 5 days:
*Palin was mayor of town of 5,000 people - that's comparable to size of 4 high schools in Indianapolis.

*1997Mayor Palin wanted BAN BOOKS in library.

*1997Mayor Palin instituted policy REQUIRING city employees get HER approval before talking to reporters - gag order on city employees

*1997Palin fired police chief, town librarian, and finance director.

*Alaska Court decided Palin had right to fire city employees for political reasons.

*Palin hired Abramhoff lobbying buddy to lobby Sen.Stevens for earmarks.

*8/28/08Gov. Palin LIED to Newsweek Mag. that she "sued big oil." Truth is Alaska sued big oil in 2005 Palin not gov.

*Todd Palin was long time member of an Anti-American group, Alaska Independence Party, a radical party that hates the "lower 48" and wants Alaska to seceed from United States.

*Palin being investigated for Abuse of Power. McCain/Palin hired lawyer, NOW Palin refuses to give deposition.

*Palin supports ABSTINENCE-Only--that hasn't helped reduce unwanted teen pregnancy in her family.

*8/28/08 Palin LIED on national tv about saying "no" to bridge-to-nowhere money. Palin was FOR bridge, TOOK the money USED the money on other things.

*7/2008 Palin admits national tv that she has NO IDEA what the job description of the VP is. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=006axc2aELE

[lis60]

GREAT SUMMARY! I really hope that all who are opposed to Palin because of what she represents, what she believes in, keep fighting! I pray that the media keep investigating. But what I really pray and wish for is that McCain would come to his senses and realize what a huge mistake he made. The fact that he keeps pushing her, fighting the media, canceling Larry King and putting horrible ads out against Obama (who has said NOTHING) just shows the terrible temperament he has! Can all of you imagine him making crucial decisions during a huge war, a nuclear attack (God forbid)! And what about her! I do not want my children having her as a role model. Why are there so many articles saying women relate to her. I don't and no one I know does either!

[MarkieBee]

anyone else wonder why she tried to fire the librarian? A freakin librarian? Well, news is leaking out that she asked the old lady how to go about banning certain books in the town's library because she deemed them to be offensive to her religion. She's ultra-religious, in fact to the right of Hitler. Anyway, when the librarian defended the books and basically told her to F off Palin went after her job and successed until she had a change of heart. Probably someone told her that it doesn;t look good even for a mayor of a podunk town on the tundra to assault the right's of others like that. Book banning just kind of brings back memories of the Nazi Youth burning books back in the mid-1930s. This lady is scary folks. Plain and simple.

[Cathar]

God told her to keep the bars open to five am and to fire the Police Chief. It's God's doing not hers.

[BluesDogLefty]

nice----lol

[normalkid0615]

SO let me get this straight, God punished her for letting bars stay open until 5AM by knocking up her daughter. Whats next, her daughter is a virgin? I believe that God punishes, not helps or else this world would be a little bit better...

[helonias]

And the meth dealers

[JJ30]

Well if the judge sided with her on this issue, it's not really a story.

[keepemhonest]

Yes, like Supreme Court Justice Scalia who appointed George Bush & refused to let Florida continue legitimate recount ... yeah, ok ...

BTW: Bush's lead lawyer in 2000 recount before the Supreme Court, was Scalia's son's boss.

Not all judges are corrupt, but plenty are.

[metalpipe]

Yeah, just like BushCo's firing of federal prosecutors. No story there, either.

[Cathar]

A real reform candidate. Caters to lobbyists and takes no ones advice but her own. Can we say Ms. Cheney.

[whiteboyblues]

P A L I N = C O R R U P T