7 Palin aides to testify in abuse-of-power probe

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Seven aides to Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin have reversed course and agreed to testify in an investigation into whether the Republican vice presidential nominee abused her powers by firing a commissioner who refused to dismiss her former brother-in-law.

There is no indication, however, that Palin or her husband will now agree to testify in the legislative inquiry, which has dogged her for the past several months and could hurt John McCain in the final weeks of the presidential race.

Palin, a first-term governor, is the focus of a legislative investigation into her firing of Public Safety Commissioner Walt Monegan a year after she, her husband and key advisers began questioning him about getting rid of a state trooper who had gone through a nasty divorce with her sister.

Monegan says he was dismissed because he wouldn't fire the governor's former brother-in-law, but Palin contends he was dismissed for insubordination. McCain operatives called Monegan a "rogue" who repeatedly tried to work outside normal channels for requesting money.

Lawmakers subpoenaed seven state employees to testify in the inquiry but they challenged those subpoenas. After a judge rejected that challenge last week, the employees decided to testify, Alaska Attorney General Talis Colberg said.

Democratic state Sen. Hollis French, who is managing the investigation, said that, following the court ruling, he again asked Palin and her husband, Todd, whether they planned to testify.

"We've had no response," French said Sunday.

Palin says the legislative inquiry has become too political and she believes that only the state's personnel board should investigate the firing. Todd Palin has agreed to speak with investigators for that panel but not for the legislative inquiry.

The governor has the authority to fire the members of the personnel board.

Alaska's Supreme Court, meanwhile, is considering whether to block the findings of the legislative inquiry. The high court scheduled arguments for Wednesday over whether the case is being manipulated to hurt Palin before Election Day on Nov. 4.

The decision by the state employees to testify will not affect that appeal, said Kevin Clarkson, a lawyer for five Republican lawmakers who brought that challenge.

The independent investigator conducting the probe plans to turn over his conclusions on the case by next Friday to the Legislative Council, the body that authorized it.

Comments

[sueno]

I can't wait to see how "Caribou Sarah" deals with this one-

[ChiGuy]

Not even enough loyalty in her people for just one to be willing to fall on their sword for her.
That speaks volumes.

"Sorry, Sista', you're on your own."

[Ron1951]

Despite my intense disgust for Palin, I cannot shortchange her or her Rove/Schmidt handlers on their ability to formulate lies. Let's just hope that these aides who will now testify are going to tell the truth, not some story made up and spoon fed to them. Remember, they could come out and say that palin did not do anything to abuse her power as governor in this instance.

Got to go now to see if the Anchorage Daily News www.adn.comm) has any updates on any investigation into Palin's membership in the AIP separatist group. This pre-dates anything she has done since being picked by Bush44 to be his next running mate.

[Veratruth]

I tried the site but "page was not found." Thanks.

[NoNotAgain]

And they proably will testify in her favor. Why do you think Mcsahame is
there but to intimidate those poor people.

But eveyone there has not drank the kool-aid.

Query Alaska' largest two Rallies in Alaska' History ( they are against Palin)
You will not see this in the main stream.
This was an eye opener for me.ya betcha wink,wink

[WyomingJack]

A pit bull abuse power? Impossible. Sarah would never abuse her power. She's just a small town hockey mom trying to fill Dick Cheney's shoes.

[ThanksMatt]

and expanding his power. That was the only sentence where she had no difficulty to articulate in the debate.

[Voting Must Happen]

Oct 5 Polling Update.
http://voteforamerica.net/editorials/Comments.aspx?ArticleId=90&ArticleName=Poll+Update

Checkout my piece on Youth Voter Registration. For every 100 registered voters aged 18-24, the democrats accrue a 9 vote advantage.
http://voteforamerica.net/editorials/Comments.aspx?ArticleId=85&ArticleName=Youth+Vote%3a+The+Power+of+Registration

Obama 355, McCain 183
http://voteforamerica.net/electoral.aspx

Will McCain Re-suspend his Campaign?
http://voteforamerica.net/editorials/Comments.aspx?ArticleId=80&ArticleName=Will+McCain+Re-suspend+his+Campaign%3f

[artistbb]

Maybe Palin told the Supreme Court that there was a special place in hell for Justices who don't support her.

[Veratruth]

She might have. She is familiar with the heat.

[artistbb]

Perhaps they are proceeding after being advised by McCain operatives that the fix was in. It seems they know they can safely go ahead now that the Supreme Court will rule in Palin's favor, due to the McCain's bribes/pre­ssure/wran­gling/thre­ats.

[bpowell1]

I think they see the writing on the wall. McCain/Palin stick a fork in it. They are just not good for the American people. And everyday that she talks about Biden's age and say it's time for a new Washington she makes the case for Obama.

[UCSD101]

Thank you - It's about time they "resverse" course and testify.

[helloworld2008]

Bush 2000 all over again -- the GOP are corrupting cheater criminals.

Palin is a LIAR thru and thru.

[Blk independant]

How can this woman try to play this guilt by association thing with OBAMA when she has so many skeletons in her closet?

[Martee]

Because she's shameless -- and Justice only applies when it's directed at someone else.

[22Tall1]

Let me first say that I am a woman. College educated born of blue collar, hard-working stock who proudly earned their living with their hands and sacrificied as did so many other families to send their two daughters to college.
It is insulting to me that Sarah Palin is using her gender to gain points in this election. She winks, bats her eyes, plays dumb, makes excuses for not knowing something or misstating something (as if to say what do you expect I'm just a hockey mom". It is a disgrace to where we are as a society. How any intelligent woman or man can fall for this is inconceivable to me. The US economy is in shambles, we are at war in two countries, hated by almost everybody, corruption and distruct is everywhere. All of this heaped on us by a president that people felt more comfortaqble with and wanted to shoot the s....with while having a beer. People knew he was slow on the uptake but they voted for him anyway. Now look where we are/ Joe Six-Pack can't afford that beer.
Now, we have another folksey (like a fox) candidate whose kids played hockey, etc. etc. etc. She doesn't take a stand on anything but that's Ok because she's every day people HELLO!!!! I live in Florida with a martitime border with Cuba and the Bahamas and a land border with Georgia. I guess i"m a foreign and domestic policy expert.

[Veratruth]

MONEY and POWER. That is her only HOPE now that she can't dictate to Americans how to act or how to raise our children. She may be SUFFERING the CONSEQUENCES of her misdeeds, which are only allowed for so long by her maker.

[sueno]

Isn't this like Palin's own Keating 5???
Palin and McCain are and have been under investigation!
Maverick's don't cheat the people!
Yet McCain has cheated us in the past, check keatingeconomics.com.
Now Palin's lies are coming home to roost-

[ColinSF]

Palin also pointed out in the debate that "Mavericks don't go looking backwards. Doggone let's look at the future", then within hours she is busy rehashing Obama's past. How sweet that the bad karma she is now sowing will come to haunt her shortly in various ways - an election loss, and possibly even loss of the Governor's title. America deserves better than Palin in the WH.

[Veratruth]

Wonder what Rev. Jeremiah Wright is thinking. I have used his statement many times. I hope he is well and happy after what Faux News and McCain camp put him through.

[busybee08]

I will be totally surprised if any of this goes anywhere. We have to remember who is TRULY involved here. We should not ever underestimate the power and potential to make things go away that some don't want to come to fruition. Lest we forget, this is not only about Alaska anymore. This whole issue as more far reaching consequences since the Governor has become a VP candidate. Just like letters distributed in Arlington, VA. to Obama supporters, very few rotten attempts will be spared these next few weeks.

[Martee]

It's already gone somewhere. Doesn't matter if she fired him improperly or not. The real scandal is that a sitting govenor (and VP nominee) would have the audacity to show such contempt for the rule of law and the Constitution of her state by refusing a proper subpoena. It has already demonstrated that a Palin/McCain white house is NO different than a Cheney/Bush one.

Please NOT AGAIN!

[ThanksMatt]

In fact it is much worse.

Vote for a good future: OBAMA/BIDEN 08/12

[2876]

If any of the 7 actually decides to speak the truth about Palin, they better start polishing their resumes. Cause when Palin returns to Alaska, she's going to make life a living hell for that individual. That is a big if though. I'm betting that their testimonies will consist of "I don't recall" "I don't remember" "I am unclear" "I can not say either way"

[ThanksMatt]

This is possible. But they do testify now because they understood they might end up in jail if they don't.. The same applies if they lie. And I think there is enough evidence even if they don't tell the entire truth.

[Ozarks]

out of a job or being sent to jail. You forget Monegen's 8 hours of testimony and exhibits behind closed doors. The truth is out there, and in Monegen's testimony and exhibits. They don't know what Monegen said under oath so If they perjure themselves and refuse to furnish documents ( required under subpoena) they are toast/

[rwt1138]

I wouldn't assume she will return to the state as powerful as she left it. She has been seriously wounded by this election. The legislature is up in arms, the state has come under intense scrutiny and even ridicule, and the citizens and politicians now all know way more about her than they would have likely ever found out had she not stepped into the limelight.

[Just2stressed]

Sen. Obama's supporters, PLEASE, PLEASE don't get complacent in thinking that the election has been won. Never accept victory before the time for victory has come. Remember, during the primaries, Sen. McCain's campaign was almost over, everybody thought he would not win the nomiation, and, he did.

This election is not yet over, Sen. Obama has not won, we don't know that he will. Therefore, Sen. Obama's campaign should fight with every breath. DO NOT watch the polls. People do lie to pollsters. They need to act is if they are the underdogs (in fact, they are the underdogs). The campaign should act as though they have everything working against them, not for them.

We are 29 days away. ANYTHING can happen during this time.

[xansam]

wise words...le­t's head them

[GSMRaleigh]

Yeh, wonder which version of the truth they will tell. It'll be interesting to see how closely identical their stories are.

[separatingwheatfromchaff]

Sarah Palin took a long shot to get into the upper echelons of government,not knowing or not caring she was being used.Which­ever it was is immaterial now,her vapid campaign and true record is on display now.Her personal agenda to fire her former brother-in-law shows her absence of ethics and character flaws are now burned into the psyche's of her Alaska constituen­ts.Her reputation has been ruined for any future run for national office too, thankfully before she was elected and allowed to let our nation suffer further damage.It does beg the question though "how many Sarah Palins are in office now,(House­/Senate,ma­le/ female)"? These are extremely disconcerting thoughts because we know it's very possible our government has reached this economic crises and foreign policy debacle because of forces beyond our control(puppets paid to vote a certain way).When I say paid,I don't necessarily mean money,it could be political favors,earmarks before an election etc.All these things lead to a self sustaining government that doesn't represent the general public and is bound to fail.