Half-Baked in Alaska: Palin's 11th Hour "Troopergate" Exoneration Was a Lie

It was surely an odd bit of timing on Monday, November 3--just hours before one of the biggest presidential elections in American history--that the Alaska State Personnel Board issued a finding by its chief investigator, Timothy J. Petumenos, that Republican vice-presidential candidate and Alaska governor, Sarah Palin, did not breach state ethics laws when she fired Alaska public safety commissioner Walt Monegan in July of this year.

This last minute finding appeared to exonerate Palin of any legal culpability in the so-called "Troopergate" scandal that dogged her throughout her ill-fated, two-month run on the Republican ticket. Palin boldly claimed it a "vindication," while headlines throughout the world declared that she had been "cleared" of any wrongdoing.

That was hardly the case. Composed entirely of political appointees--and all Republican--the Personnel Board was hell-bent on clearing Palin from the get-go. Its findings were neither final nor impartial. And they leave many questions about her behavior, along with that of her husband and her staff, unanswered.

Perhaps the most significant questions that remain are whether or not Governor Palin and her husband, Todd, committed perjury in their sworn affidavits to the personnel board.

There is significant circumstantial evidence that they did.

Less than a month before the Personnel Board's findings, of course, a Republican investigator of the bipartisan Alaska Legislative Council declared that while Palin broke no laws in firing Monegan, she had, in fact, violated the state's Executive Ethics Act by actively pursuing the firing of her former brother-in-law, Alaska state trooper Mike Wooten.

Palin put the lean on Monegan to fire Wooten. He didn't. So he was fired instead.

As Governor, Palin had the executive right to fire Monegan. On that fact, both the Legislative Council and Personnel Board agree.

What they disagree about is whether Palin, her husband, and her staff had the right to hound Monegan about the firing of Wooten. The Personnel Board said that she did have the right; the Legislative Council's reading of the Alaska Ethics Act says she did not.

And hound they did. More than three dozen times in less than two years.

In the aftermath of Monegan's dismissal, Palin gave at least four different reasons for it--all of which seem spurious, at best, and concocted, at worst. And there is strong evidence contradicting every one of her four explanations.

But even more troubling is the absolutely obsessive pattern of strong-arming Monegan about Wooten that began immediately once Palin took office. Within two months of her December 2006 inauguration, Palin and her husband, Todd, contacted Monegan a half-dozen times about firing Wooten. Then Palin's staff members began the assault. Then more contacts from the Palins. Then more from staff.

The pressure was unrelenting and continued right up until the time that Monegan was fired. The record on that--emails, notes, even taped phone conversations--is quite clear.

Perhaps the most troubling piece of evidence is a February 7, 2007, email from Gov. Palin to Monegan. It's a long, rambling missive that concludes with a return to her obsession with Wooten: "Just my opinion -- I know you know I've experienced a lot of frustration with this issue. I know Todd's even expressed to you a lot of concern about our family's safety after this trooper threatened to kill a family member..."

Both Palin and her husband swore under oath that they did not have conversations with Monegan a month earlier (in January 2007) about the Wooten matter. Yet the February 2007 email proves concretely that Palin was aware that her husband had conveyed concerns to Monegan and, by implication ("I know you know") that she had as well. It also clearly establishes the pattern of her trying to use her influence to get Wooten fired from her earliest days in office.

Palin further contradicted her own testimony by saying that her husband complained to her so frequently about the handling of the Wooten matter that she had to tell him to stop, and then shortly thereafter contended that she knew nothing about his activities to get Wooten fired.

Implausible? Absolutely. Perjury? That remains for a legal body to decide.

But will one?

I contacted Monegan's talented attorney in Anchorage, Jeffrey Feldman, of Feldman, Orlansky & Sanders, to ask him about the state of the case and what were the next legal steps in this matter.

"No one knows the answer to that question," he declared. Since the Personnel Board made a finding of "no probable cause" and denied Monegan's request for a hearing, there "is nothing currently pending before the Personnel Board."

Feldman indicated that Monegan's legal options are also limited. He "could file an action in court either challenging his dismissal, asserting defamation claims, or seeking a due process name-clearing hearing," but as of now that's uncertain.

That leaves the Alaska Legislature. When it goes back into session in January, there are a variety of options it could pursue. Although there's a bipartisan majority caucus in the state Senate, Feldman said, it's uncertain whether Senate President-designate, Republican Gary Stevens (not related to the convicted U.S. Senator), will follow up on any matter dealing with Troopergate.

That, to me, would seem to be a dereliction of the Legislature's duty. The Alaska Legislature has the right--and I believe the obligation--to follow-up on the findings of its own investigation and to censure Governor Palin for what was a clear pattern of abusing her power.

Moreover, the Legislature also has the power to seek contempt charges against Palin and other state officials who willingly ignored the Legislative Council's subpoenas during its investigation of Troopergate. And it also has the power to hold hearings on whether or not Palin and her husband committed perjury. There's troubling evidence that they did.

Come January, someone needs to show Alaska's first family that they are not above the law.

Comments

[jqcitizen]

The Personnel Board in Juneau, Ak looks like the law firm of Ashcroft, Meiers & Gonzales in DC.

One difference is that the State Legislature is NOT the US Congress.

Stay tuned.

[marymansour]

If Alaskans are the tough and no-nonsense types that they are purported to be, they will rid themselves of this ridiculous, double-talking woman right away. If they want to keep her, too bad for them. At least she is not a national threat at the moment and this we can be grateful for.

[suhud]

Who d ied and made this woman queen of Alaska? Has the state seceded from the Union and we don't even know it, because First Dude hasn't given Greta or Matt the OK to release the fact? Maybe voters up there will think twice about re-digesting her beauty pageant spew, now that "she's baaaack," and exercise their right to investigate her abuse of power in Troopergate, etc. Something tells me more than a couple of GOP govs would lend a hand....

[GBGB]

Mr. Dunn, Your article appears to be well-researched, yet you do not come close to establishing a case for perjury.
The government would have to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the Palins made knowingly false statements, under oath, regarding a material issue. The Palins testified that neither of them had "conversations" with Monegan about the Wooten matter in January, 2007. Your only evidence is a 2/7/07 e-mail from Palin which states that Monegan should know that Palin is frustrated. There is nothing in there about a "conversation," let alone a conversation in Jan. 2007. (Palin might have sent him correspondence, or they could have spoken before or after Jan. 2007, etc.)
The e-mail also says that Palin's husband has "expressed" certain concerns to Monegan. Once again, that line does not suggest (let alone prove beyond a reasonable doubt) that a "conversation" occurred in Jan. 2007.
Furthermore, in light of the three dozen contacts over two years, how could the government possibly prove that the Palins knowingly lied about whether a conversation occurred in Jan. 2007? Also, if Palin and her husband admit that they spoke to Monegan regarding Wooten on several occasions, the fact that one of those conversations occurred in Jan. 2007 would not be "material."
Calling for a perjury investigation against Palin, based upon what little you have put forth in this article, is certainly not in keeping with Obama's request that we put aside our partisan differences.

[addictedtokaos]

no way....they need to go after this woman....

[mmmd]

It is the duty of the state to protect the common man from powerful government officials. Abuse of Power is hardly something that can be overlooked for the sake of putting aside partisan differences. People in powerful positions actually make decisions and impact lives. They DO things. That is why they need oversight. Obama hardly meant a carte blanche to all things republican when he asked for bipartisanship.

[ProFromOre]

Partisan differences are one thing, but this investigation WAS NEVER PARTISAN, and the Alaskan people should push for the legislature to do their job. There are too many obvious examples of Palin using her power as mayor and governor for her benefit. This is one time she's been nailed for it. Given the facts, she should be held accountable for her actions.

Investigating potential criminal acts is NOT and NEVER should be considered a partisan act. To call it is so does not do justice to your cogent argument, and makes your intentions suspect.

The ONLY time the ONLY people called this investigation partisan is the McCain lawyers sent to Alaska prior to the election to meddle in the affairs of the Alaskan people. THEY turned this into a partisan sideshow and, frankly, the maneuver and their behavior in Alaska was unethical and unconscionable.

[KHAAANNN]

I only want one thing explained in open court.
WHY was Todd Palin who was NOT an employee of any branch or office of the Alaskan Government allowed unrestricted and unsupervised access to State Personnel records?
Is this not a felony violation of both State and Federal law?

[TrishyTrue]

This is my big question also and I have blogged about the place to this effect.
As 'shadow' Gov of Alaska, he would also have been 'shadow' VP.
This self serving, vacuous woman and her laconic, sleazoid spouse must be held accountable. It was clear from the outset what they were up to.

[Geoffrey Dunn - Huffpost Blogger]

I am not an attorney, nor do I pretend to be one. But I have read through a good deal of the "raw" legal material in Monegan's case, and I came away with no other conclusion than that the Palin's lied about their contacts with Monegan. Whether it can be proven in court is another matter. But as the late statesman J. William Fulbright once declared, "A lie's a lie."

Monegan's attorney, Jeff Feldman, has issued a more in-depth response to the Monegan matter, which can be read here:

http://community.adn.com/node/134330

The argument being made above about the February 7 email is as absurd as it is implausible. Anyone reading that email knows two things: that Palin had previously discussed the Wooten matter with Monegan; and that Palin's husband Todd previously discussed the matter with both Palin and Monegan.

One of the many arguments that Feldman makes is this: "The [Personnel Board] investigator's report leaves important dots unconnected...and [misapplies] the legal standard of 'probable cause.' "

Forget those contacts that are contested; the facts that are not contested reflect an obsessive pattern on behalf of the Palins; the Legislative Council's investigator—a Republican—found that Sarah Palin violated Alaska's Ethics Code and abused her power; and she and several members of her staff arrogantly ignored subpoenas on this matter. Troopergate is not over; Palin cannot sweep it under the rug; and come January she should be held accountable.

[Emerald1943]

I still don't understand why the MSM completely ignored the Alaska Independence Party affiliation of both Sarah and Todd. About the only place you could get any info at all was on the HuffPost. This story should have been front page in large bold typeface!

As for me and a few of my friends, we have mixed feelings about SP running in 2012...if she does, we have to listen to the"fingernails on the blackboard" voice for the entire race, but on the other hand, her candidacy would insure Barack another four years in office!

I can mute the volume...and I say, bring 'er on! You betcha!

[denholt]

The beauty of having the AIP affiliation ignored during this election cycle is that it can/should/will be brought up if this fraudulent sociopath ever dares step out onto the national stage again . . .

[HowietheScreamer]

No it won't. The MSM... CORPORATE media is not in that game. They are there to make things LOOK like a horse race to generate CASH for their Corporate masters. You haven't figured this out yet????

[slytot7]

And what good will that do? Nothing! no effect whatsoever! she will "plow" through it:

[hopeless277]

If the US Congress can derelect their duties for 8 years, why can't the Alaska legislature? Answer: They can and will.

[EvasDaddy]

I am very curious about the details surrounding construction of the Palin home, which occurred simultaneously with a large public structure.

Todd Palin claims to have built the house himself, with the assistance of "friends".

There is reason to look into the extent of those relationships, and whether any of those "friends" happened to be connected to the public project, and lastly, whether any public materials made their way into the Palin house.

This is much bigger than Palin's petty family squabble, in that their Senator Stephens was recently convicted for essentially the same thing.

It seems to be a "given" (unintentional pun) that politicians have carte blanche on the state coffers.

[Emerald1943]

Me too! I read somewhere that the windows in her home are the same kind as in the new sports complex in Wasilla!

[greymom]

This is a huge issue. Why has it not been investigated by mainstream media? Does this story have legs?

[ProFromOre]

I read an eye witness account of the Palin kitchen which stated the appliances were all commercial brands you don't see in houses. They weren't even the "commercial" brands the rich like to waste their money on.

The most suspicious thing to me about the house is that Palin pushed through an ordinance before she left as mayor the did away with building permits in Wasilla. No permit means no plans means no paper trail as evidence of a crime.

IF, and this is an IF, Palin pushed that ordinance through and then knew about improper events involved in the $500k house, THAT is conspiracy, plain and simple.

I have read so many stories in the Alaska press about Palin bending the rules and abusing her power that she puts a bad taste in my mouth, just like Stevens, et al.

One more time, for old time's sake:

"If it wasn't for lies, there'd be no Palin, at all."

[goodmarina]

The supplier who supplied building mateirals, supplied materials to that still-laws­uit-pendin­g-multimil­lin-dollar Sports Complex. Even though it is one fo the largest suppliers in Alaska, the whole house-building scenario does not have the ring of common sense to me.

I am heavily involved in home-building and this whole simpleton scenario of "building a $500K with my buddies" just doesn't make practical sense. If it truly was built "with buddies" a home that size would take a couple of years to build -- if not more.

Who ever thought that this day and age a Mayor of a town would move to suspend building permits and codes? If anything, progressive cities who are very environment and infrastructure concerned push for higher standards of permits and codes.

[WilliePilgrim]

It'll be interesting to see where her popularity goes in Alaska when she proved unable to extract more money out of the oil companies who are not currently getting $150 bbl (nor reducing the price of fuel oil in Alaska) and she is unable to send her constituency another $1200 on top of their annual Permanent Fund Dividend.
Palin's facade is a gossamer tracery, obscuring the harsh reality while suggesting something really wonderful behind it all. The glaring light of reality will show it for what it is when the legislature in Juneau gets down and dirty again. Don't forget there are fellow republicans with institutional memories who aren't all that enthusiastic about Palin's rise and they will be busy joining with Democrats to insure that her shoelaces are properly tied...together.

[Conejo]

Gov. Sarah Palin is in the catbird seat. She can do no wrong. Once you have the crazy evangelicals on your side, you can get away with anything, well, almost anything. She was anointed de facto leader of the Republicans when she professed her hatred of abortion and the preservation of the life of her baby with Down Syndrome. Whether or not her Dalai Lama-like position with the nutters will guarantee her importance with the rank and file Republicans however is another story. To continue as the party leader she has a lot of homework to do. But, given her agressive personality and dishonesty, I fully expect her to do it.

[MJinCanada]

If she's such a shining light for the evangelical right, I wonder how many people will be inspired to convert to Wicca, Buddhism and other Old Religions that still value ethics and personal responsibility.

[TRYKER]

The leading repubs in the US, the govs, finished their conference without voting her into any official position or assignments, she went home empty handed from there...so it doesn't appear that THEY think she is the party leader in any way. There is a start.

[Marefur]

Did you see the speech she gave at the conference? She was flat and obviously nervous because, in my opinion, she knew she was speaking to an audience of her peers or even superiors (in ability and intelligence), as opposed to the rabble she was able to rouse during the campaign. The "campaignisms" she tried to foist on that audience went over like, well, like a dead moose.

[PackyJ]

Mr. Dunn:
I've lived in Alaska since 1958.
"Dereliction of duty" by the Alaska Legislature is a pretty common occurance.

[trisha08]

If Sarah decides to run in 2012, the other GOP opponents will chew her up.

Think of the material they have. Sarah, on record, saying to the AIP, "keep up the good work"----doesn't sound very pro-American to me. Socialism? Let's look at Alaska and how every citizen gets a check every year. Shopping-gate, troopergate, ethics violations, per diem, children's travel being charged to the State, stupid remarks by Palin up until last week. That's the tip of the iceberg............

Then, she can't blame liberals or the mainstream media for trying to destroy her.

[supervoter]

Oh, but she will. And so will what's rest of the right wing of the Republican Party.

[rwt1138]

Conejo is right, she has the thumpers on her side. Short of meth-fueled trysts with a female bodybuilder, she is unassailable.

Say what you will about the faithful, their fact-and-r­eason-free lifestyle makes for a seriously loyal constituency that is impervious to reality.

As for the PFD check as an example of "Socialism", I am not sure what you base that on--or that you know what "socialism" is.

For the record, the reason why Alaskans get a check every year has to do with a very smart former governor named Jay Hammond. When the oil money first started rolling in, there was more of it than anyone knew what to do with. The temptation was to burn through it like a trailer park lottery winner, but Hammond had the foresight to recognize that the oil was finite and that the money wouldn't last. In an effort to preserve the state's revenue once the oil dried up, Hammond proposed a permanent fund, one large enough that the state could live off of the interest when the wells ran dry. This was not an easy sell, as it was a responsible and wise use of the money. To make it politically palatable, lawmakers offered a dividend check to all residents, essentially buying their support. Since the oil is a state resource and therefore belongs to all the people of Alaska, this is not an unreasonable distribution of public wealth, and is hardly an example of socialism.

[jshubbub]

Actually, it's a rather good example of socialism. You assume that socialism is "an unreasonable distribution of public wealth," but that simply isn't true. You imply an immorality where there is none. In its purist form, socialism is the collective ownership of wealth. Hence, the Alaska Permanent Fund is a classic specimen--­collective ownership, collective benefit, universal distribution. Doesn't get much better than that. We would all be better off if more of the world worked this way.

[carlgt1]

what the hell, water, minerals, oil, are resources for all states so let's nationalize 'em! it's amazing how dittoheads try to spin away that Alaska's oil checks "isn't socialism"

[sueno]

If this is the "future" that Alaskans are looking for,
well, it just sezs an "awful" a lot about them-

[trisha08]

Nothing will happen to Palin. They are all afraid of her. She will continue to charge taxpayers for her children's travel--even when not invited. She will continue to collect the per diem to stay in her own home. The State Legislature will never bring up Troopergate again. Todd will contine to be
Co-Govenor (even though he is a private citizen) with access to State emails, sitting in on meetings, etc.

I can't figure out why she would ever want to leave Alaska. Sounds like she (and her family) have a sweet deal up there.

The only time her behavior will come up again is if she runs in 2012. Then, her opponents will dig up and display her lawlessness/ethics all over again.

[Toonadude]

$he want$ to leave Ala$ka $o $he can fi$h in a bigger $ea.

[RuthlessDictator]

Couldn't have said it better myself!

[anghiari]

I saw a copy of the letter of glowing recommendation Sarah Palin sent to the State Troopers in Jan. 2000 on behalf of her brother in law, Mike Wooten. In it she extolled his great relationship with Wasilla children and that he served as a role model for her children. She stated he was a person of great character...The story goes that Mike Wooten dumped Palin's sister for another woman and that's when they decided to go after him. I suspect she thinks she got him the job--she wrote his recommendation on Wasilla mayoral stationery-and she thought she ought to be able to get him fired from the job once she became governor. This was nothing more than a venegful effort on behalf of her sister and Palin overstepped her boundaries. The lack of sophistication around governing in Alaska has led to Alaskans just accepting her behavior as Governor, few know about the Recall Process. Also for many its hard to raise holy heck with a Governor that hands out $2300 bonuses to all Alaskan citizens due to an overflow of oil revenues. But it makes Alaska citizens very similar to those Wall Street boys would sold out America for lots of bucks...Alaskans who take that money and look the other way deserve the government that have ....

[dphilip]

I keep seeing comments on HP about how we Republicans are "cracking up" over the election.
However, it seems to me that the democrats are having a more difficult time accepting that Sarah Palin was once a VP candidate than the Republicans have in accepting that Barack Obama was elected president...so much for her being so "insignificant" I guess?

[shadow322]

I don't see where your intrigue comes from when Democrats muse at the Republicans pick of their VP candidate. Listening to Rush Limbaugh, Ann Coulter, Sean Hannity and Newt Gingrich and Carl Rove - it all makes perfect sense that Polton was your perfect choice. She embodies all that the Republicans have to offer. She's cute, ..........­..........­..........­, she's cute......­..........­........., she's cute......­..........­..... and she's cute. I don't see an argument here.

[krayon]

I don't think it was SP herself that was the difficult thing to accept, rather that McCain would be so irresponsible to have selected her as VP. He signed and sealed his own fate with that choice and I really believe had he chosen a more qualified running mate, the results of the election might have been very different. I remember the day he chose her, Obama supporters were doing the high five... and singing "Thank you, John McCain."

As for her being " significant ", well, so is Sponge Bob, but he's not a viable candidate either.