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Palin’s Trooper’Gate: Beating MSM distortions to the truth
Flopping Aces ^ | 08/29/2008 | MataHarley

Posted on 08/30/2008 6:54:09 AM PDT by airedale

t’s been over 12 hours now since Alaskan Governor, Sarah Palin, has been named as GOP choice of Veep. Already, a desperate Obama camp of supporters are in search of talking points… other than the obviously poor choice of “inexperience”… or a scandal to take back what they perceive as the DNC ticket superiority.

Knowing the Palin-Monegan-Wooten investigation of abuse of power was their prime target, I’ve been spending time this AM researching the chain of events in hopes of beating the media to the political and biased distortions creating a new, and false “truth. I took into consideration that journalists… and ardent supporters like Markg8 on Curt’s thread… will be quick to post what they believe is damning evidence without reading more material on the issue.

So on that note, settle back and catch up with the reality of rural country politics. I’d like to share with you what appears to be the crux of the story, using both pro and con Palin bloggers and news media.

A timeline of events in the so-called “scandal”

4-11-05: Investigation of Mike Wooten by AST (Alaskan State Troopers) over two year allegation of misconduct involving family members commences.

5-1-05: Domestic complaint incident involving Mike and Molly Wooten, Sarah and Todd Palin. Transcript of Sarah Palin with troopers. Also, Trooper notes on the same interview.

SUMMARY: Molly calls Sarah (not yet Governor) in fear from husband. They leave an open phone line where both Sarah and Molly’s son hear Wooten threaten Molly and Sarah’s father (he’ll “eat an f*#king bullet). Palin doesn’t call police because she doesn’t want to hurt Wooten’s trooper career, nor make the situation worse…. Providing it didn’t get physical. Other incidents with Wooten noted.

8-18-05 Re’interview of both Sarah and Todd Palin. Trooper notes on Sarah interview. And Trooper notes on interview with Todd Palin, plus with bartender of Mug Shot Saloon.

SUMMARY: Sarah confirms an email on Aug 10th, 2005 to Col Julia Grimes, Director of AST (Alaska State Troopers) complaining of Wooten’s negative representation of the department. Wooten’s abuse of his authority and position in various instances. His racist attitudes towards native Alaskans (Todd Palin is a native Alaskan…), abuse of state resources (free gas/credit), illegal hunting activities, and Sarah’s daughter (Bristol) being a witness to Wooten’s tasering of his 11 year old stepson (verified)

SUMMARY: Todd also confirms Wooten’s disparaging remarks about Alaskan natives, his consistent abuse of authority and position, plus his hunting violations. Bartender confirms Wooten involving himself in bar fight, misusing his position as a trooper. Also bartender confirms Wooten with “girlfriend” at the bar, who was later arrested for DUI.

This is no means a complete picture of all that happened… but enough to give you a picture of an “out of control” trooper. ~~~

NOTE: Palin was not Governor of the State at this time… and this transpired BEFORE her primary campaign against GOP competitor, Andrew Halcro. Coincidently, the same man leading the pack screaming “scandal” over the “firing of Monegan”.

The investigations against Wooten started more than a year before she was elected governor, and about two months before launching her campaign”. ~~~

11-2005: Palin elected Governor of Alaska

3-1-06: Col. Julia Grimes findings on Wooten investigation results in suspension…. for only *five* days.

What we can derive from the timeline is that the investigations and complaints against Wooten as a State Trooper (not to mention with problems exhibiting a derelict father who tasers his step son, and is a physically and verbally abusive, unfaithful husband per the transcripts and testimony) had started prior to Palin’s term as Governor.

We can also determine that this is a man who most certainly does not need to be a trooper, armed with a badge and gun. And, if not in rural Alaska, Wooten is a law official who would have been run out of most departments as a seriously troubled man with violent tendencies.

Per Col. Julia Grimes in the Fairbanks Newsminer on July 28, 2008… and showing how long this “scandal” has dragged out…

The record clearly indicates a serious and concentrated pattern of unacceptable, and at times, illegal activity occurring over a lengthy period, which establishes a course of conduct totally at odds with the ethics of our profession,” Col. Julia Grimes, then head of Alaska State Troopers, wrote in March 1, 2006, letter suspending Wooten for 10 days. After the union protested it, the suspension was reduced to five days.

She warned that if he messed up again, he’d be fired.

<>


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: 2008veep; electionpresident; firing; msm; palin; sarapalin; scandal
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To: airedale

If the Rats are going to hang their hat on this story, then they will be in for a rude awakening after they see how the general public reacts to their implicit support of a wife-beater, child abuser, and corrupt cop, which Palin acted (rightfully) against.


21 posted on 08/30/2008 7:30:56 AM PDT by Virginia Ridgerunner ("We must not forget that there is a war on and our troops are in the thick of it!"--Duncan Hunter)
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To: Gamecock; P-Marlowe

I heard O’Reilly mention this last night, and I thought it was just an off-handed comment that said simply that there was some story in Alaska about this. I’d actually read almost exactly the same thing yesterday on Free Republic.

The gist was there’s something but no details as of yet.

The truth coming out is about a guy who tased his own child and abused others. It sounds like the Palins were involved because it was her sister. They made complaints.

I’d be more inclined to be upset with them if they had not complained. In most (all?) states there are “must report” laws regarding child abuse (tasing your own kid), and some have “must report” laws/encouragements regarding spouse abuse.

Threatening to put a bullet in someone should certainly bring about a call to the police.


22 posted on 08/30/2008 7:33:18 AM PDT by xzins (Retired Army Chaplain -- Those denying the War was Necessary Do NOT Support the Troops!)
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To: 230FMJ
During my career as a Police officer and Police Administrator in Maine, I had several cases where I had to terminate the employment of officers. In every case the fired officer and his loyal associates claimed it was “Personal” and an “abuse of authority”. This is the norm for these cases, which is why the administrator is routinely meticulous about fairness and documentation of the investigation. Union challenges and lawsuits are anticipated. The fact that the union could only get a token reduction in the suspension time means that the AST investigators dotted the “I’s and crossed the T’s”. The Dems and the MSM had better think twice before going too far down this road, because they will very likely highlight the picture of a sister, not a governor, blowing the whistle on an abusive cop who was abusing HIS power.

Thank you! Pretty much says it all, concisely, factually, and a good warning to LSM that they will ignore!... Yep, I read the article similarly, and found the operative phrase to be "the union". Unfortunately for this country, unions have degenerated into 'defenders of the criminal' and most have long overstayed their usefulness to the typical wage earner. When it's a police union, the negatives are magnified a hundredfold! Rogue cops are the norm in Mexico, we shouldn't have to suffer them here.

23 posted on 08/30/2008 7:34:41 AM PDT by CRBDeuce (an armed society is a polite society)
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To: Virginia Ridgerunner

Depends on whether the MSM covers the story or plays it only as an abuse of power (firing someone who wouldn’t do what she wanted). You know which way they are going to try to go.


24 posted on 08/30/2008 7:40:20 AM PDT by airedale ( XZ)
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To: CRBDeuce

This is going to be the first time we can push back directly on the Drive By Media.

PUSH BACK HARD.

CNN is now trying to scare people by showing pickters of Palin shooting an m-16 (scarry “assault rifle”) every time they mention her.


25 posted on 08/30/2008 7:42:49 AM PDT by longtermmemmory (VOTE! http://www.senate.gov and http://www.house.gov)
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To: 230FMJ

True, and either way, the story does not have a happy ending for use as a smear

1. A AST had a vile temper and made threats that were documented, after a thorough investigation he was terminated.

2. Pallin, concerned for her sister’s safety took action to protect her sister from her violent husband.

So 1 being the case, it is a cross the “T” and dot “I” situation, if 2 took place, the alternative would be “She should have let her sister be abused” which would make for a absurd story line.

Not that the Media wouldn’t spin it like that, it would be impossible to sell that line of thought to anyone but Olberman viewers and the Koz Boyz...


26 posted on 08/30/2008 7:42:50 AM PDT by padre35 (Conservative in Exile/ Romans 10.10/Eze 11.2/Biden/Obama bye bye RTKBA)
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To: airedale

Let them criticize and investigate all they want. Unlike Captain Kirk’s fake, McCain’s corbomite device actually works.


27 posted on 08/30/2008 7:56:20 AM PDT by tbpiper (Obama/Biden: Instead of Ebony and Ivory, we have Arrogance and Insolence.)
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To: padre35

It’s going to be interesting to watch the Rabid Left use Sarah Palin to finish the job they’ve been doing to themselves over the past year or so with the Circular Firing Squad that was the Democrat Primary. They are too arrogant and angry to see that their specious, hypocritical attacks on her will only hasten their further marginalization. Keep it up, Karl Marx and Saul Alinsky would be proud!


28 posted on 08/30/2008 7:59:21 AM PDT by 230FMJ (...from my cold, dead, fingers.)
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To: yldstrk
He should be fired...

Isn't this situation the same as when cops shoot innocent "civilians" - you know, as in "the officer stated that he was in fear for his life, and was cleared by the official (cop) investigation"

29 posted on 08/30/2008 8:01:43 AM PDT by LIBERTARIAN JOE (Don't blame me - I voted for Ron Paul!)
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To: TommyDale

“O’Reilly is a mouthy moron and a bloviating buffoon” excellent description.

If BOR fails to get the facts out about this abusive Trooper ex brother in law who both threatened to kill his father in law and tasered his stepson - BOR is over. He already was in my book - but such an oversight on this the main story the Dems are firing out against Sarah Palin = will render BOR totally worthless.


30 posted on 08/30/2008 8:04:24 AM PDT by Freedom'sWorthIt (Tony Snow founnd out - to live is Christ, to die is gain....Thanks be to God for Tony's life!)
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To: airedale
If Alaska is like Idaho...Monegan may well work at the pleasure of the Governor and could be fired by her. If that appointed position was not responding to direct knowledge that the governor had about an abusive, out of control employee...then I do not blame the governor in the least for firing him.

It seems to me that Sarah is shaking up the good old boy network and they do not like it in the least. In reality then, it is these others who are acting out of political interests and not Sarah.

31 posted on 08/30/2008 8:14:38 AM PDT by Jeff Head (Freedom is not free...never has been, never will be. (www.dragonsfuryseries.com))
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To: Virginia Ridgerunner

Amen and spot on.


32 posted on 08/30/2008 8:15:52 AM PDT by Jeff Head (Freedom is not free...never has been, never will be. (www.dragonsfuryseries.com))
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To: frankjr

Since you mention Ayers, my memory of his activities was a little vague until the association with Obama came up.

I wonder why a guy who did what he did (and admits it) is not in prison???

Maybe I’ll look him up on Wikipedia.

Or does anyone know?


33 posted on 08/30/2008 8:17:42 AM PDT by altura
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To: yldstrk
Wooten tasered an 11 year old family member, his step-son. He should be arrested for assault. He should be charged with child abuse. He should be fired and not provided with government weapons by law enforcement agencies to use against family members.

And what happens if (when?) this comes up in the VP debate and Palin looks across the stage and challenges the guy promoting his sponsorship of the Violence Against Women act to lay out his own opinion of a cop who tasers his own 11 year old kid as a "training" exercise?

The Dems really don't want to go anywhere near this, and I think the senior campaign and party leadership know this. But the nutroots are going to drag them there.
34 posted on 08/30/2008 8:22:27 AM PDT by tanknetter
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To: airedale

As I’ve noted before, the same “news media” that couldn’t find anything negative in Obama’s past is suddenly adept at looking for negatives in Palin’s past.

But they’re working with the DNC and Obama campaign on that project, so it’s a lot easier.


35 posted on 08/30/2008 8:22:35 AM PDT by popdonnelly (Sarah Palin has no experience as a community organizer.)
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To: altura

I believe he was never tried due to a technicality relating to prosecutorial misconduct.


36 posted on 08/30/2008 8:34:24 AM PDT by frankjr
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To: airedale

ping


37 posted on 08/30/2008 8:36:54 AM PDT by JessieHelmsJr
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To: popdonnelly

This is the worst case scenario for them, they won’t find anything and come off looking even MORE stupid and like hypocrites in the process.


38 posted on 08/30/2008 8:51:07 AM PDT by tpanther (The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing-----Edmund Burke)
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To: tpanther

Are they really calling this a scandal?? An abusive husband who got botted and his boss who got booted for not booting the as**ole in the first place?


39 posted on 08/30/2008 8:56:56 AM PDT by tndarlin
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To: longtermmemmory
I don't think arguing with the media does anything but spur them on to dig (read: fabricate] more crap.

The McCain camps attack (those brilliant ads) need to focus on Obamamamam and Token Joe...sending the MSM to the defense of those two clowns.

If the "McHalin" crowd gets on the defensive, it will send a signal that they are as thin-skinned as the chosen one, and we don't need that...always play from a position of strength.

Letting the press put the "McHalin" camp on defense would play right into their hands.

"McHalin" brings up the thought...if their campaign bought a vehicle to carry their stuff, would it be a "Van Halin"? (groannnnnnnn)
40 posted on 08/30/2008 9:20:50 AM PDT by FrankR (Liberalism is Communism by the drink - P.J. O'Roarke)
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