Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Fired Official: Governor Sarah Palin Did Not Tell the Truth to ABC
ABC News ^ | September 15, 2008 | Rhonda Schwartz and Justin Rood

Posted on 09/15/2008 11:55:56 AM PDT by Zakeet

Walt Monegan Says He Was Called to Gov.'s Office Over a "Private Family Matter"

"She's not telling the truth when she told ABC neither she nor her husband pressured me to fire Trooper Wooten," said Walt Monegan, the Alaskan official whose dismissal by Sarah Palin is the focus of a state investigation known as "Troopergate". "And she's not telling the truth to the media about her reasons for firing me."

In an exclusive interview with ABC News.com, former Alaska Public Safety Commissioner Walt Monegan said he resisted pressure by the First Couple to re-open an old case against a state trooper, who was in a hotly contested divorce and custody battle with the Governor's sister Molly.

Alaskan lawmakers are investigating whether Palin and her husband used the power of the Governor's office to conduct a personal vendetta against their former brother-in-law, whose behavior during the 2005 divorce was described by the Palin family as " threatening."

In a 20/20 interview, Palin told ABC's Charles Gibson she dismissed Monegan for poor job performance and that neither she nor her husband pressured Monegan to fire State Trooper Wooten. "We never did. I never pressured him to hire or fire anybody," Palin said.

But Monegan told ABC News.com he was summoned to a meeting with Todd Palin in December 2006, shortly after Sarah Palin became governor.

"I was called to her Anchorage formal Governor's office to talk with Todd Palin about an issue that was a private family matter," recounted Monegan. Todd became "upset," Monegan recalled, when told the allegations had already been investigated and the case would not be re-opened.

"When Sarah later called to tell me the same thing, I thought to myself, 'I may not be long for this job.'"

(Excerpt) Read more at abcnews.go.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 2008election; abcnews; mccainpalin; mediabias; msm; palin; propagandawingofdnc; troopergate
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-69 next last
To: beezdotcom
Folks may not like it, but at the end of the day, she can fire without cause?

McCain/Palin are running as reformers. How in the heck is any executive, Republican or Democrat, going to follow-through on that commitment if they can't even fire an "At-Will" employee?

41 posted on 09/15/2008 12:28:42 PM PDT by Tallguy ("The sh- t's chess, it ain't checkers!" -- Alonzo (Denzel Washington) in "Training Day")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]

To: fuzzthatwuz

“For the record, no one ever said fire Wooten. Not the governor. Not Todd. Not any of the other staff,” Monegan said Friday from Portland. “What they said directly was more along the lines of ‘This isn’t a person that we would want to be representing our state troopers.’


42 posted on 09/15/2008 12:28:54 PM PDT by Perdogg (Sen Robert Byrd - Ex community organizer)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 37 | View Replies]

To: ETCS

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/251/story/51199.html


43 posted on 09/15/2008 12:31:04 PM PDT by Perdogg (Sen Robert Byrd - Ex community organizer)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 40 | View Replies]

To: ETCS

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/251/story/51199.html


44 posted on 09/15/2008 12:31:41 PM PDT by Perdogg (Sen Robert Byrd - Ex community organizer)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 40 | View Replies]

To: Zakeet
His ex says he threatened her life with a gun, and he dislocated her shoulder. He admits to it, but said it was while “playing”, just like the trooper Whooten was just “playing” when he taser his 10 year old.

WOMEN OF AMERICA DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM THAT SARAH FILED THIS WIFE BEATER, FOR NOT FIRING ANOTHER WIFE BEATER.

45 posted on 09/15/2008 12:33:54 PM PDT by AmericaUnited
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Zakeet

When Palin was elected Goveror it seems to me that the security and safety of the Governor and her immediate family takes priority.

Don’t you think that a brother-in-law who had wandered off the reservation (so to speak) would be a problem for the Governor’s family?

So the Governor and her family should have just let the ex-husband run amok?


46 posted on 09/15/2008 12:36:34 PM PDT by Lobbyist (I want my American dream!!!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Zakeet
Monegan was offered another job and refused it.

These guys are pissed because Palin was getting ready to REFORM the state troopers, starting with cleaning out the ones that like to get drunk while on duty...

Monegan is dreaming if he thinks this is going to stop the REFORM of the state trooper system in Alaska.
47 posted on 09/15/2008 12:38:33 PM PDT by Fred (The Democrat Party is the Nadir of Nihilism)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Zakeet

Well, we now know what the lead on tonight’s ABC World News will be. I read she even offered him another job as director of Alcoholic Beverage control. A disgusting employee and with this Gibson is showing he’s in the tank for Obama, no matter what Brit says about him.


48 posted on 09/15/2008 12:39:57 PM PDT by CedarDave (Sign at Albuquerque rally: "Sarah, you had us at 'Hello'")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Perdogg

“In fact, there were three separate trips that the Governor and former commissioner Monegan took together including Bethel, Dillingham and twice to New Stuyahok.”

TWICE to New Stuyahok? I thought she was all against these fancy “fact finding” tours. I wonder what lobbyist paid for these trips. ;)


49 posted on 09/15/2008 12:42:54 PM PDT by 21twelve (Don't wish for peace. Pray for Victory.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 29 | View Replies]

To: Zakeet

“Fired Official”, what a misleading and propaganda filled headline. He is not an official. How about “Disgruntled Employee”?


50 posted on 09/15/2008 12:43:39 PM PDT by CodeToad
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: CedarDave

” no matter what Brit says about him.”

Surprised to hear Brit sort of defend him, but even friends sometimes take time to see that the reality of the situation.

Will give Brit credit for debunking the 95% tax cut scenario with Juan.

In essence he said you can’t cut taxes on people who don’t pay any. Baracks plan just gives them money.........


51 posted on 09/15/2008 12:47:20 PM PDT by patriotspride
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 48 | View Replies]

To: Zakeet

Wasn’t this guy’s position an “at-will” position? She didn’t need a reason to let him go. It isn’t even an issue. I suppose that, if dems actually worked for a living, they’d understand the concept of “at will”.


52 posted on 09/15/2008 12:48:30 PM PDT by MayflowerMadam (Election '08: God is in control.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: CedarDave
And again:

"ABC NEWS: You forgot to add that, Mr Monegan stated in July to the Anchorage Daily News: "For the record, no one, not the governor, nor the first gentleman, nor anyone else on the Governor’s staff told me to fire Trooper Wooten.” Gee, I wonder why you left that out? Check it out, look it up. It took me less than 24 hours to research ‘Troopergate’."

53 posted on 09/15/2008 12:50:02 PM PDT by CodeToad
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 32 | View Replies]

Monegan is lying. Palin offered him a different job which he refused. She would not have offered a different job if she was mad at him for not firing the trouper.


54 posted on 09/15/2008 12:50:54 PM PDT by webboy45
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 48 | View Replies]

To: fantom
The trooper tazed a 10 yr old child. Why is he not up on child abuse charges ?

Exactly. The trooper stated his son consented to it and it was all done safe-like. Problem:

(1) Child can't consent to an assault from an adult (and this wasn't disciplinary and even if it were likely it would still be an assault given the unauthorized use of this weapon and the nature of it)

(2) The tazer was clearly being used contrary to regulations.

55 posted on 09/15/2008 12:51:16 PM PDT by Lent
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 36 | View Replies]

To: CedarDave
Do you have a linkable source for that Google quote? It will be needed before Google cleanses the evidence.

Here you go...

56 posted on 09/15/2008 12:55:03 PM PDT by CA Conservative
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 23 | View Replies]

To: Zakeet
"When Sarah later called to tell me the same thing, I thought to myself, 'I may not be long for this job.'"

Two points, first Monegan was not told to fire Wooten but instead was asked to reopen the case, especially since the threats against the family took on more importance now that she was governor. Obviously the Palin's hoped that concerns about security in her new job would cause Monegan to take a second look at Wooten. She could also make the case that the trooper, by his past actions and threats, was himself a threat to other citizens who may cross him.

Second, it looks like Monegan lasted for another eighteen months. She gave him a chance to come on board but for whatever reason, he didn't meet expectations and she relieved him of duty but gave him another position in state government which he declined. She certainly went the extra mile in my opinion. I contrast that with King Bill Richardson here in NM. Disagree or displease him or and you're gone, out the door.

57 posted on 09/15/2008 12:55:27 PM PDT by CedarDave (Sign at Albuquerque rally: "Sarah, you had us at 'Hello'")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Zakeet

This is not the first time Monegan has lost his job. In 2006, Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich (Democrat) asked him to leave his post as Anchorage police chief early, although Monegan was willing to stay on another year. At the time, Begich had just won re-election and was restructuring department leadership.

Monegan joked that he’s “getting a complex,” but said the kinds of jobs he’s had lately are ones where you serve at the pleasure of your boss.

“They can call me in and say, you know, ‘I don’t like your hair; you’re fired,’ “ Monegan said.

More here...

http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/story/463204.html


58 posted on 09/15/2008 12:57:19 PM PDT by Freedomsfriend
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Zakeet

Any chance the BIL and other officers had something on this guy that made him want to protect the officers?


59 posted on 09/15/2008 12:59:36 PM PDT by Raycpa
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Freedomsfriend

You know, in my opinion and based on my experience, most employers try NOT to fire an underperforming employee. They try to work with them to improve performance or refer them to counselors (eg. a state government employee assistance program) to get them help with these issues. They may regret they hired them, but try to help them when they can. Based on what I’m reading, she had as many or more issues with his performance than with his inaction with Wooten.


60 posted on 09/15/2008 1:05:52 PM PDT by CedarDave (Sign at Albuquerque rally: "Sarah, you had us at 'Hello'")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 58 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-69 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson