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 ...
Buried at the end of the article you posted:
The personnel investigation [into Palin's brother-in-law] began in April 2005, long before Palin became governor and months before her October 2005 announcement that she was running. The investigation into Wooten wrapped up in March 2006, before she was elected.Wonder if Chuckers will work the above facts into tonight's hit piece on Sarah.Troopers found four instances in which Wooten [the brother-in-law] violated policy, broke the law, or both.
The only way that I'm troubled by all of this is that Sarah knew of this troopers malfeasance and found it necessary to be embarrassed about having him fired. It is part of her job as Governor to oversee the operation of her law enforcement officers. By everything that I have read and has not been disputed by any media source that I'm aware of, this man had no business wearing a badge. If his boss was not willing to take action, then he should have been fired as well. Just because the State Trooper in question was a family member does not relieve Sarah from the responsibility of having him removed from a position of authority. Just to opposite. How much fun would the MSM be having at this point if she did nothing and this dirt bag hurt or killed some innocent party?
That's certainly a possibility, but I'm sure its more of the "good 'ol boy" network. Plus the troopers were union, too.
We need to shine some light on Monegan......
Off-duty officer who kicked parked car allowed to remain cop - 5-4 VOTE: Despite tampering with evidence, he’s valued by police chief and mayor.
Anchorage Daily News (AK) - December 3, 2003
Author: SHEILA TOOMEY Anchorage Daily News ; Staff
It was a close call, but the state Police Standards Council decided Monday to let Anchorage officer Jeffrey Martin keep the certification that allows him to work as a peace officer in Alaska.
In a 5-4 vote, the council rejected the recommendation of its hearing officer, who had concluded the 13-year veteran had to lose his certificate because of an August 1999 misdemeanor conviction that grew out of an off-duty parking dispute.
Hearing officer Jeff Feldman, an Anchorage attorney, concluded that Martin’s conviction for attempted tampering with evidence was a crime of dishonesty that required loss of his police certificate regardless of other factors. Martin also pleaded to one count of misdemeanor criminal mischief.
In his written findings, Feldman said he recommended decertification “with considerable unease” because of Martin’s “impressive record” as an officer, his obvious honesty and “genuine remorse” over his behavior.
Former Police Chief Duane Udland fired Martin after his 1999 conviction, but an arbitrator concluded that was too harsh a punishment and put him back to work. He is currently a patrol officer.
On Monday, Chief Walt Monegan testified in support of Martin. Monegan told the council that Mayor Mark Begich also supported letting Martin keep his ticket.
Martin’s trouble started in the Fifth Avenue parking garage. On a family shopping trip, off duty and not in uniform, Martin kicked a dent in the door of an Isuzu Trooper that had parked extremely close to his new SUV in an area where there were many empty spaces, according to court papers.
The driver of the Trooper was not present. Apparently annoyed that Martin had taken up two spaces, the driver had written “I dunno how to park” in the dust on Martin’s vehicle.
A passer-by saw Martin’s outburst, took down his license number and left a note for the Trooper owner, who called police. When police confiscated the shoes Martin had been wearing that day, the soles had been cut. Prosecutors concluded he had tried to short-circuit a match between the shoes and a shoe print on the Trooper door and threatened to charge him with felonies unless he pleaded to attempted tampering with evidence, according to his attorney, Ray Brown.
The cuts in Martin’s soles did not prevent a match with the print on the Trooper door, and Feldman said evidence that Martin intended to make a match impossible was “ambiguous.”
Daily News reporter Sheila Toomey can be reached at stoomey@adn.com or 257-4341.
Edition: Final
Section: Alaska
Page: B1
Record Number: 370589112/03/03
Copyright (c) 2003, Anchorage Daily News
(I know, he kicked a parked car, big deal, but it is a start)
Opinion
Anchorage Daily News (AK) - July 23, 2008
Author: Staff
Question
Should Wooten be a trooper? Let’s have an independent look
That’s a question Alaskans are asking after learning of trooper Mike Wooten ‘s suspension in 2006 for illegally shooting a moose, giving his stepson a jolt with his state-issued Taser and drinking beer during the operation of a marked Alaska State Trooper patrol vehicle. For those offenses, substantiated by a trooper investigation, he received a 10-day suspension, later cut to five days.
The disciplinary letter, issued nine months before Gov. Palin took office, painted a harsh picture of trooper Wooten .
It cited “a significant pattern of judgment failures” and “a course of conduct totally at odds with the ethics of our profession.”
“Your unacceptable conduct appears to have continued and even escalated.”
Gov. Sarah Palin and her family have also accused the trooper of threatening her and her family. He’s still in a bitter custody battle with the governor’s sister. The troopers found that most of the allegations from Gov. Palin’s family and friends — which included verbal and physical abuse, intimidation, steroid use, irresponsible drinking, threats of physical violence and suggestions that he misused his position as a trooper — were unfounded or unsustained by the evidence.
Should he have been fired?
The Alaska State Troopers didn’t think so. They did their own investigation and concluded suspension sufficed, along with a warning that the suspension was Wooten ‘s “last chance.”
That investigation doesn’t necessarily inspire total public confidence. The initial work was done by administrative investigator Sgt. Ron Wall. He dismissed two witnesses’ report that Wooten was drinking during the operation of a marked trooper car as unfounded, but he didn’t tape-record the interviews. Julia Grimes, then director of the troopers, re-interviewed the witnesses, found them credible and included the incident in her disciplinary report.
It’s unclear whether troopers investigated a report that Wooten was dismissed from his post as an assistant football coach at Wasilla High School because of a profane outburst, directed at his niece, on school grounds. If he was not fit to coach youths, you’d have to wonder if he’s also fit to carry a gun and use deadly force on behalf of the public.
Trooper Wooten has his defenders.
Trooper Rob Cox is a 17-year AST veteran and president of the troopers’ union. He’s a friend of Wooten and has worked with him in the field, and said he had no question about going into any situation with Wooten . He said he’d count on him to do his job, cover his partner and protect the public.
Both Cox and trooper union executive director John Cyr paint a picture of Wooten that contradicts Gov. Palin, her family and others. Where the Palin family sees a dangerous, abusive man in a position of power, Cyr and Cox see what Cox called a trooper who is “gentlemanly, calm, confident.” Guilty of some bad judgment, but a good trooper.
One the one side, you have a family rallying around a member in the middle of a messy divorce. On the other side, you have union officials defending one of their ranks.
The only third-party investigation into these conflicting claims was done by fellow troopers. That investigation found enough evidence to impose a stiff sanction, but not enough to fire him.
There’s plenty of ground here for an independent investigation. It wouldn’t be the first time a law enforcement agency went easy on its own.
Lawmakers appear ready to hire an independent investigator to examine the firing of Public Safety Commissioner Walt Monegan and the actions of Gov. Palin, family members and staffers and whether they pressured Monegan to fire Wooten .
An independent investigator should look at the troopers’ review of Wooten as well. Alaskans need to know if an incurable bad apple is still in the ranks — and if the troopers need more authority to fire those who are unfit.
There’s a lot riding on this — public faith in the integrity of the governor and the Alaska State Troopers. Did the governor abuse her position? Is Wooten fit to be a trooper? Is it too hard for the troopers to dismiss troublesome officers from their ranks?
Public interest trumps confidentiality here. It’s time for transparency all the way around — the kind that independent investigators can demand.
BOTTOM LINE: An independent investigator should look at the Wooten case.
Cowdery
A step in the right direction
Who was head of the council that will be responsible for a possible investigation of the governor’s actions?
Oops: Sen. John Cowdery of Anchorage, who was indicted earlier this month on federal corruption charges.
He was chairman of the Senate-House Legislative Council until he resigned from the job Monday.
Cowdery is in poor health besides being under indictment. He cited his health when he relinquished the position.
Whatever the reason, he made the right choice for the state when he decided this week to step down as council chairman.
The council conducts the business of the Legislature between sessions, and the chairman will direct an investigation of the governor’s actions regarding the Public Safety Department, if there is such an investigation.
Cowdery is accused of bribery and conspiracy for scheming with Veco Corp. executives to buy the vote of another senator on oil tax legislation.
While he has yet to be tried, it’s already clear that his ethical compass is off base.
Cowdery has no business continuing to serve in the Legislature, much less as chairman of a committee with subpoena powers.
BOTTOM LINE: Sen. Cowdery’s resignation as chair of the Legislative Council is the right move.
Caption: Photo 1: nametoon_Logo_072308.jpg Photo 3: 23edit pg1_color_072308.jpg Graphic 2: 23edit pg1_072308.eps
Edition: Final
Section: Nation World
Page: B4
Record Number: 1750413707/23/08
Copyright (c) 2008, Anchorage Daily News
The obvious question which of course wasn’t asked is; If the allegations against the trooper were true (taser, threats, personal injuries) then why WASN’T he fired?
Is this typical of troopers in Alaska?
JB
Besides his long history of beating up on his (now ex-) wife, including dislocating her shoulder, all of which he denies, he apparently also made it into the headlines in Alaska when he was fired from his job as Anchorage City Police Chief by Anchorage's mayor. Has anyone else heard that? I just saw it now in a comment left by someone named "JoeOfAlaska" in the zimbio.com article linked to by another Freeper in this same thread. The exact quote from "Joe" was:
The Governor does NOT NEED A REASON to terminate one of her appointees. Given Wooten's behavior and track record I would have fired anyone who thought he was worth keeping on the payroll. He is not qualified to be a greeter at WalMart!!!! No one gave a thought when the Mayor of Anchorage fired Monegan as the Anchorage City Police Chief.
I read somewhere recently that the original punishment for Wooten was a mere slap on the wrist - 10 days suspension. But even that was too much for the Union. They made a big stink and got it reduced to just 5 days. What kind of a message does this send to Wooten and any other bad-apple Troopers who abuse their office?
Walt, when the Police CHief in ANchorage was fired by Mark (Mr Union) Beg-ich (local joke)
SO he has a history of hacking off the boss and getting canned.
And Mark is completely in the pocket of the unions up here.... Even stranger, yes?
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