Posted on 09/16/2008 7:57:04 PM PDT by markomalley
Last night, the McCain campaign released documents to show that Gov. Palin did not fire her political appointee, Public Safety Commissioner Walter Monegan, because he refused to fire state trooper Mike Wooten, Gov. Palin's former brother-in-law. An internal state trooper investigation found that Wooten had threatened that Palin's father would "eat a f---ing bullet." Palin had raised concerns to Monegan about the fact that Wooten was still carrying a gun and working for the state, but Palin's legal counsel contends that the decision to sack Monegan was not related to Wooten.
Rather, Palin's lawyer writes, the decision was "based on [Monegan's] refusal to execute her Administration's policy on fiscal and budget matters, a refusal that between late 2007 and the middle of 2008 blossomed into outright insubordination."
Ed Morrissey usefully outlines Monegan's record of insubordination:
* 12/9/07: Monegan holds a press conference with Hollis French to push his own budget plan. * 1/29/08: Palin’s staffers have to rework their procedures to keep Monegan from bypassing normal channels for budget requests. * February 2008: Monegan publicly releases a letter he wrote to Palin supporting a project she vetoed. * June 26, 2008: Monegan bypassed the governor’s office entirely and contacted Alaska’s Congressional delegation to gain funding for a project.
The release of these documents came as the McCain campaign announced that Gov. Palin will not cooperate with the ethics probe "as long as it remains tainted."
(Excerpt) Read more at weeklystandard.com ...
Firing a political appointee is permissible. Firing a civil servant is impermissible. I don’t think Plame was appointed.
True. It was just a wishful thought!
Don’t some of wooten’s act against Sarah’s sister fall under the law that biden championed and so many have said that it is a failure. I hope that Sarah gets a chance to bring that up during the debates.
This whole issue is over with the AG saying they won’t obey the subpoena. Why? Look at the Alaska laws below (which I pulled from a Democratic Underground post, heh). Note that the committee can’t do diddly squat. They have to report the contempt to the senate and house. Only the Alaska Senate and House can issue warrants to arrest those subpoened. The Senate and House are dominated by Republicans. Even given the fact that some republicans don’t like Palin, they dislike democratic tactics even less, and the people of Alaska are solidly behind Palin. Since I happen to have known John Harris, the speaker, personally for over a decade, and given his letter to the committee, there is no way at all that such warrants will be issued. NO WAY. Troopergate is dead and buried at the least until after the election. The Dems can wail and gnash their teeth all they want, but this is a dead issue.
AS 24.25.030. Disobeying Subpoena or Refusing to Testify.
If a witness neglects or refuses to obey a subpoena, or neglects or refuses to testify or to produce upon reasonable notice any material and proper books, papers, or documents in the possession or under the control of the witness, the senate or house of representatives may by resolution entered on its journal commit the witness for contempt. If contempt is committed before a committee, the committee shall report the contempt to the senate or house of representatives, as the case may be, for such action as may be considered necessary. http://www.touchngo.com/lglcntr/akstats/Statutes/Title2...
AS 24.25.040. Arrest For Disobedience to Subpoena.
A witness who neglects or refuses to attend in obedience to subpoena may be arrested by the sergeant-at-arms and brought before the senate or house of representatives, as the case may be. The only warrant or authority necessary authorizing arrest is a copy of a resolution of the senate or house of representatives signed by the president of the senate or speaker of the house of representatives, as the case may be, and countersigned by the secretary of the senate or the clerk of the house of representatives, as the case may be. http://www.touchngo.com/lglcntr/akstats/Statutes/Title2...
No explanation required. Monegan was a member of Palin’s cabinet. Charles Krauthammer remarked on Fox News that Palin had every right to fire him even if it was only because she thought that Monegan was too short.
I wouldn’t be so sure. There are 11 Republicans and 9 Dems in the state senate, but 1 (Lyda Green) totally hates Palin and will vote for the subpoenas. At least one other Republican (Huggins) previously voted for the subpoenas in committee. Unless he changes his vote, the resolution passes in the state senate if all the Dems vote for it (which they will).
Yeah, but isn’t the investigative committee a joint committee? This means both the House and Senate would have to concur. Not only that, but they would have to call a special legislative session to do this, and everyone is out campaigning for election! I really, really don’t see this happening. Especially with Republican house members. They’re going to vote for a special legislative session to issue warrants to Palin’s staff because they refused a subpoena from a committee where French has said he wants to spring an October surprise on Palin? Ha! and double Ha! Not happening.
“I wouldn’t be so sure. There are 11 Republicans and 9 Dems in the state senate, but 1 (Lyda Green) totally hates Palin and will vote for the subpoenas. At least one other Republican (Huggins) previously voted for the subpoenas in committee. Unless he changes his vote, the resolution passes in the state senate if all the Dems vote for it (which they will).”
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