Panel: Palin Abused Her Power in Firing of Commissioner (But broke no laws!)

Fox News ^

[DocT111]

ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- A state legislative panel has concluded that Sarah Palin abused her power in the firing of the state's public safety commissioner.

The findings were released after lawmakers emerged Friday from a private session in Anchorage where they spent more than six hours discussing a politically charged ethics report into the firing by Gov. Palin.

[diamond6]

You may be right, but again I thought the investigation was supposed to be whether she abused her power in firing him.

[paul544]

No. Actually they were mostly Republicans. That is why the typical argument of it being politically motivated doesn't hold too much water without digging deeper, which most people won't.

[linn37]

Whats the charge?

[Gondring]

What’s interesting are the recommendations for legislative action.

They are supportive of the frustration of those who had accused Trooper Wooten, but had skepticism about whether their complaints were being investigated vigorously.

Now THAT’s what I would love FReepers to discuss...these proposals.

[just me]

"I am so tired..."

Me too, my brain can't take any more and my heart is broken.. God save my spirit...

[Aliska]

The campaign has been in offense mode. I don't know how they will handle this latest, but it would be bad if they decide to go in defense mode over it because they need to stay on the offense, already have gained a lot of ground and more public scrutiny and questioning about Obama no matter what the polls say.

Guess we'll have to wait and see. The Palin-loathing libs are never going to drop it.

[P-Marlowe]

**The Abuse of Power finding was with respect to issue one (Violated Alaska Statute 39.52.110(a)).

AS 39.52.110. Scope of Code.

(a) The legislature reaffirms that each public officer holds office as a public trust, and any effort to benefit a personal or financial interest through official action is a violation of that trust. In addition, the legislature finds that, so long as it does not interfere with the full and faithful discharge of an officer's public duties and responsibilities, this chapter does not prevent an officer from following other independent pursuits. The legislature further recognizes that

(1) in a representative democracy, the representatives are drawn from society and, therefore, cannot and should not be without personal and financial interests in the decisions and policies of government;

(2) people who serve as public officers retain their rights to interests of a personal or financial nature; and

(3) standards of ethical conduct for members of the executive branch need to distinguish between those minor and inconsequential conflicts that are unavoidable in a free society, and those conflicts of interests that are substantial and material.

I still don't see it.

[dragnet2]

The entire Committee must have been made up of all or mostly Democrats, Obama Tools.

They just reported the majority were Republicans.

[sonofdob]

Especially the majority of pesky Republicans that were on the Legislative Council that adopted this abomination.

Their duty was to be and remain respectful of their Governor and they failed to do so.

[Gondring]

Title should be corrected...the report says she violated Alaska Statute 39.52.110(a), on Page 8 of the report.

She didn’t violate any law by firing Commissioner Monegan, but the report covered more than just that aspect, and Stephen Branchflower claimed an Abuse of Power under AS 39.52.110(a) in the Trooper Wooten matter, separate from the Monegan firing.

[lastchance]

Two things come immediately to mind. First the report includes as evidence of her violation of Alaska ethics law actions she took before she was governor. Secondly the report never does state just how she benefited or her family benefited from her actions or how her actions were actually detrimental to Wooten. Calling up and requesting status reports and saying why you think someone is unfit to serve is sure as hell not the same as trying to illegally or unethically influence a course of action. No one said that they made a finding because they feared retribution by Palin or because they had been promised compensation for doing so. So where the hell is this so called violation?

Also what the heck does a divorce judge’s snarky remark about Palin’s sister’s earning capacity and Wooten’s possible job loss have to do with anything at all. That should be stricken from the record as irrelevant. I mean is Branchflower claiming this is proof that Palin was using her office to get Wooten fired?

The whole thing is major BS and I hope Palin strongly rebukes the findings.

[oiler]

WIOD in Miami just said “unlawful” as I was reading the report. My head is going to explode.

Meanwhile, why hasn’t BO been indicted on conspiracy to commit voter fraud?
Why hasn’t BO been indicted on charges of sedition?

Why is an obvious MARXIST still ahead in the polls??????!!!!!!!!!!

This is all so SURREAL!!!!!!!

[Gondring]

I still don't see it.

It's on page 8 of the report, with the evidence from pages 8-47, and the explanation on pages 48-68. You probably want to look at pages 8 and then 48-68.

He specifically quotes: "The legislature reaffirms that each public officer holds office as a public trust, and any effort to benefit a personal or financial interest through official action is a violation of that trust."

[P-Marlowe]

It sounds to me like this statute specifically authorizes the Governor to pressure any public official in regard to the exercise of their duties over any personal issue, just as if she were a regular citizen.

So her personal pressuring of Monegan to fire her ex-brother in law for Tazering her nephew and threatening to kill her parents seems more than consistent with the authority granted by this code section.

Even if she were not the governor she would have been hounding this guy to fire the creep. This section guarantees her right to do so, so long as it does not "interfere with the full and faithful discharge of an officer's public duties and responsibilities".

This is a legislative panel. It is made up of the same kind of idiots who run the congress.

[Gondring]

First the report includes as evidence of her violation of Alaska ethics law actions she took before she was governor.

There is relevance in some cases, in pointing out inconsistencies.

Secondly the report never does state just how she benefited or her family benefited from her actions or how her actions were actually detrimental to Wooten.

The law just requires an "effort," not any actual benefit resulting.

Note also that he DID acknowledge the frustration of not being able to find out the status of the investigation, and recommended legislation that would have helped Gov. Palin's family.

[P-Marlowe]

The statute specifically authorizes the Governor and any other elected officer to petition or to seek redress from any public official on a personal matter (such as their concern about a trooper who has threatend to kill their family) just as if the petitioner is a member of the public at large.

She fired the idiot for reasons not related to the matter in which she was personally involved. There was no violation of this statute. There was simply the exercise of her rights as a citizen.

[Gondring]

Problem is, the disciplinary action had been taken, and it would have been a bit like “double jeopardy” for a firing of Trooper Wooten after he had just gotten a 5-day slap on the wrist and the matter declared closed.

[Gondring]

She fired the idiot for reasons not related to the matter in which she was personally involved. There was no violation of this statute. There was simply the exercise of her rights as a citizen.

What idiot?

Trooper Wooten did NOT get fired! She was TRYING to get him fired.

I think you're mixing this up with the firing of Commissioner Monegan.

[gswilder]

Sorry folks, but this is BAD. It is political. Is is unfair. She did nothing wrong, lawful or ethically. But the media and the dems will play this up until the election.

This puts the final nail in the McCain/Palin ticket.

Sorry to say it, but that’s all she wrote. I’ll still volunteer, contribute, and vote. But it’s not going to matter.

[P-Marlowe]

Problem is, the disciplinary action had been taken, and it would have been a bit like “double jeopardy” for a firing of Trooper Wooten after he had just gotten a 5-day slap on the wrist and the matter declared closed.

Did Sarah Palin give up her rights as a citizen to petition the government for a redress of grievances merely because some panel had slapped her ex-brother in law on the wrist?

He had threatened to kill her family. He was authorized to carry a weapon with the color of authority.

I sure as hell would not have let sleeping dogs lie and neither would you or any of the idiots on this legislative panel.