Harry Hope
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 Posted: Sat Oct 11, 2008 5:46 am Post subject: Breaking News: Alaska bipartisan panel unanimously finds Pa |
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http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27105917
Alaska panel finds Palin abused power
Campaign officials tried to pre-empt lawmakers with report clearing
Palin
BREAKING NEWS
ANCHORAGE, Alaska -
A legislative committee investigating Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin has
found she unlawfully abused her authority in firing the state>s public
safety commissioner.
The investigative report concludes that a family grudge wasn>t the
sole reason for firing Public Safety Commissioner Walter Monegan but
says it likely was a contributing factor.
The Republican vice presidential nominee has been accused of firing a
commissioner to settle a family dispute.
Palin supporters have called the investigation politically motivated.
Monegan says he was dismissed as retribution for resisting pressure to
fire a state trooper involved in a bitter divorce with the governor>s
sister.
Palin says Monegan was fired as part of a legitimate budget dispute.
The legislative panel met for six hours before making a unanimous
decision to release the so-called "Troopergate" report.
The vote was 12-0 to release the report, except for certain parts they
consider confidential.
Alaska lawmakers on Friday began reviewing the lengthy and politically
sensitive investigative report focusing on whether Republican vice
presidential nominee Sarah Palin abused her authority as governor.
The first-term Alaska governor has been accused of firing a state
commissioner to settle a family dispute.
But the report is also expected to touch on whether Palin>s husband
meddled in state affairs and whether her administration
inappropriately accessed employee medical records.
The inquiry, approved by a legislative committee>s bipartisan vote,
began before Republican presidential nominee John McCain named Palin
his running mate.
Since then, the case has been dogged by accusations of political
influence.
The investigation focuses on her firing of Public Safety Commissioner
Walter Monegan.
Monegan says Palin and her husband pressured him to fire Mike Wooten,
a state trooper involved in a nasty divorce and custody dispute with
the governor>s sister.
When Monegan resisted, he says, he was fired.
Palin>s critics say that shows she used her office to settle family
affairs.
"When you>re the governor, you leave your household hat at home and
you become governor," said state Senate President Lyda Green, a
Republican who has frequently clashed with Palin.
At their meeting Friday, lawmakers planned to vote to release the
estimated 300-page report and some of the 1,000 or more pages of
supporting documents.
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Developing....
Harry |
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