Uh-Oh, " Palin is lying" Says: Canned Alaska Public Safety Commissioner

[kpete]

08.29.08 -- 9:07PM

Exclusive: Chief Fired by Palin Speaks Out

The Post's James Grimaldi got an exclusive interview with Walter Monegan, the canned Alaska Public Safety Commissioner at the center of Palin trooper-gate scandal. And he basically says Palin is lying in her assertion that while some of her aides contacting Monegan about firing her brother-in-law, that she herself did not.
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/washingtonpostinvestigations/2008/08/exclusive_chief_fired_by_palin.html?hpid=topnews

The key passage ...

Monegan, 57, a respected former chief of the Anchorage Police Department, said in an interview with The Washington Post's James V. Grimaldi on Friday that the governor repeatedly brought up the topic of her ex-brother-in-law, Michael Wooten, after Monegan became the state's commissioner of public safety in December 2006. Palin's husband, Todd, met with Monegan and presented a dossier of information about Wooten, who was going through a bitter custody battle with Palin's sister, Molly. Monegan also said Sarah Palin sent him e-mails on the subject, but Monegan declined to disclose them, saying he planned to give them to a legislative investigator looking into the matter.

Palin initially denied that she or anyone in her administration had ever pressured Monegan to fire the trooper, but this summer acknowledged more than a half a dozen contacts over the matter, including one phone call from a Palin administration official to a state police lieutenant. The call was recorded and was released by Palin's office this month. Todd Palin told a television reporter in Alaska that he did meet with Monegan, but said he was just "informing" Monegan about the issue, not exerting pressure.

"She never directly asked me to fire him," Monegan said.

Okay, so first Palin claims there was no pressure. Then she learns of these calls. And while many of them are entirely appropriate, some are not. And she can see that the "serial nature of the contacts could be perceived as some kind of pressure, presumably at my direction."

And yet, according to Monegan, she herself was doing exactly the same thing she later professed to be so shocked that others were doing. So how credible is it that she wasn't directing her staff to pressure Monegan when she was doing the same thing herself? And what difference does it even make? It seems quite clear that all of this emanated from Palin and that she was actively in it. So she abused her power as governor and then almost certainly lied about her involvement. Why did McCain pick her?

--Josh Marshall

more at:
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/211524.php

[NYC Liberal]

1. K&R! Get it out!

[Jackpine Radical]

2. "Who will rid me of this troublesome ex-brother-in-law?"

Didn't I hear something like that before?

[myrna minx]

3. She's a perfect republican. n/t

[goddess40]

4. It's that she used improper channels and then lied about it

If half of what is being said about her ex-brother-in-law is true he deserved to be fired as did anyone protecting him should have been. BUT, there is a proper way to do it and Palin seems to have acted like a real republican by ignoring them.
It will be a non-starter with the die hard vote against themselves republicans because they see that as acceptable. There side has no rules and they love when they break rules and laws and rub the democrats nose in it. Palin could have slit someones throat and as long as the dead person was a democrat it wouldn't make on bit of difference to the far right - no matter their "religious" persuasion.

[roguevalley]

10. he's a dork but half of what was said of wooten was said by the

palins and they are liars, right? Right. The charges were investigated, unfounded and all but two were dropped. he was appropriately disciplined on the two. This is why she DID THIS. If she can't get her way one way, she will get it another. she will be sorry she agreed to be vp. all her dirty underwear is coming out.

[PA Democrat]

13. Doesn't it remind you of someone? People who corrupt our system of justice

for revenge and political purpose? HMMM...

[roguevalley]

14. yeah. its scary how fast some people will rationalize things isn't it.

[KittyWampus]

5. what does she think about McCain's voting AGAINST the Violence Against Women Act?

[Ichingcarpenter]

6. Get out! A republican that lies? Really? I can't believe in less than

12 hours the crap that has been pull up and revealed on her.

She was never on our radar.

[Cha]

7. Because he makes stupid moves and has

no better judgment than a slug?

[BamaforObama]

8. Shuster

Shuster was all over this story on MSNBC. He interviewed him on the air tonight.

[K Gardner]

12. I heard that. It does not bode well for her. Reporters are smelling blood about now.

[Overseas]

9. So she's a true McCainiac is she? Ready to lie any time. Well K&R !

[CitizenPatriot]

11. because she is just like bush?

and he could smell home on her?

oh! another executive privilege claimant! great! let's go shoot a moose, glass ceiling barbie!