TROOPERGATE: Seven Alaska state employees have reversed course and agreed to testify

[kpete]

Employees will testify in Palin probe

ANCHORAGE (AP) - Seven Alaska state employees have reversed course and agreed to testify in an abuse-of-power investigation against Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin.

There is no indication, however, that Palin or her husband will do the same.

Palin, a fist-term Alaska governor, is the focus of a legislative inquiry into whether she abused her office by firing Public Safety Commissioner Walt Monegan. Monegan says he was dismissed because he wouldn't fire the governor's former brother-in-law.

Lawmakers subpoenaed seven state employees to testify in the inquiry but they challenged those subpoenas. A judge rejected that challenge last week. Because of that ruling, Alaska Attorney General Talis Colberg says the employees have decide to testify.

http://www.kget.com/political/story.aspx?content_id=de666398-44d0-41a3-b523-7139ddd56dea

[krispos42]

1. The one thing the cons can't stand...

The unfettered march of justice.

It drives'em absolutely bonkers! :rofl:

[opihimoimoi]

2. First OJ and now this...which hopefully will lead to more convictions...and jail time..

[DCBob]

3. Wow. I wonder why?? What changed their minds? This is big,

This investigation could destroy Palin and McCain.

[MUAD_DIB]

6. Or they could have been bought off...

[DCBob]

8. bought off?? By whom???

[MUAD_DIB]

26. Who else? The GOP.

[intheflow]

7. I'll bet they wanted to testify but didn't want to risk their jobs.

So they figured they'd wait until the judge accepted the challenge and compelled them to testify. But when the judge rejected the challenge, they figured wtf, better to risk their jobs than have Palin be VP. If you think her poll numbers are tanking nationwaide, I'll bet it's nothing compared to what's happening to her political career in Alaska.

[DCBob]

13. Yeah. That sounds plausible. Also they could see Palin/McCain as losers...

and now they can speak the truth without retribution.

[Matariki]

18. Um, jail time for ignoring a subpoena?

They challenged the subpoenas and the judge ruled against them. Not really a mystery.

[DCBob]

24. Yep. That sounds reasonable.

[1corona4u]

4. rhut roh...

[jazzjunkysue]

5. Ok. First, OJ. Now, Palin. Let's have it.

:popcorn:

[parabolabear]

9. october surprise...palin gets the boot!

[rocktivity]

12. That's what I'm thinking--All of a sudden, the employees are ready to testify?

Either the ruling leaves them without any other options, they're no longer "afraid" of Palin's "wrath", or it's a Rethug-engineered convenient excuse to force her off the ticket!!!

rocknation
:wow:

[quaker bill]

21. November surprise

it makes no difference in the outcome.

[rocktivity]

10. "Palin, a FIST-term Alaska governor"?

NO SEX THREADS!!!

(On edit) DISCLAIMER: The typos in the article ("fist-term governor, have decide to testify"), are those of the original post, not the DU poster.

:rofl:
rocknation

[TomInTib]

15. You and me, Buddy....

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=7325975&mesg_id=7326335

At least us dogs got some company.

Tom

[Peacetrain]

11. Is this the big one..the October surprise!!

YES, I say YES to this..

[TomInTib]

14. "a fist-term Alaska governor"

I'm not even gonna touch it.

[Blue_In_AK]

16. This is very good news.

According to the Anchorage Daily News http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/story/546777.html these employees will be cooperating with the legislative investigation, not the personnel board one that the Toddster has agreed to. Hopefully the Supreme Court will rule that Branchflower's report can be released Friday as planned.

[ej510]

17. Fuck the repukes. You can trust a repuke judge though.

[beac]

23. Good news UNLESS "testify" = "lie under oath"

These are members of Sarah's super-loyal inner circle, after all.

[roguevalley]

27. it just keeps getting better and better doesn't it, Blue? :-D

[Cha]

34. Digits

crossed!

[Blackhatjack]

19. And now Palin's corruption will 'unravel' just in time for the election....

If the 7 state employees decide to testify that leaves 'Alaskan First Dude' sitting on the ice floe all alone. He would have absolutely no basis for continuing to refuse to testify, and very well could face contempt and jail time.

So once these 7 state employees testify, they are likely to testify truthfully --since they are unlikely to be willing to go to jail for keeping the illegal secrets of Governor Palin.

Once the Troopergate Report is released, Palin will be required to address it --and there goes the national media with her.

More bad news for McCain and his VP Pick.... 'just bad luck'

[mucifer]

20. after Valerie Plame I'll believe it when I see it. They all are above the law.

For now anyway.

[ladyVet]

22. Hey, Sarah!

You know that light you thought was the end of the tunnel...................?




I just hope it's the justice train, not the bullshit express.

[Bigleaf]

25. Could this be a ploy to push back the closing date of the investigation until after 11/4?

The final report is supposed to be released next Friday. Obviously, most of the persons involved have refused to cooperate up until now but apparently there has been some evidence unearthed (e-mails and the workers comp witness who did testify). With the McCain campain in shambles right now, and them trying to smear Obama with their smear attacks, the last thing they'd want next week is to have this Troopergate thing blow up with all the dirty laundry uncovered to this point.

[rocktivity]

28. Orchestrated by the GOP to force her off the ticket?

:think:
rocknation

[barack the house]

29. There should be ads on this at least in the last week to keep it fresh. No more

lawless behavior, can America afford more of the same.

[quakerboy]

30. wait... bear with me

A judge turned them down, so they have "decided" to testify?

What happens with the Todd subpoena? was that included in the challenge, and does he continue to have a choice in the matter?

[Waiting For Everyman]

32. The judge turned down their appeal to keep from testifying,

so now they are required to testify. Palin too, btw. Wouldn't it be cool if she got arrested for it, when she returns up there?

[quakerboy]

35. That was my read

But these things aren't always as clean cut as they would be for normal citizens.

It would be very handy if there were repercussions for continued insistence on flaunting law and ethical obligations.

[Waiting For Everyman]

31. Oops. Tough break, Winky.

Karma's a bitch. :)

[Cha]

33. Hallelujah to TPTB in Alaska that

rejected the challenge to the subpoenas.:bounce:

[Blue_In_AK]

36. Text of the e-mail sent by the governor's office

http://community.adn.com/adn/blog/24417

Alaska Attorney General Colberg announced today that the seven state employees who filed suit to quash the Senate Judiciary Committee subpoenas will make themselves available to testify in the legislative investigation.

The Senate Judiciary Committee issued the subpoenas for the benefit of Stephen Branchflower, who is conducting an investigation for the Legislative Council of events surrounding the removal of former Public Safety Commissioner Monegan. The Department of Law challenged the authority of that committee to subpoena the state employees in a lawsuit filed on September 25, 2008, Kiesel et al. v. Seven Subpoenas et al. In a decision dated October 2, Superior Court Judge Peter Michalski determined that those concerns were more properly considered by the legislature than by the courts. The Department of Law then consulted with the seven state employees and advised them of their options.

All seven employees have decided, in light of Judge Michalski’s decision, to cooperate with the legislative investigation. Attorney General Colberg said today, “Despite my initial concerns about the subpoenas, we respect the court’s decision to defer to the legislature. We are working with Senator Hollis French to arrange for the testimony of the seven state employee plaintiffs.”