The Troopergate saga took an unfavorable turn for Gov. Palin as the Alaska Supreme Court refused to shut down an ethics investigation, Thursday. Yesterday’s decision cleared the way for lawmakers to release a potentially embarrassing report on their investigation today.
The probe into whether Palin abused her powers as governor, by firing her public safety commissioner, began before Sen. John McCain selected her as his running mate. Walter Monegan says he was fired in July after resisting pressure by Palin’s husband, Todd, and other top aides, to fire Palin’s former brother-in-law.
GOP lawmakers unsuccessfully sued to block the investigation saying that it had become politicized.
Palin’s husband and top aides signed affidavits Wednesday saying the governor had no knowledge of her husbands repeated requests to state officials to help get his former brother-in-law kicked off the force. The governor has long claimed that the commissioner was fired over a budget dispute.
“I have heard criticism that I am too involved in my wife’s administration,” Todd Palin wrote in his affidavit furnished by the Associated Press. “My wife and I are very close. We are each other’s best friend. I have helped her in her career the best I can, and she has helped me.”
According to the documents, Todd Palin had personal contact with many of his wife’s top staffers, often telling stories of his former brother-in-law threatening and abusing his family. The New York Times reports that the fired official was contacted three dozen times in 19 months by the governor and her staff.
The McCain campaign tried to hedge any damaging affects or distractions the report may cause by releasing its own report, today, clearing her of any wrongdoing. “The following document will prove Walt Monegan’s dismissal was a result of his insubordination and budgetary clashed with Governor Palin and her administration,” the campaign wrote. “Trooper Wooten is a separate issue.”
The to-be-released 300-page ethics report could recommend that the case be closed, that another committee continue to investigate, or that the matter be referred to criminal investigators.
