Sarah Palin dismisses former in-law

[Vercetti Thug]

I found this article. YES! Sarah Palin finally has a strike against her!

OBAMA 08!!

...and Biden I guess.

ANCHORAGE, Alaska - Sarah Palin unlawfully abused her power as governor by trying to have her former brother-in-law fired as a state trooper, the chief investigator of an Alaska legislative panel concluded Friday. The politically charged inquiry imperiled her reputation as a reformer on John McCain's Republican ticket.

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Investigator Stephen Branchflower, in a report by a bipartisan panel that investigated the matter, found Palin in violation of a state ethics law that prohibits public officials from using their office for personal gain.

The inquiry looked into her dismissal of Public Safety Commissioner Walter Monegan, who said he lost his job because he resisted 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 report found that Palin let the family grudge influence her decision-making even if it was not the sole reason Monegan was dismissed. "I feel vindicated," Monegan said. "It sounds like they've validated my belief and opinions. And that tells me I'm not totally out in left field."

Branchflower said Palin violated a statute of the Alaska Executive Branch Ethics Act.

"I disagree," said Palin attorney Thomas Van Flein. "In order to violate the ethics law, there has to be some personal gain, usually financial. Mr. Branchflower has failed to identify any financial gain."

The statute says "any effort to benefit a personal or financial interest through official action is a violation of that (public) trust."

Palin and McCain's supporters had hoped the inquiry's finding would be delayed until after the presidential election to spare her any embarrassment and to put aside an enduring distraction as she campaigns as McCain's running mate in an uphill contest against Democrat Barack Obama.

But the panel of lawmakers voted to release the report, although not without dissension. There was no immediate vote on whether to endorse its findings.

"I think there are some problems in this report," said Republican state Sen. Gary Stevens, a member of the panel. "I would encourage people to be very cautious, to look at this with a jaundiced eye."

The nearly 300-page report does not recommend sanctions or a criminal investigation.

The investigation revealed that Palin's husband, Todd, has extraordinary access to the governor's office and her closest advisers. He used that access to try to get trooper Mike Wooten fired, the report found.

Branchflower faulted Sarah Palin for taking no action to stop that. He also noted there is evidence the governor herself participated in the effort.

Wooten had been in hot water before Palin became governor over allegations that he illegally shot a moose, drank beer in a patrol car and used a Taser on his stepson.

In proceedings revealed by the report, former Alaska State Trooper Col. Julia Grimes told investigators that Sarah Palin called her in late 2005 to discuss why Wooten hadn't been fired, and Grimes told her the inquiry was confidential by law.

"Her questions were how can a trooper who behaves this way still be working," Grimes said. "I asked her to please trust me, that because I can't tell her details I would ask her to please trust me that I would take the appropriate action if and when I knew what the findings were. ... I couldn't have another conversation with her about it because, again, it's protected by law."

Grimes said Todd Palin also contacted her by telephone in late 2005 to discuss the confidential investigation of Wooten.

Wooten's disciplinary case was settled in September 2006 — months before Palin was elected governor — and he was allowed to continue working as a trooper.

After Palin's election, her new public safety commissioner, Monegan, said he was summoned to the governor's office to meet Todd Palin, who said Wooten's punishment had been merely a "slap on the wrist." Monegan said he understood the Palins wanted Wooten fired. "I had this kind of ominous feeling that I may not be long for this job if I didn't somehow respond accordingly," Monegan told the investigator.

For months afterward, Todd Palin filed complaints about Wooten, saying he was seen riding a snowmobile after he had filed a worker's compensation claim and was seen dropping off his children at school in his patrol car. Monegan said Wooten's doctor had authorized the snowmobile trip and his supervisor had approved his use of the patrol car. Monegan said Alaska's attorney general later called him to inquire about Wooten, and Monegan told him they shouldn't be discussing the subject.

"This was an issue that apparently wasn't going to go away, that there were certainly frustrations," Monegan said. "To say that (Sarah Palin) was focused on this I think would be accurate."

[Urbanoutlaw]

So... a state trooper who takes a stun-gun to a 10-year-old stepson & tries to scam workman's comp should be allowed

to continue as a law enforcement officer? Well, why not, you're obviously endorsing a "community organizer" (he never

did say exactly what that is) who's personal friend is a domestic terrorist involved in crimes Obama "didn't know about".

Community organizer implies you know something about the people in the community, like your friend you know from

the neighborhood.

I'm not going to tie up your topic going into all the strikes Obama has against him but I think it's noteworthy that at

less than 1 month from the elections the only "strike" against Palin is a controversial firing. Also noteworthy is that

no charges were recommended & in an article (either Time or Newsweek) the same ex-brother-in-law actually endorsed

Palin as VP.

If you really like the guy, that's your opinion, but you really should listen to his acceptance speech from the DNC. Pay

particular attention to his stuttering & confusion ("Breathalyzer" statement). This is just after a 3-week vacation on a

privatre beach in Hawaii. I'm looking for an un-edited clip to post.

Then there's Biden, one of the loudest voices opposed to our involvement in Iraq. But at the VP debate he called for a

US occupation of Darfur, for the same reasons we went into Iraq. WTF?!?!

I wasn't a particular fan of McCain but people really need to put some serious thought into their decision before picking

Obama.

[Angry Gorilla]

Lol, everyone seems to be obsessed with Obama, I'm willing to bet half of them don't know of his actual policies.

I'm not particularly a big fan of McCain either.

I think both of them might screw America like Bush did, but thats my retarded opinion.

[Urbanoutlaw]

Considering the recent Bailout deal & gas almost quadrupleing on Bush's watch I can't blame you for feeling that way.

I think Palin is the best decision McCain has made so far.

I'll get off the soap box now & let you guys have at it.

[steveplayer]

So... a state trooper who takes a stun-gun to a 10-year-old stepson & tries to scam workman's comp should be allowed

to continue as a law enforcement officer? Well, why not, you're obviously endorsing a "community organizer" (he never

did say exactly what that is) who's personal friend is a domestic terrorist involved in crimes Obama "didn't know about".

Community organizer implies you know something about the people in the community, like your friend you know from

the neighborhood.

I'm not going to tie up your topic going into all the strikes Obama has against him but I think it's noteworthy that at

less than 1 month from the elections the only "strike" against Palin is a controversial firing. Also noteworthy is that

no charges were recommended & in an article (either Time or Newsweek) the same ex-brother-in-law actually endorsed

Palin as VP.

If you really like the guy, that's your opinion, but you really should listen to his acceptance speech from the DNC. Pay

particular attention to his stuttering & confusion ("Breathalyzer" statement). This is just after a 3-week vacation on a

privatre beach in Hawaii. I'm looking for an un-edited clip to post.

Then there's Biden, one of the loudest voices opposed to our involvement in Iraq. But at the VP debate he called for a

US occupation of Darfur, for the same reasons we went into Iraq. WTF?!?!

I wasn't a particular fan of McCain but people really need to put some serious thought into their decision before picking

Obama.

I don't usually talk about politics on forums because I'm usually barraged with hate for my opinions, but I agree with you here mate.

John McCain, a man who fought in Vietnam, a man who was captured by the enemy and tortured, a man who was offered a free pass home by his captors but instead said "First in, First out", in other words we go home in the ordered we're captured, who after saying this was tortured worse than before to the point where he has lost full motion in his shoulders, who has several military commendations including the Legion of Merit, a Silver Star, a Bronze Star, a Purple Heart, the Distinguished Flying Cross, and the Vietnamese Legion of Honor.

He is being constantly demonized because people unfairly pair him as a Bush continuation. This isn't true. He was for the war, yes, because he strongly believes that the people who claimed responsibility for 9/11 (Al Qaeda) should be wiped out for the score to be settled. BUT, he disagreed with the way the current administration went about carrying it out. The war, I feel, is necessary but has been mishandled terribly. It has been financed poorly and the troop deployment was shoddy until recently when the surge McCain was all for proved successful.

If Iraq was left the way it was, Iran and more Al Qaeda operatives would keep up the terrorist threat in the region and be worse than everyone is claiming it is now. Everyone can hate Bush and call him a retard but what the Democrats aren't willing to acknowledge is that after 9/11 he has prevented any further planned terrorist attacks on US soil, keeping you all safe in your homes to continue criticizing him.

-----------------------------

Barrack Obama is a well articulated man... when he is reading off of a TelePrompter. When ever he has a speech or a rally he speaks very well because he has something to read so he doesn't really have to think, he just has to read. Have you noticed in the debates that he stutters more than usual, flip flops over his facts and doesn't seem as articulate anymore.

As Urbanoutlaw said, his campaign and he himself call him a "community organizer". If you're a community organizer, you know about who is in your community. He started his political career in a terrorists living room, drinking coffee with a man who was hell bent on causing as much destruction to his own country as possible.

Obama says he didn't know about Bill Ayers past until much later, I find that hard to believe. A man who studied at Columbia University and Harvard law school has to be pretty intelligent, right? He say that he was eight years old when Ayers and Weather Underground committed those terrorist attacks which were intended to kill. They placed bombs at a judges house and one was found unexploded under the family cars gas tank. You only place a bomb on a gas tank when you want the occupants to die horrifically.

Obama would have no doubt heard of Weather Underground when he was older and going through college. Then to have coffee with its outspoken leader where other members of the terrorist group were also having coffee and the name Weather Underground was no doubt dropped and not put two and two together must make Obama the dumbest person to graduate from Harvard law school, which we know he isn't.

Then there is Rev. Wright. The man who publicly and very vocally hates America, yet won't leave the place? A man who said that the AIDS virus was spread by the United States government to wipe out the black population and that the United States got what it deserved on 9/11 and that the Jews are evil white people. Obama sat in the pews (sp?) of this mans church for 20 years. He and his wife were married by Wright, his children were baptized by Wright and he was spiritually advised by Wright during those 20 years. Then, when it became politically necessary to do so, he denounced and rejected the man.

He rejected the affiliation when his Presidential Campaign was in jeopardy, but, you don't go to the same church for 20 years if you don't believe what is being preached.

Then there is this ACORN fiasco. ACORN is a voter registration organization renowned for flagrant voter fraud. In 2004 a worker for one affiliate was given crack cocaine in exchange for fraudulent registrations that included underage voters, dead voters and pillars of the community named Mary Poppins, Dick Tracy and Jive Turkey. Someone even registered a cat to vote. They were caught out in Nevada for registering Dallas Cowboy stars : /

ACORN vote canvassers had pulled names and addresses from phone books and forged signatures. According to a local paper, "Large numbers of voter registration forms bore signatures all in the same apparent handwriting style" and "apparently the organization's canvassers broke rules to meet ACORN-set voter registration quotas to get paid." The fake registrants include dead people and underage kids. Also, there were 5000 more voter registrations in Indiana than voters.

Now, the election this year hinges on swing states. The up-for-grabs free states which will undoubtedly decide the fate of your country, and in turn, the world, are ALL being investigated for voter fraud. Obama was hired to lead Project Vote efforts in Illinois. Under Obama's leadership, he trained ACORN members in Chicago. According to ACORN, Obama trained its Chicago members in leadership seminars; in turn, ACORN volunteers worked on his campaigns. Obama also sat on the boards of the Woods Fund with Bill Ayers which poured money into ACORN.

All these alarmingly questionable affiliations are enough to make people think before voting for Obama, not to mention his other policies.

-----------------------------

Sarah Palin came on the scene and injected life into the GOP campaign and the Democrats couldn't handle it. They did everything in their power to discredit her. Three lead state Democratic legislators investigated this so called "troopergate" nonsense. These three Democrats have been seen countless times around the Obama headquarters in Anchorage Alaska. Bias much?

Trooper Wooten abused his stepson, the workman's compensation and made threats against the Palin family. He was not fit to hold any position of authority when he used a tazer on his step son and despite the fact he was divorcing Palin's sister he undoubtedly needed to get fired at the very least. Charges should have been brought up against him for child abuse and defrauding workman's comp.

People blame Bush for this financial crisis. McCain stated ages ago that there had to be an investigation and reform with the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac mortgage handling. Nothing was done. The Democrats have had majority control of the House of Representatives for 2 years give or take. During that time they have had the power to do something about the impending financial crisis which McCain and countless others warned was coming. They didn't. Now that it happened, all they can do is point fingers at Bush and the Republicans. Everyone is to blame, not just Republicans. It was a joint effort by both Democrats and Republicans in ruining the economy, FOR EVERYONE.

But what really amuses me is the amount of people I see around who praise Obama and vilify McCain. Both are human, both have their flaws, but only one of them has given more for America than the other. Only one has spilled blood, broken bones and left parts of himself in another Country for the freedoms everybody enjoys. The freedom's which give you the right to vilify him despite the incredible sacrifice he has given.

The amount of Obama supporters I see who follow all the bias news stations like CNN, BBC and MSNBC, the newspapers like the New York Times and The Washington Post who have nothing but contempt for anything which criticizes Obama and say "Well If you follow any of the crap you hear in Faux Noise" [Fox News]

Fox News is the only bipartisan news company out now and it has more viewers than CNN, MSNBC and CNBC COMBINED. It has anchors, reporters and journalists from all political parties. It even has a show SPECIFICALLY created to have a duality of opinions from both the Republicans and Democrats. The Liberal Democratic media can't stand that they don't have a monopoly over mainstream media and that the one network they don't have control over destroys everything they have combined. They have nothing but contempt for Bill O'Reilly. They hate how a Republican brings on these Democrats and berates them into an argument. In actuality, he is a REGISTERED INDEPENDENT.

All this hate for McCain is astounding. The only person on either ticket who has physically given his blood sweat and tears and been tortured for your right to vote for Obama. Even if you don't wish to vote for him, keep this in mind. Think about what will make your country better. Not just vote for him for the sake of "not voting for another Bush" which is completely bullshit. Don't just vote for him because he talks about change and "he is the first African American" to run for the Presidency which would BE the change, and don't just vote for him because it is what everyone else is doing. ACTUALLY read into and do research into their political policies and promises and make your decision then, not vote for one for the sake of voting for one.

Now I know I'm Australian and a lot of you may disregard everything I say about it because I have no say in what happens in your election. But I have been lurking around these forums for a while and have seen many topics where a person can state their opinion without being totally destroyed by other people (unlike other forums I am a part of), and I would love if I could be extended the same courtesy. Also, this wasn't meant to turn out this long, I'm so very sorry

[Angry Gorilla]

No need to apologise, It was quite entertaining to read.

[steveplayer]

No need to apologise, It was quite entertaining to read.

Lol in an informative way or an I'm laughing at you secretly way

[Angry Gorilla]

Informative way.

[steveplayer]

Excellent

[Vercetti Thug]

That was an amazing speech, even though it points Obama as the lesser.

[Urbanoutlaw]

steveplayer - YOU GET IT!

BTW, welcome & enjoy.

[steveplayer]

All this hate for Sarah Palin as well. At least she knows what the Vice presidents job is!

"From each according to his abilities, to each according to his needs." - Karl Marx

This ideology is supported by Obama with his redistribution of wealth. Obama is a socialist, and Karl Marx said that Communism will displace Capitalism after a transitional period of Socialism....

The Federal and all state and territorial governments in my Country are controlled by socialists and they have no fucking clue what they are doing. There is still hope for America, DON'T VOTE OBAMA.

[WRX22B1998]

^ lol australia politics...

are you in NSW ?

[steveplayer]

Nah mate Canberra LOL Had to vote on Saturday

[WRX22B1998]

yeah NSW voting was around ummm...1 month or so ago. im like hmmm labor is in a.t.m, nothing seems to be too out of control, so meh. lol. my friend was gonna right "i hate politics" on the form and nothing else lol.

hahah...at least you got fireworks...and legal pr0n lol not that it matters

that is THE dumbest law...i remember asking my friend and he's like "yeah because if they make that legal, canberra will become deserted" lolz...so stupid, you just drive down, buy fireworks, come back. theres no police checks or anything lol.

Edited October 19, 2008 by WRX22B1998

[steveplayer]

LOL yep. That is all that is going for Canberra, sky candy and pr0nz I honestly can't understand why people seriously move here when they came from somewhere better. I wanna get out of this place

[Urbanoutlaw]

It's about 2 weeks out from the election & the worst thing anybody can come up w/ on Palin (still) is that she got an

ex-in-law fired from the Alaska State Police. What people should be thinking is "Dude, you stungunned the 10-year-old

nephew of the Governor & got caught trying to cheat workman's comp & ALL YOU GOT was fired. Pretty sure stungunning

a minor in the home will land most people in jail, for a long time. Watch police video shows to see how scamming WC works

out (hint, it usually doesn't).

As for Obama, he can't shut up about the redistribution of wealth which will totally screw taxpayers & encourage

layabouts to continue to layabout & not work.

WHY THE HELL SHOULD GIVE UP MOST OF MY EARNINGS FOR PEOPLE WHO CAN'T BE BOTHERED TO WORK?!?!

Sara Palin is the smartest thing McCain has done so far. If he values her insights, abilities & opinions enough to make

her his VP then I think he's really looking out for the best interest of the country.

Edited October 22, 2008 by Urbanoutlaw

[Urbanoutlaw]

Now it's 4 days from the election & still nothing substantial.

Clothing allowance - Hillary never caught crap about her clothing budget. Obama typically wears $3500 suites.

If the budget is covered from privately raised funds, this is a moot point. If they want to pile the money in the street or

give it away, it's their prerogative. How much did Obama spend on his goat & pony show infomercial?

Hotel/travel bills for her kids - As a Conservative, family first is one of one of her core values so having her kids around

when she can is reasonable. Nobody bitched about Michelle Obama sitting in a hotel room ordering lobster (while Barrie

was downstairs ripping the US in general because "we have so much & the rest of the world is starving").

Ex-brother in law - If I took a stun gun to a 10-year-old, I'm pretty sure I'd land in jail for a while. Same for scamming

workman's comp. If anything, she gave him a break in that he just got fired.

Her qualifications - As VP her biggest responsibility would be to break a deadlock in the Senate. If something happened

to McCain (if elected, of course) then she would become president. Although being President is a much bigger role, she

would have the experience of running a municipal & state government. Still would like to know exactly what a "community

organizer" does, although it apparently doesn't involve actually knowing the background of "friends" from the community.

Add to this Obama's "Breathalyzer" speech, which happened w/in a month of a 3-week vacation in Hawaii (WTF?!?!. In

the most significant presidential race in the history of the US, he takes a vacation?). He should have been at the top of

his game & he was a stuttering idiot.

This topic - If you want to badmouth someone, get something solid to work w/.

EPIC FAIL! (insert tricycle picture here.)

[steveplayer]

Everyone who is voting for Obama is either living in Hollywood or has been mesmerized by his slick talk and hollow promises. This "95% of Americans will have their taxes cut" is a complete fallacy and equates to pretty much selling a child a box of cancer labeled candy.

The top 10% of people in the US pay 70% of the tax load. Obama is pandering to people who feel they have nothing and the "evil" rich people should have to pay their fair share. I think picking up 70% of the bill is a little more than a fair share, don't you? Lets not forget that a third, or 1/3 - 33%, of people in America don't pay income tax. The "rich" people in the US are the ones pumping money into the economy, they were the ones who lost most of the money when the market crashed, no doubt regular people lost a lot of money, but the rich investors were the ones who lost a huge bulk of it.

The rich are the ones who own the small business', factories, corporations etc. If you raise the taxes on these people who own these things, they aren't going to take it out of their own pay check, they are going to cut jobs, raise the prices of their services and make things a whole lot worse for the people in the middle class Obama is pandering too.

So these poor misguided families who fell for his tax cut, it sounds good on top, just like free candy, are going to be worse off when the prises of everything go up or they in fact lose their jobs.

History has proven that if you cut taxes government revenues increase. So why increase the tax when you want money so you can "spread the wealth around"? If you tax the rich harder than they already are, they are just going to stop spending money and feeding the economy and begin squirreling it away keeping it from the world and making the economy worse.

Just because someone speaks well, doesn't mean they are right for the job. America IS ready for a Black President, but Obama is not that person. Obama is a socialist with views comparable to Marxism. Biden was called on this by a reporter in Florida and couldn't answer the question straight, so instead, they just cut all ties to the station :/

If we have people who are going to be running the "greatest country in the world" who can't handle tough questions and selectively choose which ones to answer, then the world is doomed. If you truly want to call yourselves the greatest country in the world, you can't head down a road of socialism which if unhealed can lead to communism.

There was this political party back in the day, I think a few of you know of it. The National Socialist German Workers Party (Nazi). Keep this in mind everybody, Hitler gave great speeches too....

Edited November 1, 2008 by steveplayer

[Dirty Harry]

I don't really want another dumbfuck evil cowboy ruling the US. (McCain)

On the other hand a dude who can't make an important decision (should I bomb this, should I arm then destroy this etc) isn't any better. (Obama)

Uhm. I don't want neither of these men to rule the country that pretty much runs the world.

[Urbanoutlaw]

A lot of us are looking at Palin as a backup & McCain as tolerable. He won't make it any worse & will probably just be

there for 4 years, + he is an actual war hero & will probably try to what's in the best interest of the country. If anything

happens to McCain, Palin is the best thing available to run this country.

Initially I viewed McCain as the lesser of 2 evils but have since given him more consideration. Obama falls way short.

Black (or woman) president. You're right, America is ready. We've changed a lot in the last 50 years.

[steveplayer]

A report by an INDEPENDENT group has found that Sarah Palin DID NOT violate any ethical guidelines or whatever in the firing of the trooper. An Independent group. A group run by people not affiliated with Dems or the GOP, and an independently funded investigation.

There you go. So that "strike against her" was wrongly placed.

[Urbanoutlaw]

What the McCain people did after the election was deplorable. Palin was the only thing keeping McCain's campaign

alive.

She needs to come back in '12 & run w/ Joe the Plumber.