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• Alaska Governor and Republican vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin is currently under investigation into whether she abused her power in firing Alaska Public Safety Commissioner Walt Monegan.

  On September 15, 2008, a McCain campaign spokesman claimed that "Obama operatives" had gained undue influence over the investigation, and said that Palin would not cooperate with the probeCNN: Palin Aide: Obama Backers Politicizing Alaska investigation (September 16, 2008)

• Fast Facts

  1. Alaska State Trooper Mike Wooten former husband of Molly McCann, Palin's sisterKTUU.com: Allegations Tie Family Dispute to Monegan Ouster (July 17, 2008)
  2. Palin made several complaints against WootenKTUU.com: Allegations Tie Family Dispute to Monegan Ouster (July 17, 2008)
  3. Alaska Public Safety Commissioner Walt Monegan refused to fire Wooten
  4. Palin fired Monegan without explanation in July 2008KTUU.com: Termination Unexpected and Unexplained, Monegan Says (July 13, 2008)
  5. Investigation into firing began in early August 2008KTVA 11: Investigation to Begin into Whether Governor Palin Abused Her Power... (July 28, 2008)
  6. Palin admitted that administration made 20 calls to Monegan's office regarding Wooten KTUU.com: Palin: Monegan Was Pressured to Fire Wooten (August 13, 2008)
  7. Todd Palin also made several calls to Monegan's office regarding WootenKTUU.com: Palin: Monegan Was Pressured to Fire Wooten (August 13, 2008)

• The Firing

  In July 2008, Palin fired Alaska Public Safety Commissioner Walt Monegan without explanation, only a year and a half after hiring Monegan to the position as Alaska's head of the State Police.KTUU.com: Termination Unexpected and Unexplained, Monegan Says (July 13, 2008) Shortly afterward, Andrew Halcro, one of Palin's opponents in the 2006 race for Governor of Alaska, alleged on his blog and radio show that Palin had fired Monegan because of his refusal to terminate the employment of Alaska State Trooper Mike Wooten. Wooten divorced Palin's sister, Molly McCann, in 2005.AndrewHalcro.com: Why Walt Monegan Got Fired: Palin's Abuse of Power (August 29, 2008)

• The Investigation

  On July 28, 2008, a bipartisan Joint Legislative Council of Alaska lawmakers approved by a 12-0 vote the funding of an investigation into a possible abuse of power by Sarah Palin in regard to the firing of Walt Monegan.KTVA 11: Investigation to Begin into Whether Governor Palin Abused Her Power... (July 28, 2008) Palin opened a state investigation into the firing on August 12, 2008, despite earlier claiming that an investigation was not warranted.KTUU.com: Palin Conducts Her Own Public Safety Investigation (August 12, 2008) Although Palin first denied pressuring Monegan to fire Wooten, she later admitted that her administration had made at least 20 calls to Monegan's office regarding Wooten and his conduct.KTUU.com: Palin: Monegan Was Pressured to Fire Wooten (August 13, 2008) On September 12, Todd Palin and 12 other people were served with subpoenas to appear as witnesses in the case.Anchorage Daily News: Todd Palin subpoenaed in firing probe (September 12, 2008)

  After initially refusing to cooperate, Todd Palin submitted a 25-page affidavit on his role in the Troopergate scandal on October 8, 2008, which was leaked to the press. In it Todd Palin admits that he lobbied hard to have Mike Wooten removed as police officer, but denied speaking to public officials about Walt Monegan.Globe and Mail: Todd Palin: Humble 'first dude' or Alaska's 'shadow governor'? (October 10, 2008)

• Lawsuit

  On September 16, 2008, five Alaska state legislators filed suit to halt the investigation, claiming that it is motivated by bias against Palin.Associated Press: GOP lawmakers sue to stop Palin investigation (August 16, 2008) The plaintiffs in the suit are all Republicans. The Alaskan Supreme Court rejected the suit on October 9, 2008.Wall Street Journal: Alaska High Court Clears Way for Branchflower’s Troopergate Report (October 10, 2008)

• The Ethics Report

  A 300 page ethics report by retired Alaska state prosecutor Steve Branchflower, including another 1,000 supporting documents, was turned over to a 14-member panel of Alaska lawmakers on October 10, 2008. Based on Branchflower's report, the panel will recommend whether the investigation should go forward to criminal investigations.AP: Sensitive Palin ethics report kept secret, for now (October 10, 2008)

• Related Pages on Mahalo

  Walt Monegan | Todd Palin | Molly McCann | Mike Wooten | Sarah Palin Scandal | Andrew Halcro | Sarah Palin Wikipedia | Sarah Palin Affair | National Enquirer Palin | Troopergate

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