Thread: Sarah Palin?

People are tired of the same old "experienced" politician. I know I am.

Investigation to begin into whether
Governor Sarah Palin abused her power in firing Public Safety
Commissioner Walt Monegan



By Corey Allen-Young, CBS 11 News Reporter

Article Last Updated: 07/28/2008 06:49:51 PM AKDT





Lawmakers will hire someone within a week to investigate whether Governor Sarah Palin abused her power in firing Public Safety Commissioner Walt Monegan. The legislative council approved 100,000 dollars for the investigation that will find out whether Palin was angry at Monegan for not firing an Alaska State Trooper who went through a messy divorce with Palin's sister.

On Monday afternoon, the Joint Legislative Council, filled with Republicans and Democrats, voted 12 to 0 to formally call for an investigation against Governor Palin in a mannerthat they are stressingwill be unbiased and done in a timely fashion.


Legislators approved hiring a special investigator to look into the controversial firing of former Public Safety Commissioner Walt Monegan.

Monegan was fired two weeks ago without explanation and has said he was pressured by the governor and her staff to fire a trooper who was once married to Palin's sister.

Accusations have risen that Monegan was fired for his refusal to fire trooper Michael Wooten. The council's intent is to investigate the circumstances and events surrounding the termination of Monegan and potential abuses of power and improper action by the Governor and her administration.


"It is the intent of the legislative council that the investigation be professional, unbiased, independent, objective, and conducted at arms length from the political process," said, Senator Kim Elton, a Democrat from Juneau.


The council's intent is to investigate the circumstances and events surrounding the termination of Monegan and potential abuses of power and improper action by the governor and her administration.


"I think what it really gets down to is after the comma, add potential abuses of power and improper actions is really what we are looking at or at least proposing to look at?" said Representative John Harris, a Republican from Valdez.


Governor Palin has denied the accusations, saying she replaced Monegan
Courtesy, KTOO-TV


to go in a new direction. And although she doesn't think an investigation is needed, she welcomes the questions.

The council went through a detailed meeting to make sure the process is done in a timely manner with accurate results.


"We will get from this is," said Senator Hollis French, a Democrat from Anchorage, "no evidence of wrong doing, some evidence of wrong doing, clear evidence of wrong doing, that will come back to us."


"At that point the body has to make the decision: 'Is this evidence strong enough to proceed on or not?'"


"I think it should be made very clear because there have been conversations about personnel matters that the issues really that we are dealing with here are not the termination of the public
Courtesy, KTOO-TV


safety commissioner," said Harris.

Legislators hope that during this investigation that the politics are left out of the mix, which can be hard for government officials.


"What really remains is the most significant hurdle," said Representative Jay Ramras, a Republican from Fairbanks. "Are those professionals going to feel compelled to be subpoenaed before they will speak candidly about what they know?"


Senator French is the Senate Judiciary Committee chairman and is in charge of hiring the investigator. He says he has a short list of candidates and that the investigation should be finished within a few months.
To contact Corey, call 907-273-3186.

Oh please! I have been off the grid since I got out of school yesterday afternoon. Gov. Palin is as qualified as any Chicago born and breed politician except there is no cloak of illegal activity or undesirable connections.

You want change, well here it is. You want to beat her up because of her experience level, then all you are doing is making a great argument for electing McCain instead of Obama.

IMO, she is what this Country needs. Some one fresh, smart, family orientated, not afraid to cut the budget, and not connected to Chicago politics.

Originally Posted by show-me

you want change, well here it is. You want to beat her up because of her experience level, then all you are doing is making a great argument for electing mccain instead of obama.

Imo, she is what this country needs. Some one fresh, smart, family orientated, not afraid to cut the budget, and not connected to chicago politics.

and a woman.

She's a woman? That's not a qualifier. lol It is a good strategy. I will say that anyone that can have 5 kids and still look that fresh. Damn, what a woman!

James48843,
You would have to know the immense respect I have for you (at least I hope you do). But you are sounding just like Birch, and it's not reflecting well on you. Now of course Birch is someone I honestly love and admire in many ways; in the most central way of money management he has my highest respect and admiration.

But when any of us become so convinced that a Dem, a Black, a Woman, someone too willing to associate with McCain or a Minister...or whatever has "Closed our minds - and forced us into a rigid belief that prevents us from seeing the real possibilities" then our message will always be based on deeply grounded prejudism and resentment.

Despite the whole picture which I admire and respect - and I honestly would never try to change him, because I like the way he is. But to those who truly believe, "I am a born again Repubician..." I would not let up on them - not because I want to antagonize them or create deeper tensions - but because they would be a 1,000 times better off with a more open view and accepting others as they are and having a willingness to see the positive traits - regardless.

Sarah's comments from my perspective reflect a genuinely authentic heart and life - a real person with a Mother's Heart and very much reflecting a woman; so amazingly what you see as "bad" I see as beautiful. She does not sound at all like your typical politician - but she sounds genuine - and that's what I crave for.

Obama has largely stollen my heart for the very same reason. He is the first person ever that I can think of that openly declares "Washington and Politics" are totally screwed up. He is the only one that honestly seems prepared to make a difference and goes on with the convictions that he will do his best to change the garbage and make Washington and Politics something worthwhile. He's not afraid to highlight the huge and real problems.

So if I vote for Obama it is not because he's black or a Dem. If McCain wins I can only hope that Sarah will have a chance to have an influence on him and the decisions he makes. I see her in a similar light as Obama - someone fresh and new who lives from the heart.

At this point all of us need to accept Sarah for who she is and if it comes to pass that she is the first "Woman Vice President" then that's something everyone of us should be willing to embrace.

Steady- never fear. I enjoy debate.


I for one don't want another politician who uses the power of their office to illegal take personnel actions against people. "The vice-president's office is on the phone" is more than just a campaign slogan to me. I have seen the wrath of political influence adversely affecting otherwise honorable government service to the people of the United States first-hard. Personal use of official position for the purpose of vengeance is illegal in the federal service for a reason. We got away from that-- the political spoils system- in the 1800's for a reason. I don't know if personal use of official position for the purpose of personal vengeance is illegal under Alaska state law. It ought to be.

Did Sarah do that? I don't know.

But I certainly think it is fair game to place the information of Palin's story out there, so that people can be aware of it. Voters deserve to know the whole story. If a civil servant in Alaska was fired, because he refused to fire an Alaskan state trooper that was previously married to the governors sister- well, let's just say the public deserves to know the real story. Truth will set you free.

And on the subject of Iraq, perhaps the single most important topic of this election by a great number of voters- (not all , but certainly a great number), this candidate, whom one would expect- especially since she is the mother of a person service, admits "I haven't really focused much on the war in Iraq."

She hasn't focused on it? And she wants to be the person who sits one 73-year old heartbeat away from the red button which could end mankind as we know it?

Sorry, I don't see her as a particularly well qualified candidate for the job.


If the main republican qualification is knowing how to use official power to destroy otherwise good people, then I guess she might fit the bill. They seem to do that a lot.

I was always raised that we try and help one another, not destroy one another.

Originally Posted by James48843

....she wants to be the person who sits one 73-year old heartbeat away from the red button which could end mankind as we know it? Sorry, I don't see her as a particularly well qualified candidate for the job.

I've been doing more thinking about Palin's nomination myself, and heavily weighing the fact that, if elected, she would be one person away from the most powerful and complex job on the planet. And then McCain's age becomes a serious factor.

The majority of comments I hear people making are referring to her looks rather than her capabilities. At some point people are going to start thinking about what she might do in the Oval Office rather than what she might be like in the Lincoln Bedroom. And when that time comes, they may start to ask, "Is Palin really the most qualified Republican that McCain could have picked to be his running mate???" Hmm-m-m-m ... maybe not ....

Lady

Originally Posted by Show-me

You want change, well here it is. You want to beat her up because of her experience level, then all you are doing is making a great argument for electing McCain instead of Obama.

IMO, she is what this Country needs. Some one fresh, smart, family orientated, not afraid to cut the budget, and not connected to Chicago politics.

I hope you are right, Show-me, because right now it appears 50-50 and pick'em that we might find out!

I would like to gently suggest, however, that I've been able to study Obama's positions on the issues and I think he has proven himself over a very long primary vetting period. Palin was apparently picked after one 20-minute vetting period with McCain. I pray he was looking at her stance on the issues rather than gazing at her other attributes!

Lady

Is it really about the person that holds the job or is it about the people that you surround yourself with.

Originally Posted by Show-me

Is it really about the person that holds the job or is it about the people that you surround yourself with.

Great point! I found to my sorrow that I was not impressed with the people who surrounded Bush. If Palin has the good sense to surround herself with great people then she'll probably do an excellent job.

Didn't mean to sound so grumpy earlier. As is probably evident by now, the meds aren't quite holding their own with the pain level today ....

Lady