McCain campaign sends lawyer to Alaska to shut down ‘Troopergate’ investigation.
McCain campaign sends lawyer to Alaska to shut down ‘Troopergate’ investigation.
On September 2, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R) filed an ethics complaint against herself with the state’s Personnel Board in an effort to move the “Troopergate” investigation from the state’s legislature to the three-member board she oversees. Yesterday, Ed O’Callaghan, a former U.S. Attorney that the McCain campaign sent to Alaska to advise Palin’s lawyers on the case, said Palin “is 100 percent going to cooperate with the Personnel Board inquiry.” However, Newsweek’s Michael Isikoff reports that O’Callaghan is actually in Alaska to shut down the investigation that Palin initiated:
Then this week, [Palin's attorney Thomas] Van Flein (again assisted by O’Callaghan) filed a new motion with the Personnel Board. This one argued that, after a review of the evidence, including internal e-mails within the governor’s office, the governor’s lawyers had determined there was “no probable cause” to pursue any ethics inquiry into Palin at all. As a result, it argued, the previous motion for an ethics inquiry (which Van Flein himself had filed less than two weeks ago) should be dismissed.
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What is she hiding?
September 17th, 2008 at 12:32 pm.
What does The Rule of Law mean?
.
September 17th, 2008 at 12:33 pmSince when in the hell do lawyers for someone under federal investigation get to decide what constitutes “probable cause” ?
September 17th, 2008 at 12:35 pmIn what way would the McStain campaign have any say in what the Alaskan legislature does or does not do?
I guess this is a good preview of the transparency we could expect from a McStain/Palin administration.
Keating, anyone?
PEACE
September 17th, 2008 at 12:35 pmHow many clean up men can the campaign dispatch to hold their fragile narrative together for 45 more days?
A reformer would let the investigation run its course. McCon=Pullin’ strike again!
September 17th, 2008 at 12:35 pmIt’s turning into a vaudeville routine…
Who’s on first?
Yes…
Now, what’s his name?
What’s on second?
Yes…
Then who’s on first?
Yes… I already told you that…
Please… GOOP… go on w/ this routine, and the longer the better… PLEASE!!!!
September 17th, 2008 at 12:36 pmMcCain’s lawyers have been in Alaska “fixing” things for weeks now.
¶ AIO
September 17th, 2008 at 12:36 pmMCMetal Says:
Since when in the hell do lawyers for someone under federal investigation get to decide what constitutes “probable cause” ?
September 17th, 2008 at 12:35 pm
_______
Oh, that’s just one of the perks of being CEO of your state.
September 17th, 2008 at 12:36 pmThat’s just as good as an admission of guilt on all charges.
If she has nothing to hide, then why all the hubbub?
BECAUSE SHE’S AS GUILTY AS TED STEVENS!
September 17th, 2008 at 12:37 pmJust keeps getting better and better doesn’t folks? Unf ucking real.
September 17th, 2008 at 12:37 pm.
So,
Is this the “CHANGE” McPalin talk about?
Got DOJ anybody? This is just an inkling of what “CHANGE” we have facing our formerly great Nation.
Who needs laws when we have Leaders who can assault reason and The Rule of Law?
.
September 17th, 2008 at 12:38 pmMCMetal Says:
Since when in the hell do lawyers for someone under federal investigation get to decide what constitutes “probable cause” ?
__________
EXACTLY, MC. Watching these guys twist and turn is like watching an alligator try to get itself off a hook after it’s swallowed the fish. The gator just thrashes and and spins like crazy trying to dislodge that hook.
You did read that the 13 or so Alaska State employees subpoenaed are going to blow off the subpoenas because… ***drum roll***… “the governor has so strongly stated that the subpoenas issued by your committee are of questionable validity”…
So now the GOOPers get to decide the very validity of the investigation itself…
Keep moving… keep moving… nothing to see here…
Any bets on how long before Botch decides this circus has become a threat to “national security” (or at least GOOP security…) and that it’s time to throw his “magic cape” of Executive Privilege over the whole affair?
September 17th, 2008 at 12:42 pmThe GOOP took out their own sub-prime mortgage in the form of Sarah Palin.
Good riddance.
September 17th, 2008 at 12:49 pmAh, the pursuit of “Just Us”.
September 17th, 2008 at 12:50 pmMCMetal Says:
Since when in the hell do lawyers for someone under federal investigation get to decide what constitutes “probable cause” ?
__________
Is it Federal investigation, or just state? I’d be thinking just state at this point.
If it were a Federal issue, it’d be much easier for the GOOP to bottle this up.
September 17th, 2008 at 12:50 pmPreemptive Pre-Impeach Palin.
September 17th, 2008 at 12:51 pmIt could be worse. If he does win the WH, at least John McCain knows how to win wars, catch bin Laden (if he ever leaves his Pakistani safe haven) and turn the economy around – because well, he knows how!
No question please.
September 17th, 2008 at 12:53 pmJeebo’s…It just keep’s getting merkier as we go along…The one bright note yesterday was that Failing Palin’s number’s fell 10 point’s since Saturday..Wahoo!
Obamas new ad featured at the Zoo was good, just need’s to be shown every where on prime time so all the sheep can see it before Nov…If they aren’t spoon fed the truth along with dinner they will never get it and this dreadful bunch will steal another election..
Sad to see how corrupt our gov has become….I wonder what it will take to turn it all around….Blessings.
September 17th, 2008 at 12:54 pmThey even call each other liars now.
Which lie and which liar do you believe?
September 17th, 2008 at 12:57 pmMcCain’s campaign is trying to shut down a state investigation? What happened to the GOP’s long declared love and advocacy of STATES’ RIGHTS??
September 17th, 2008 at 12:58 pmAlaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R) filed an ethics complaint against herself with the state’s Personnel Board in an effort to move the “Troopergate” investigation from the state’s legislature to the three-member board she oversees
Then she had her lawyer send a request to stop any requested investigation to the same board, stating they didn’t have the authority to investigate her. Something most news outlets have ignored. The Republican lawyers are trying anything they can to stall the findings until after nov 4th.
September 17th, 2008 at 12:59 pmFrom Wikipedia :
On July 28, 2008, a bipartisan committee of the Alaska Legislature voted 12-0 to hire an independent investigator to investigate Palin and her staff for possible abuse of power surrounding the dismissal. The Alaska Legislative Council is made up of four Democrats and eight Republicans. A retired state prosecutor, Steve Branchflower, was named on August 1 as the investigator. Branchflower was awarded a three-month contract, which began on August 1.
[snip]
Claiming the investigation was “tainted” by manipulations from Barack Obama’s supporters, on September 16, a former press secretary to Governor Palin announced that Palin would not cooperate with the investigator hired by the legislature.
8 Republicans just happened to be installed into the Alaskan legislature that are Obama shills because ………..?
Even McDepends didn’t know he was going to choose Caribou Barbie until 1 day before the pick was announced ; somehow the Obama camp found out prior to that ?
What the hell kind of bullshit are these dopes trying to sell ?
September 17th, 2008 at 1:01 pmMcWars Says:
The GOOP took out their own sub-prime mortgage in the form of Sarah Palin.
_________
They certainly did gamble here, didn’t they?
It was like taking a drug… that first rush was something else, but now the high is starting to wear off, and the crash is setting in. The GOOPers are officially stuck w/ this woman on the ticket, huh? Could get ugly…
September 17th, 2008 at 1:02 pmShades of Florida 2000….Repukes are Criminals…ALL OF THEM.
What is Shara hiding? Lots more than we can imagine, I think.
September 17th, 2008 at 1:06 pmJesus H. Christ!
September 17th, 2008 at 1:07 pmThis reeks. Big time!
Corrupt bastards!
Buckie Boy Says:
What is Shara hiding? Lots more than we can imagine, I think.
___________
That was my thought too, Buckie. Perhaps in the course of digging deeper into Troopergate, the GOOPers came across something far more damning, and that’s what they’re now so determined to keep hidden.
There’s certainly SOMETHING going on here, or they wouldn’t be making such a ruckus over it.
September 17th, 2008 at 1:09 pmHeard on the radio (AirAmerica) from on of their reporters who is in Alaska said that the Republicans are pushing back against this because the guy she fired was very, very popular amoung repukes, and had voted to keep the investigation going.
But of course we can only expect criminal activity from McGonnaDieSoon and Caribou Nazi Barbie.
September 17th, 2008 at 1:10 pmAren’t you glad the mainstream media is jumping all over this???
/snark
September 17th, 2008 at 1:14 pmThe bigger the fight the GOOP puts up to stop this, the more attention they call to it. It’s become a lose-lose situation for them, no matter what at this point.
PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEASE, GOOPers, PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEASE keep fighting it.
Tooth and nail… to the bitter end…
Tee hee… ain’t that a shame. Meanwhile, the GOOPers are out on the road, STILL trying to sell that hideous “Obama/Kindergarteners Sex Ed” nonsense.
I love the reek of desperation in the morning. It reminds me of Victory!
September 17th, 2008 at 1:14 pmWhat do you expect from a party that complains about Obama voting to help protect children from child molesters?
Republicans are liars and child molesters.
September 17th, 2008 at 1:17 pmAn entire generation of children are watching this charade and learning that doing the right thing isn’t the goal. The goal is to figure out how to manipulate the law to allow for fraud, deceit and dishonor.
The goal is not to be honest, but to preserve the image of honesty at any cost. The illusion is more important than the substance.
Heckuva job, Johnny and Sarah…
September 17th, 2008 at 1:27 pmHamlet Act 3, scene 2, 222–230
September 17th, 2008 at 1:41 pmGuido the Loving OBGYN Says:
Why aren’t the Democrats talking about this more?
Summary: Rush Limbaugh said of the investigation into Gov. Sarah Palin’s dismissal of Alaska public safety commissioner Walter Monegan: “This is pure sexism in Alaska on the part of these old boys trying to get rid of Sarah Palin, and she didn’t put up with it, and she didn’t bend over and let them have their way.”
Are they afraid of being cast as sexist good ‘ol boys?
The comments at the link from Media Matters include some who ask if Limpy wouldn’t be screaming that the Democrats were playing the victim (if they used the charge of sexism) to those who ponder the fact that Limpy seems to have become a feminist in the past 2 weeks!
September 17th, 2008 at 1:55 pmIsn’t this called “obstruction of justice”? This whole thing began in Alaska even BEFORE whatsername was on the ticket with McCain…what the hell is he poking his nose in this business for?We still have laws to follow. If they investigate, and there’s nothing illegal, fine. If there is, she needs to be held accountable. End of story! This move by McCain, however, makes me believe beyond a doubt, that there actually IS something illegal that went on, or they wouldn’t be trying so hard to squash this whole thing.Once again, thought that the voters would miss this…they could sweep it under the rug, and no one would be the wiser…Fortunately for us, this will hopefully be played out BEFORE the election to it’s rightful end.Doesn’t look good when Republicans hide things from the public and lie:)Ah…those values…they suck!
September 17th, 2008 at 2:13 pmMax-1 Says:
What does The Rule of Law mean?
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Much like the terms democracy and special interests this term has two meanings. The dictionary definition and the GOP FUNCTIONAL definition. In this case rule of law means what we use against democrats and are completely exempt FROM.
September 17th, 2008 at 2:14 pmI can name that tune in one note: OBSTRUCTION!
September 17th, 2008 at 2:18 pmOoh- McCain is sending his lawyer. Is this a Silly Lawsuit Against Participation (SLAP) to hassle and berate them to shut down their inquiry ?
And using his resources to limit inquiry even **BEFORE** elected – what does this tell us about his potential adminitration ?
September 17th, 2008 at 2:31 pmNow who’s sending those wolves?
September 17th, 2008 at 2:53 pmMore of that “deference” Mrs. Palin is claimed to be entitled to. How do they do it? Just by virtue of being a Republican candidate for vice president (emphasis on the VICE), she is (already) no longer subject to the laws of her state, just like nobody in Bush’s administration is subject to any of the laws of this country. I’ve been saying for years that Bush & Cheney were setting precedents we’d all live to regret – and McCain/Palin are already proving their administration would be Bush 44 to the tenth power. They haven’t even been appointed (by the Supreme Court) to office yet, but they already claim Bush/Chency immunity to the law. “Reforming Washington” will mean extending even Bush’s overreach for power to the extent that the Legislative & Judicial branches become (remain) totally inconsequential…
September 17th, 2008 at 2:56 pmCountdown reported on this fiasco last night.
September 17th, 2008 at 2:57 pmSince Monday the McCain camp has stepped up its personal attacks against Alaskans. They’ve continued their D.C.-style tactics against neighbors in this small state. The game plan is to find an excuse to stop our Legislature’s Troopergate investigation, and hide evidence McCain’s folks really don’t want to surface before November’s election. It’s been a little Karl Rove, and parts Laurel and Hardy. How else can you explain the following?
Friday the Attorney General’s office promised state witnesses would comply with subpoenas the Legislature issued last week. Tuesday the Governor’s Attorney General flip flopped, and announced that state witnesses wouldn’t comply because, well, and I’m paraphrasing here – - he’s changed his mind. And in what has to be an idea hatched after a 4th Martini at Chilkoot Charlies, Governor Palin’s attorneys have filed a motion to dismiss the ethics claim she filed against herself two weeks ago. Yup. She really filed a complaint against herself. Tuesday she said she’s discovered, after a thorough investigation of herself, that she’s done nothing wrong. Does anyone know how to get a hold of Jon Stewart and Tina Fey?
It’s silly season up here in the far north, but this week’s moves are aimed at one thing: John McCain’s effort to find cover for being disingenuous. See, before Governor Palin’s nomination for the Republican VP spot, she did the honest thing. She admitted the evidence — of roughly 20 contacts between her staff and husband with Public Safety officials, seeking the firing of Governor Palin’s former brother-in-law — might lead a reasonable person to the conclusion that the she misused her office to fire a state employee. So when Alaska’s Republican-led Legislature called for an investigation, she did the honorable thing and said she and her staff would comply. She denies any wrongdoing.
Things changed on August 29 when Governor Palin was added to the McCain ticket. Since then his handlers have told her she can’t testify. They don’t want the evidence in this case to come out. They don’t want her to testify under oath. They don’t want other witnesses to testify under oath. So they have engaged in daily maneuvers to attack, as disloyal to the McCain campaign, anyone who wants the investigation to move forward. They’ve now attacked two well respected prosecutors, and perhaps the state’s most highly regarded law enforcement official — the Public Safety Commissioner she hired, and then fired, Walt Monegan.
Every day this week McCain operatives have sung the same tune. Today a guy with an East Coast accent, who knows nothing about Alaska, stood in front of a McCain-Palin banner to lead the attacks against people he doesn’t know. At press conferences on Monday and Tuesday campaign staffer Megan Stapleton spit vitriol to repeat her argument that this investigation is really a “Democratic” attack on Governor Palin. See, that’s easier than just saying their VP has reneged on her promise to testify. It’s easier than just saying they don’t want anyone testifying before the November election. It’s easier than admitting they are stonewalling a legislative investigation. Oh — and I know they hate partisan stuff. Yesterday 5 Republican legislators — all allies of Governor Palin, all supporters of the McCain campaign, filed a lawsuit against the Legislature to stop the investigation.
Here are a few things MCCain’s operatives failed to say. There are a few small facts that make it hard to style this as a Democratic investigation. One is that Alaska is a Republican State. We have a Republican Governor and a Legislature of 34 Republicans and 26 Democrats. This summer the Legislature’s Legislative Council voted 12-0 (8 Republicans and 4 Democrats) to hire an investigator, and appointed Democratic Senator Hollis French, a well-respected former prosecutor, to find an investigator.
Governor Palin stated she and her employees would comply with the investigation. French then hired Steve Branchflower, a former DA who most recently was hired by legislative Republicans to run the state’s Office of Victims rights. And on Friday the Senate Judiciary Committee voted 3-2 (2 Democrats and 1 Republican in favor); and the House Judiciary Committee issued a 7 – 0 (5 Republicans, 2 Democrats) advisory vote, to issue subpoenas to witnesses the McCain camp had previously stopped from testifying.
Over the last two days McCain’s outside operatives have vilified former prosecutor Hollis French — as an Obama supporter who must have called this investigation to hurt the McCain ticket. But French was appointed to oversee the investigation by a 12 – 0 Legislative Council vote, and is probably the state’s most respected legislator — by Republicans and Democrats alike. He’s so popular the Republican Party couldn’t find anyone to run against him this year. They’ve called former Public Safety Commissioner Walt Monegan — a Native Alaskan who has served Republican and Democratic Administrations with honor, and put his life on the line in uniform- – “insubordinate.” Odd, given that when Governor Palin fired him she offered him a different job. I guess being “insubordinate” was a job requirement for the new position. And they’ve challenged the independence of an investigator and former DA, who has no animus anyone can find.
Those Swift boat ads taught the McCain folks that if you say something untrue enough times, it can stick. My favorite moment of the week came when Governor Palin’s attorneys filed a motion to dismiss Palin’s ethics complaint against herself. Stay with me. Her attorneys have been buying the peyote, not me. See, on August 29 they needed to find a way to stop the Legislature’s investigation. They tried asking the Republican leaders to call it off, and take one for the team. But the Senate President and others honorably said no. So they came up with an argument that the State Personnel Board — 3 people appointed by Governor Palin and her Republican predecessor Frank Murkowski – had “exclusive jurisdiction” to investigate wrongdoing by the Governor.
The Legislature wasn’t amused. So Governor Palin then filed a complaint against herself. That, they said, put “jurisdiction” in the hands of their friends at the Personnel Board. They argued that since the Personnel Board was now proceeding with an “investigation,” the Legislature couldn’t. To put icing on the cake, on Monday the Governor’s attorneys moved to dismiss the Governor’s case against herself. They said, and I loosely paraphrase again — that they tried really hard and just couldn’t find any evidence that the Governor did anything wrong. OK. I can’t believe I just wrote that. And I wish it weren’t true.
These are the things you have to do when your presidential candidate doesn’t want his VP to honor a promise, and doesn’t want evidence to come out before an election. These are the things you have to do if your folks aren’t going to comply with a subpoena. That’s because without spin the headline might read: “McCain Interferes With Investigation Palin Agreed To.” How easy it is to re-write a headline. They learned that during the Swift boat campaign too.
All we can hope for is that members of the press will abide by what’s taught in journalism school. Not to repeat the spin of political operatives without reporting the truth. Not to write “he said she said” stories, and pretend the truth is somewhere in the middle. But to report the facts. No matter how you spin it, Governor Palin promised to comply with this Legislative Investigation. McCain’s folks got her to change her position. And the Legislature that voted for the investigation did so on a bi-partisan basis. End of story. End of headline.
Over the next few days McCain’s folks will try to get local legislators to step in line, out of party loyalty, and reverse their vote to investigate Troopergate. But many local Republicans, like Senate President Lyda Green, have so far refused to play those politics. Stay for more from McCain’s Campaign for “Change.” They’ve tried to change the truth. They’ve succeeded at changing Governor Palin’s promise to comply with this investigation. Let’s see what they’ll change next.
Rep. Les Gara, Anchorage, Alaska
September 17th, 2008 at 3:06 pmOk people, time to help out again. Just a few bucks can really help if a lot of people do it:
https://donate.barackobama.com/ourstrategy
Donate. Volunteer. Vote.
September 17th, 2008 at 3:52 pmAll tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for people of good conscience to remain silent.
September 17th, 2008 at 4:34 pm–Thomas Jefferson