The Troopergate Farce Be Warned its Long!

[Navy1960]

Let's Start by reviewing the facts.

This all stems from an accusation by a former candidate for gov. that ran against Sarah Palin named Andrew Halco. He is the the original source of all the accusations

Why Walt Monegan got fired: Palin's abuse of power | AndrewHalcro.com

Walt Moneghan the Former Public Safety commissionerwas allegedly fired because of preasure from the Palin family and because of threats made by State Trooper Michael Wooten. Who by the way has a long and storied history of beating his wife, making threats, and and beating his kids. However, When Trooper Wooten called and made these threats Palin
reported these threats to the State Troopers as any person would.

http://media.adn.com/smedia/2008/07...erview-transcript.source.prod_affiliate.7.pdf

Later Sarah Palin sent an email to Colonel Julia Grimes in reference to
Trooper Wooten outlining the the following incidents;
Wooten’s negative representation of the department. Wooten’s abuse of his authority and position in various instances.
His racist attitudes towards native Alaskans (Todd Palin is a native Alaskan…), abuse of state resources (free gas/credit),
illegal hunting activities, and Sarah’s daughter (Bristol) being a witness
to Wooten’s tasering of his 11 year old stepson (verified)

http://media.adn.com/smedia/2008/07/18/13/071608-palin-wooten-email.source.prod_affiliate.7.pdf

After an invertigation by Grimes Trooper Wooten was suspended.

The record clearly indicates a serious and concentrated pattern of
unacceptable, and at times, illegal activity occurring over a lengthy period,
which establishes a course of conduct totally at odds with the ethics of our
profession,” Col. Julia Grimes, then head of Alaska State Troopers, wrote in
March 1, 2006, letter suspending Wooten for 10 days. After the union protested it, the suspension was reduced to five days.


So where does the firing of Walt Monegan come in? Well from Mr. Monegans comment's he was preassured by Todd Palin and the Gov. to fire Michael Wooten and when he didn't do so, he was fired. However, this is not true either, Todd Palin was ordered to talk to Monegan because of threats made against the first family by Special Agent Bob Cockrell of the Alaska State Security Detail.

“When made aware of the security concerns regarding a state trooper, I instructed the First Gentleman to contact the commissioner of Public Safety. It is standard protocol to ask every governor about any threats they perceive or have realized. “I will not hesitate to set the record straight in answering these false allegations by former Commissioner Monegan.”

Walt Monegan has even asserted himself that people around the gov. have also applied presssure but not Sarah Palin

newsminer.com • Palin aide says he acted on his own when pressing for trooper to be fired

Frank Bailey, the boards and commissions director, told The Associated Press he acted on his own — and not on behalf of Palin or her husband, Todd — when he called Ketchikan-based Lt. Rodney Dial, pushing for the firing of Trooper Mike Wooten.

“There was never any direction by the governor, never any direction by Todd to make the call or to make any call to DPS on this stuff,” Bailey said.

Monegan fired for budget, recruiting and enforcement performance

So the Investigation is being deaded by who? Sen. Hollis French a democrat who has been accused of using this as a political tactic, and with the appointment of Steve Branchflower as Special Investigator , someone who worked with Walt Monagan in the past you can now clearly see the motivation here.

The Associated Press: Lawmaker accused of politicizing Palin probe

Branchflower, who served as an Assistant District Attorney in Anchorage from 1974-1998, held numerous positions which required him to work extremely closely with the Anchorage Police Department, where Walt Monegan would become chief in 2001. He provided legal advice to APD officers, trained APD officers, and was even a co-founder of the APD’s Homicide
Response Team. His wife also worked as a detective for the APD, not retiring until 2002, meaning that she worked under Walt Monegan. In short, it seems impossible to believe that Branchflower, whose entire career was wrapped up in his relationships with the APD, and his detective wife did not have at least some professional relationship with Walt Monegan, who was obviously one of the city’s top cops. Mrs. Branchflower also briefly came out of retirement
to work as a cold case detective for the Alaska State Troopers.

So in short, this Troopergate is what it is a phoney attempt made up by the democratic party to smear Sarah Palin for something that is complete and utter nonsense.

*sources, andrewhalco.com,AP,newsminer,freerepublic,media.adn*

 

[AllieBaba]

Gosh, the hysterical left has nothing to say about this.

As I said in another thread, CNN was airing factcheck.org or whatever it is people who were going down the line and debunking essentially every single one of the idiotic lies being told about Palin.
That she tried to ban books: Lie
That she decreased spending for disabled: Egregious lie, she has managed to arragne it so the $$ being spent on disabled school children will TRIPLE in the next couple of years.
Oh there were some others, I don't remember.
Oh, that she ever proposed "creationism" be included in school curriculums. Lie as well.

Anyway, the point being, these are just ridiculous lies being made up out of whole cloth by bloggers and sad desperate little liberals (they interviewed at least one, who had posted a whole page of ridiculous and fantastical "quotations", allegedly Palins. He admitted freely they were all lies)

 

[Navy1960]

Gosh, the hysterical left has nothing to say about this.

As I said in another thread, CNN was airing factcheck.org or whatever it is people who were going down the line and debunking essentially every single one of the idiotic lies being told about Palin.
That she tried to ban books: Lie
That she decreased spending for disabled: Egregious lie, she has managed to arragne it so the $$ being spent on disabled school children will TRIPLE in the next couple of years.
Oh there were some others, I don't remember.
Oh, that she ever proposed "creationism" be included in school curriculums. Lie as well.

Anyway, the point being, these are just ridiculous lies being made up out of whole cloth by bloggers and sad desperate little liberals (they interviewed at least one, who had posted a whole page of ridiculous and fantastical "quotations", allegedly Palins. He admitted freely they were all lies)

These are the real facts on the supposed Trooper gate thing, and when they don't fit the mold, on the *talking points* for the DNC well then they almost have to ignore them. Or in this case get Sen. French to lead the investigation in the case?

 

[jschuck12001]

These are the real facts on the supposed Trooper gate thing, and when they don't fit the mold, on the *talking points* for the DNC well then they almost have to ignore them. Or in this case get Sen. French to lead the investigation in the case?

I notice you didnt mention "The bridge to nowhere" She has said 7 times she was against it and it is fact that she received funds and was for it until congress said no. I did see this reported as fact on CNN and MSNBC. Do you have any info on that. As for troopergate it does seem like she used her power to get the guy fired as the investigation was finished and the trooper had been suspended and then they reopened the case but it does sound like the guy was a looser and didnt deserve his job so I dont have a problem with it. I think the Bridge has many question to be asked. Why doesnt Palen answer questions from the media. She is running for office and she is in a bubble. Why should she get special treatment. At some point she wont be able to read from a script and she will have to answer some tough questions. I think this is a fair question.

 

[Navy1960]

I notice you didnt mention "The bridge to nowhere" She has said 7 times she was against it and it is fact that she received funds and was for it until congress said no. I did see this reported as fact on CNN and MSNBC. Do you have any info on that. As for troopergate it does seem like she used her power to get the guy fired as the investigation was finished and the trooper had been suspended and then they reopened the case but it does sound like the guy was a looser and didnt deserve his job so I dont have a problem with it. I think the Bridge has many question to be asked. Why doesnt Palen answer questions from the media. She is running for office and she is in a bubble. Why should she get special treatment. At some point she wont be able to read from a script and she will have to answer some tough questions. I think this is a fair question.

jschuck the Troopergate question is a non issue because her office did NOT ask Wooten to be fired, Baily from her office at the very worst did, so on his onw accord without her knowledge. She did let them know during the investigation via emails as I put up there what a complete scumbag this guy was. Monagan could have been fired becase she didnt like the color of his socks, as an "at will" employee. As far as the bridge thing I'm working on that one too, and I have said it before, the McCain campaign is playing this one pretty smart I think. The more the democrats keep working themselves up into a freenzy over non-issues like this, the more it takes your candidate off message and makes him have to respond to non-message related issues. So if I were the McCain campaign I would do the same thing. We will see how she does in her upcomming interview though. The previous ones I have seen on youtube at least from my perspective , she looked like she could hold her own pretty well.

 

[jschuck12001]

jschuck the Troopergate question is a non issue because her office did NOT ask Wooten to be fired, Baily from her office at the very worst did, so on his onw accord without her knowledge. She did let them know during the investigation via emails as I put up there what a complete scumbag this guy was. Monagan could have been fired becase she didnt like the color of his socks, as an "at will" employee. As far as the bridge thing I'm working on that one too, and I have said it before, the McCain campaign is playing this one pretty smart I think. The more the democrats keep working themselves up into a freenzy over non-issues like this, the more it takes your candidate off message and makes him have to respond to non-message related issues. So if I were the McCain campaign I would do the same thing. We will see how she does in her upcomming interview though. The previous ones I have seen on youtube at least from my perspective , she looked like she could hold her own pretty well.

Like I said I dont have an issue with troopergate, looks like she kicked someone out that didnt deserve a job. I think you have your work cut out for you to show the upside of her decision on the "bridge". If you watch Obama he has been doing nothing but talking about the issues and laying out a plan on each so I dont totally agree that they are being distracted but I do agree the american people are being distracted. Look I will be the first to admit the Republicans are smart and they outwit the Dems. For some reason the Republicans can attack but when the Dems do its wrong. If the Republicans win because they swing the women voters because of Palen I think it sets women back. It will show that women are voting Republican just because she is a woman because we all know the 2 sides have very different agenda's so how can you go from Dem to Republican. Either that or the Women didnt really care about Hillary, they just want a woman in office.

 

[Chris]

First Palin says that no one on her staff ever talked to the public safety department about trooper Wooten. Then an audio tape surfaces where a member of her staff is doing just that. So she admits she lied. Then she says she will co-operate fully with investigators. Now her staff won't talk to investigators without being subpoenaed. What else is she lying about?

MyDD :: Gov. Palin's Staff Now Refusing to Talk to Investigation into "Troopergate"

 

[dilloduck]

First Palin says that no one on her staff ever talked to the public safety department about trooper Wooten. Then an audio tape surfaces where a member of her staff is doing just that. So she admits she lied. Then she says she will co-operate fully with investigators. Now her staff won't talk to investigators without being subpoenaed. What else is she lying about?

MyDD :: Gov. Palin's Staff Now Refusing to Talk to Investigation into "Troopergate"

Probably her age---you know how sensitive women are about that subject.

 

[Modbert]

You know, for something that "won't pan out"; the Republicans sure seemed a bit scared about this Troopergate.

 

[Chris]

You know, for something that "won't pan out"; the Republicans sure seemed a bit scared about this Troopergate.

They should be scared.

The prosecutor has audio tapes, emails, and multiple witnesses. That's called "evidence."

 

[Modbert]

They should be scared.

The prosecutor has audio tapes, emails, and multiple witnesses. That's called "evidence."

If that's the case, John McCain better be shopping around for a new Vice President.

 

[Navy1960]

Like I said I dont have an issue with troopergate, looks like she kicked someone out that didnt deserve a job. I think you have your work cut out for you to show the upside of her decision on the "bridge". If you watch Obama he has been doing nothing but talking about the issues and laying out a plan on each so I dont totally agree that they are being distracted but I do agree the american people are being distracted. Look I will be the first to admit the Republicans are smart and they outwit the Dems. For some reason the Republicans can attack but when the Dems do its wrong. If the Republicans win because they swing the women voters because of Palen I think it sets women back. It will show that women are voting Republican just because she is a woman because we all know the 2 sides have very different agenda's so how can you go from Dem to Republican. Either that or the Women didnt really care about Hillary, they just want a woman in office.

jschuck,

Sarah Palin has given several speeches where she claims she has said "Thanks but no thanks on that Bridge to nowhere" I thought I would provide you with a few historical references as to just that.

“Ketchikan desires a better way to reach the airport, but the $398 million bridge is not the answer,” Gov. Sarah Palin said in a prepared statement.

Sept. 21st 2007
SignOnSanDiego.com > News > Nation -- State abandons controversial Ketchikan bridge project

Sep. 30--Southeast legislators and Ketchikan community leaders are steamed about the way Gov. Sarah Palin handled her Sept. 19 order to curtail federal and state funds for Ketchikan's Gravina Island bridge.
Alaska governor's move to cut bridge's funding angers legislators, officials. | Article from AK Journal of Commerce (Anchorage, AK) | HighBeam Research

Juneau, Alaska- Gov. Sarah Palin has directed the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities to look for the most fiscally responsible alternative for access to the Ketchikan airport and Gravina Island instead of proceeding any further with a proposed $398-million bridge, dubbed the "Bridge to Nowhere" by critics.

Alaska Abandons Controversial Ketchikan Bridge.(Brief article) | Article from Pacific Builder and Engineer | HighBeam Research

• The $45 million for a bridge from Ketchikan to Gravina Island – nationally lampooned as a “bridge to nowhere” – was tossed out of the bill.

adn.com | Alaska Politics : Bond bill grows ? Ketchikan bridge tossed

The governor made the decision "simply because the project wasn't a prudent use of state funds," said Palin spokeswoman Sharon Leighow.

9/24/07
Transportation Watch - Gov. Palin Cancels Bridge to Nowhere

Now all the freenzy over this bridge jschuck is over 2 things, one is a coment she made withing the statment "Despite the work of our congressional delegation, we are about $329 million short of full funding for the bridge project, and it's clear that Congress has little interest in spending any more money on a bridge between Ketchikan and Gravina Island," Howver, it's very clear from the record and from the number of Senators that she did in fact cancel the Bridge. the Second thing the freenzy is over is the statement itself which I see no lie in, "Thanks but no thanks on that Bridge to no where " which in fact the record shows she did just that.

 

[Navy1960]

First Palin says that no one on her staff ever talked to the public safety department about trooper Wooten. Then an audio tape surfaces where a member of her staff is doing just that. So she admits she lied. Then she says she will co-operate fully with investigators. Now her staff won't talk to investigators without being subpoenaed. What else is she lying about?

MyDD :: Gov. Palin's Staff Now Refusing to Talk to Investigation into "Troopergate"

“There was never any direction by the governor, never any direction by Todd to make the call or to make any call to DPS on this stuff,” Bailey said.

Are you talking about him? because if you are? those are his words, so where's she lying? Also the lead investigator and Sen French have both said that gov. Palin will not be recieve a supeona to appear for questioning in this case. So again its a non-issue no matter how hard the dems want it to be.

 

[Navy1960]

Actally I'm not scared about this at all, I just thought I would give you all the real facts rather than the daily kos facts or the *talking point facts* so that you can all concentrate on getting your candidate back on message. If you wish to keep yourselves worked up over a non-issues such as these and keep your candidate off message then your going to lose this election in a big way. So in my opinion, Robert and Chris if the democrats wish to keep talking about this subject, then great I say, better for the Republicans.

 

[Modbert]

Actally I'm not scared about this at all, I just thought I would give you all the real facts rather than the daily kos facts or the *talking point facts* so that you can all concentrate on getting your candidate back on message. If you wish to keep yourselves worked up over a non-issues such as these and keep your candidate off message then your going to lose this election in a big way. So in my opinion, Robert and Chris if the democrats wish to keep talking about this subject, then great I say, better for the Republicans.

You can talk all you like about it. The fact is that we won't know all the facts until this reaches a court of law and maybe even never.

I'll wait for troopergate to reach a court of law before I base my opinion off this thing concerning her.

You can clear her all you like in a court of public opinion, won't mean anything come go time.

 

[Navy1960]

You can talk all you like about it. The fact is that we won't know all the facts until this reaches a court of law and maybe even never.

I'll wait for troopergate to reach a court of law before I base my opinion off this thing concerning her.

You can clear her all you like in a court of public opinion, won't mean anything come go time.

You know you might be surprised Robert, but rather than take the road of guilt automatically based on what party she belongs to, I am all for letting and clear and unbiased version of the facts come out. The facts presented in the court of public opinion most noteably by the democratic party are trying her in the public not in a court of law. So I decided to present some clear facts on the case, that dispute those claims. We will see how it all turns out though. If it should come out that she herself called Monagan on the phone and fired him because he would not fire Trooper Wooten then she of course deserves what she gets, however from what I have seen at least so far the record does not bear that out.

 

[jschuck12001]

Actally I'm not scared about this at all, I just thought I would give you all the real facts rather than the daily kos facts or the *talking point facts* so that you can all concentrate on getting your candidate back on message. If you wish to keep yourselves worked up over a non-issues such as these and keep your candidate off message then your going to lose this election in a big way. So in my opinion, Robert and Chris if the democrats wish to keep talking about this subject, then great I say, better for the Republicans.

here is a quote from your darling Governor. Its from 2006

"Asked what issues she's hearing about from Southeast Alaskans, Palin said many residents here feel they've been ignored in some sense.


"I'm hearing from a lot of Southeast residents who believe that maybe they haven't been given their due respect," she said. "Part of my agenda is making sure that Southeast is heard. That your projects are important. That we go to bat for Southeast when we're up against federal influences that aren't in the best interest of Southeast."

She cited the widespread negative attention focused on the Gravina Island crossing project.

"We need to come to the defense of Southeast Alaska when proposals are on the table like the bridge and not allow the spinmeisters to turn this project or any other into something that's so negative," Palin said.

The Gravina bridge proposal has been a priority of Govs. Frank Murkowski, Tony Knowles and previous governors as well as the Alaska Department of Transportation, said Palin.

"There needs to be a link between Ketchikan and its future and its future opportunities and progress, opening up land in this area," she said.

 

[jschuck12001]

This is from factcheck



THE FACTS: Palin did abandon plans to build the nearly $400 million bridge from Ketchikan to an island with 50 residents and an airport. But she made her decision after the project had become an embarrassment to the state, after federal dollars for the project were pulled back and diverted to other uses in Alaska, and after she had appeared to support the bridge during her campaign for governor.

Your gonna have a tough time finding excuses for this one. She wanted the bridge and there is tons of info to back it up.

 

[Navy1960]

here is a quote from your darling Governor. Its from 2006

"Asked what issues she's hearing about from Southeast Alaskans, Palin said many residents here feel they've been ignored in some sense.


"I'm hearing from a lot of Southeast residents who believe that maybe they haven't been given their due respect," she said. "Part of my agenda is making sure that Southeast is heard. That your projects are important. That we go to bat for Southeast when we're up against federal influences that aren't in the best interest of Southeast."

She cited the widespread negative attention focused on the Gravina Island crossing project.

"We need to come to the defense of Southeast Alaska when proposals are on the table like the bridge and not allow the spinmeisters to turn this project or any other into something that's so negative," Palin said.

The Gravina bridge proposal has been a priority of Govs. Frank Murkowski, Tony Knowles and previous governors as well as the Alaska Department of Transportation, said Palin.

"There needs to be a link between Ketchikan and its future and its future opportunities and progress, opening up land in this area," she said.

The bottom line is though jschuck though is this, if she said in 2006 "I like that bridge so much I'm going to paint the sucker" The issue is, that the democratic party has implied that the comment "Thanks but no thanks on that Bridge to NoWhere" is a lie , when in fact after 2006 that is exactly what she did. Again so where is the lie?

 

[jschuck12001]

The bottom line is though jschuck though is this, if she said in 2006 "I like that bridge so much I'm going to paint the sucker" The issue is, that the democratic party has implied that the comment "Thanks but no thanks on that Bridge to NoWhere" is a lie , when in fact after 2006 that is exactly what she did. Again so where is the lie?

The lie is that she said she was against it and she wasnt. Are we missing something here.