Alaska probe finds Palin 'abused her power'

Washington, October 11:: Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, the running mate of John McCain, ‘abused her power’ in seeking to get her former brother-in-law fired as a state trooper, an ethics report has found, dealing a blow to the Republican Presidential nominee who is struggling to hold ground against Democrat rival Barack Obama.

44-year-old Palin ‘knowingly permitted a situation to continue where impermissible pressure was placed on several subordinates in order to advance a personal agenda. To get Trooper Michael Wooten fired,' the 263-page state legislative investigative report said Friday night.

The investigation looked into Palin's sacking of Public Safety Commissioner Walter Monegan, who claimed that he was dismissed because he refused to bow to pressure to fire Wooten, who was involved in a bitter divorce and custody battle with the Governor's sister. Palin insists the firing was over a budget dispute.

The legislative panel, which authorised the investigation, released the report, but did not immediately vote whether to endorse its findings, The Boston Globe reported.

However, the report, which found that Palin violated the state's ethics law banning public officials from using their offices for personal gain, did not say whether Palin should be censured by the Legislature or whether the matter should be referred for criminal investigation, the paper reported.

As the November 4 Presidential race narrows, the report thrusts a new issue into the campaign when Palin's reputation as a reform-minded candidate is already being subjected to scrutiny. The Republicans may also face Democrats' attacks on the matter.

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PALIN ABUSED HER POWER! by marcameron on 2008-10-11 21:55:50.929537+05:30
Sarah you have to admit that your ex-brother in-law did play a major part in your firing Walter Monegan.

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Palin by Peter on 2008-10-11 19:19:39.93795+05:30
Sadly,Sarah Palin is causing even pit bulls to suffer a further decline in their reputation. Think of what she can do to the United States.

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SAD DAY by Jim on 2008-10-11 17:25:05.01293+05:30
I Wonder if America will Ignore this?

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Palin needs to zip it! by Hmmmm on 2008-10-11 17:20:45.465017+05:30
I think it's going to be pretty hard for Sarah Palin to continue to talk about Obama's lack of character and poor judgement after this. I believe this is just the beginning, of her legal woes because this investigation is not over. Time for Sarah Palin to open those lipstick wearing pitbull lips to chomp into some humble pie.

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Failin' McPain by Uncle Devo on 2008-10-11 17:05:49.113838+05:30
McCain was one of the Keating Five, the guys who brought you the first S

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troopergate by gettyleigh on 2008-10-11 16:43:20.871344+05:30
Was the refusal to fire Mike Wooten the reason Palin fired Commissioner of Public Safety Walt Monegan? Not exclusively, and it was within her rights as the states' chief executive to fire him for any reason, even without cause. Those answers were expected, given that most of the best pieces of evidence have been part of the public record for months. The result is not a mortal wound to Palin, nor does it put her at much risk of being forced to leave the ticket her presence succeeded in energizing. The report showed a coordinated application of pressure on Monegan so transparent and ham-handed that it was almost certain to end in public embarrassment for the governor. The only surprise is that Troopergate is national news, not just a sorry piece of political gristle to be chewed on by Alaska politicos over steaks at Anchorage's Club Paris. So what does this say about the possible Vice-President of the United States? Certainly not as much as her enemies would have hoped. (Time.com)

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