Here's a rundown on the investigation of Palin's abuse of powerfrom the Anchorage CNS affiliative. It's damning and due to conclude within days of the election in November.

YouTube - KTVA, Local CBS Affiliate, Reports On Palin Trooper-Gate Sca

I can't imagine McCain isn't aware of this and has no concerns about it being true. I hope for her sake it isn't. How sad for her and her family to bring this to a national level if it is.

That's unusual, isn't it?

For a special prosecutor investigating a public official to set up a tip line so the public can call in with tips?

What seems odd about that to me is that it sounds like the proof of what was done or not done would relate to conversations between Palin and her staff and Palin and the commissioner who was let go. Those don't seem like things the public would have 'tips' about.

Do we know if in fact the ex-BIL was truly a dirty cop?

ETA: Here's my best guess about what happened. I think the ex-BIL probably was a mess and Palin knew it. She also knew that like other governmental bastions she was encountering in office that the police force also had a good old boy thing happening, and she wanted that commissioner to be every bit as tough and as much of a house-cleaner as she was being. I think he was probably a nice guy, but also more accustomed to the wheels of justice turning slowly and not a "swoop in and make change happen if it's not going to happen fast enough on its own!" kind of a guy.

I'll bet she urged him and probably felt pretty passionate about it if in fact her firsthand experience with the troopers wasn't a positive one, and he wasn't moving fast enough, so out the door he went.

I don't pay attention to the rumor stuff, so I have no idea.

Well, I certainly hope you are wrong. Because, I think that sort of thing isn't okay to do. Hence, the special investigation. Abuse of power is abuse of power ...

I didn't mean to imply that I thought she was abusing her power. My gut tells me that she believed that particular comissioner was ineffective in his duties. That she assigned him oversight of - what was it? bootlegging and troopers? - and that rather than taking care of business, he was content with business as usual.... and she knew firsthand that business as usual wasn't acceptable because laws continued to be broken and were criminals were being given a wink and a nod by law enforcement.

I think the question is whether or not she specifically tried to get the ex-BIL fired and tried to strongarm anyone because of her position.

But of course I'm not a legal expert and most definitely not a legal expert in AK.... so what do I know?

Her BIL was accused of more than 30 offenses by her sister. Of those, 3 were legit. The offenses were; once drinking a beer in his patrol car, shooting a moose out of season (Sarah's father accompanied the BIL on the trip and they all split the meat), and tasering his 11 year old stepson ( the stepson wanted to know what being tasered felt like; the BIL set the taser to "test" and gave the kid a one second contact). The investigation into the BIL was concluded long ago. He was reprimanded, suspended for awhile but allowed to stay on the force in light of his exemplary service.

Yes, the question is did she fire the Public Safety Commissioner, Walt Monegan because he refused to fire her BIL. Monegan was replaced by Chuck Kopp who fired the BIL. Kopp, however, lasted only 2 weeks because he is a man known for sexual harrasment.

McCain's aids say that Palin was only lightly vetted. No one talked to anyone in Alaska.

Me, I think it looks very bad for Sarah Palin.

Oh, come on, you know you're just jealous of her.

__________________

Reading is Fundamental.

Projecting again!

Caught again!

__________________

Reading is Fundamental.

I am not surprised by the talk of a scandal (already read about it weeks ago) Palin has managed to make some enemies by making the strong decisions as Gov.
Cleaning-up corruption will cause you to have enemies from the ones that you play hard- ball with.

I just really do hope it isn't true. The crazy Obama stuff is obviously just silly, but I hope for her sake and for her family's that the investigation proves nothing unethical occurred.

I agree. I'd much rather see politics fought on the issues. I realize if there is legitimate scandal occurred with any candidate that it's important for light to be shed on it, but I'd much rather everyone - on both sides of the aisle - were simply 'clean' and we could fuss about the issues.

I just got off the phone with my mom and we were talking about the candidates. Of Obama, she said, "I still don't know what he's DONE. It's not just a matter of inexperience or lack of experience - I just plain don't have a clue what he's *done* as a politician that has made a difference for anyone." She wasn't being critical, though she is definitely a red state person. She sincerely has no clue what Senaor Obama has done *as* a senator that would indicate that he's a mover and a shaker who can make things happen.

And I was stuck by the fact that at least here the arguments about Palin have been discrediting and assigning credit to her based on what she's *done*. And I realized that at least we have something to talk about with her.

I had no answer for my mom. I couldn't tell her. What HAS he done?

Senator Obama's legislative record in the US Senate.

The 15 bills Senator Obama sponsored or co-sponsored in 2005-7 that became law:

Two addressed foreign policy:

* Promote relief, security and democracy in the Congo (2125)
* Develop democratic institutions in areas under Palestinian control (2370).

Three addressed public health:

* Improve mine safety (2803)
* Increased breast cancer funding (597)
* Reduce preterm delivery and complications, reduce infant mortality (707).

Two addressed openness and accountability in government:

* Strengthening the Freedom of Information Act (2488 )
* Full disclosure of all entities receiving federal funds (2590)

Two addressed national security

* Extend Terrorist Risk Insurance (467)
* Amend the Patriot Act (2167)

One addressed the needs of the Armed Forces

* Wave passport fees to visit graves, attend memorials/funerals of veterans abroad (1184).

The 570 bills Senator Obama introduced into the Senate during the 109th and 110th Congress (Senate Bill numbers are in parentheses) can be summarized as follows:

25 addressed Energy Efficiency and Climate Change

* Suspend royalty relief for oil and gas (115)
* Reduce dependence on oil; use of alternative energy sources (133)
* Increase fuel economy standards for cars (767, 768 )
* Auto industry incentives for fuel efficient vehicles (1151)
* Reduce green house gas emissions (1324)
* Establish at NSF a climate change education program (1389)
* Increase renewable content of gasoline (2202)
* Energy emergency relief for small businesses and farms (269)
* Strategic gasoline and fuel reserves (1794)
* Alternative diesel standards (3554)
* Coal to liquid fuel promotion (3623)
* Renewable diesel standards (1920)
* Reducing global warming pollution from vehicles (2555)
* Fuel security and consumer choice (1994, 2025)
* Alternative energy refueling system (2614)
* Climate change education (1389)
* Low income energy assistance (2405)
* Oil savings targets (339)
* Fuel economy reform (3694)
* Plug-in electric drive vehicles (1617)
* Nuclear release notice (2348 )
* Passenger rail investment (294)
* Energy relief for low income families (2405)

21 addressed Health Care

* Drug re-importation (334)
* Health information technology (1262, 1418 )
* Discount drug prices (2347)
* Health care associated infections (2278 )
* Hospital quality report cards (692, 1824)
* Medical error disclosure and compensation (1784)
* Emergency medical care and response (1873)
* Stem cell research (5)
* Medical Malpractice insurance (1525)
* Health centers renewal (901, 3771)
* Children's health insurance (401)
* Home health care (2061)
* Medicare independent living (2103)
* Microbicides for HIV/AIDS (823)
* Ovarian cancer biomarker research (2569)
* Gynological cancers (1172)
* Access to personalized medicine through use of human genome (976)
* Paralysis research and care (1183)

20 addressed Public Health:

* Violence against women (1197)
* Biodefense and pandemic preparedness and response (1821, 1880)
* Viral influenza control (969)
* End homelessness (1518 )
* Reduce STDs/unintended pregnancy (1790)
* Smoking prevention and tobacco control (625)
* Minority health improvement and disparity elimination (4024)
* Nutrition and physical education in schools (2066)
* Health impact assessments (1067, 2506)
* Healthy communities (1068 )
* Combat methamphetamines (2071)
* Paid sick leave (910)
* Prohibit mercury sales (833, 1818 )
* Prohibit sale of lead products (1306, 2132)
* Lead exposure in children (1811, 2132)

14 address Consumer Protection/Labor

* Stop unfair labor practices (842)
* Fair minimum wage (2, 1062, 2725, 3829)
* Internet freedom (2917)
* Credit card safety (2411)
* Media ownership (2332)
* Protecting taxpayer privacy (2484)
* Working family child assistance (218 )
* Habeus Corpus Restoration (185)
* Bankruptcy protection for employees and retirees (2092)
* FAA fair labor management dispute resolution (2201)
* Working families flexibility (2419).

13 addressed the Needs of Veterans and the Armed Forces:

* Improve Benefits (117)
* Suicide prevention (479)
* Needs of homeless veterans (1180)
* Homes for veterans (1084)
* GI Bill enhancement (43)
* Military job protection
* Dignity in care for wounded vets (713)
* Housing assistance for low income veterans (1084)
* Military children in public schools (2151)
* Military eye injury research and care (1999)
* Research physical/mental health needs from Iraq War (1271)
* Proper administration of discharge for personality disorder (1817, 1885)
* Security of personal data of veterans (3592)

12 addressed Congressional Ethics and Accountability

* Lobbying and ethics reform (230)
* Stop fraud (2280)
* Legislative transparency and accountability (525)
* Open government (2180, 2488 )
* Restoring fiscal discipline (10)
* Transparency and integrity in earmarks (2261)
* Accountability of conference committee deliberations and reports (2179)
* Federal funding accountability and transparency (2590)
* Accountability and oversight for private security functions under Federal
* contract (674)
* Accountability for contractors and personnel under federal contracts
* (2147) Restrictions awarding government contracts (2519)

10 addressed Foreign Policy:

* Iraq war de-escalation (313)
* US policy for Iraq (433),
* Divestiture from Iran (1430)
* Sudan divestment authorization (831)
* Millennium Development Goals (2433)
* Multilateral debt relief (1320)
* Development bank reform (1129)
* Nuclear nonproliferation (3131,977,2224).

9 address Voting/Elections

* Prohibit deceptive practices in Federal elections (453)
* Voter access to polls and services in Federal elections (737)
* Voter intimidation and deceptive practices (1975)
* Senate campaign disclosure parity (185)
* Require reporting for bundled campaign contributions (2030)
* Election jamming prevention (4102)
* Campaign disclosure parity (223)
* Presidential funding (2412)
* Integrity of electronic voting systems (1487)

11 addressed Education

* Increase access of low income African Americans to higher education (1513)
* Establish teaching residency programs (1574)
* Increase early intervention services (2111)
* Middle school curriculum improvements (2227)
* Public database of scholarships, fellowships and financial aid (2428 )
* Summer learning programs (116)
* TANF financial education promotion (924)
* Higher education (1642)
* Build capacity at community colleges (379)
* Campus law enforcement in emergencies (1228 )
* Support for teachers (2060).

6 addressed Hurricane Katrina

* Hurricane Katrina recovery (2319)
* Emergency relief (1637)
* Bankruptcy relief and community protection (1647)
* Working family tax relief (2257)
* Fair wages for recovery workers (1749)
* Gulf coast infrastructure redevelopment (1836)

5 addressed the Environment

* Drinking water security (218, 1426)
* Water resources development (728 )
* Waste water treatment (1995)
* Combat illegal logging (1930)
* Spent nuclear fuel tracking and accountability (1194)
* Asian Carp Prevention and Control Act (Introduced in Senate)[S.726.IS ]

4 addressed Discrimination

* Claims for civil class action based on discrimination (1989)
* Domestic partnership benefits (2521)
* Unresolved civil rights crimes (535)
* Equality or two parent families (2286)

4 addressed Homeland Security

* Judicial review of FISA orders (2369)
* National emergency family locator (1630)
* Amend US Patriot Act (2167)
* Chemical security and safety (2486)

http://thomas.gov

You forgot a big one he voted for the FISA bill this year.

Barack Obama's Résumé

Okay, let me ask that in a better way. I left things wide open for that, 'eh?

From the time he spoke at the Democratic National Convention four years ago and wowed them with his exceptional abilities to speak in a way that elicited emotions from people, he's been viewed as a possible presidential contendor. He wasn't even a US Senator yet at that time.

Call me cynical, but I can't imagine that in his not-quite-four years in the senate, especially given that a good chunk of that time has been devoted to his presidentical campaign, he truly worked on the nitty-gritty of all of those things on that big list up there. I have to think he wasn't even a big collaborator on the vast majority of them. He's a member of the majority, he's been viewed as the 'golden boy' and I have to think that the DNC, via his fellow senators, was making sure that in his short tenure in congress that he was given opportunity to sign off on all sorts of things to give him a long record of 'accomplishments'.

I just don't think it's reasonable that he was a big 'player' in each of the things on that list. And in congress, often those things are collaborative in nature.

What we were asking ourselves was what HE has done. Not just what he signed off on, but what HE did.

As an example.... my friend Laura thought our school needed a book fair. She contacted Scholastic. She found out what it would take. She went to the principal and the parent group single-handedly and then found a friend to go to a workshop with her. This fall we'll have the 9th annual bookfair. LAURA did that. She got an idea and cut through some red tape and made that happen. I've been in charge of decorations - hardly anything that requires me to even know *how* to read. But if I wanted to I could put on my resume that I have supported children's literacy for six years.

But the truth is, LAURA was passionate about children's literacy. I just hung the streamers.

I have to think that a lot of the things on the list above were things in which he had a streamer-hanging role, not akey, pivotal role. I just don't think that logistically it's reasonable to think that he could possibly been *deeply* involved in *that* many highly-detailed issues.

What I wanted to know about are the times he was the *Laura* in the story. I don't want to know what he voted on or signed off on or agreed with. I want to know what he set out to do, single-handedly, and made happen.

It sounds like Palin went into a "buck stops here" role - several, actually, in her lifetime - with an agenda to clean house of corruption, to cut spending and property taxes (on the local level), etc.

What things has Obama done that are similar? I'm not saying they don't exist. I'm just not sold on the idea that he was central to the things in that list above.

What has SHE done?

Sarah Palin vs. Barack Obama | AUDACITY OF TRUTH | Obama Lies | ObamaLies.com | OBAMA LAUNDRY LIST OF LIES

This is a pretty good listing of Palin vs Obama. It's pretty entertaining.

Under her leadership, Alaska invested $5 billion in state savings, overhauled education funding, and implemented the Senior Benefits Program that provides support for low-income older Alaskans. She created Alaska’s Petroleum Systems Integrity Office to provide oversight and maintenance of oil and gas equipment, facilities and infrastructure, and the Climate Change Subcabinet to prepare a climate change strategy for Alaska.

During her first legislative session, Governor Palin’s administration passed two major pieces of legislation – an overhaul of the state’s ethics laws and a competitive process to construct a gas pipeline.

Governor Palin is chair of the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission, a multi-state government agency that promotes the conservation and efficient recovery of domestic oil and natural gas resources while protecting health, safety and the environment. She was recently named chair of the National Governors Association (NGA) Natural Resources Committee, which is charged with pursuing legislation to ensure state needs are considered as federal policy is formulated in the areas of agriculture, energy, environmental protection and natural resource management. Prior to being named to this position, she served as co-chair of this committee.

Prior to her election as governor, Palin served two terms on the Wasilla City Council and two terms as the mayor/manager of Wasilla. During her tenure, she reduced property tax levels while increasing services and made Wasilla a business friendly environment, drawing in new industry.
She has served as chair of the Alaska Conservation Commission, which regulates Alaska's most valuable non-renewable resources: oil and gas. She was elected by her peers to serve as president of the Alaska Conference of Mayors. In this role, she worked with local, state and federal officials to promote solutions to the needs of Alaska's communities.

I find this piece about her fascinating. It's from two years ago, when she was running for governor.

adn.com | politics : 'Fresh face' launched Palin

It sounds like what she's done is been a strong decision-maker who sees what needs done and doesn't have a lot of patience for people who don't perform according to expectations.

When running for mayor the first time around twelve years ago, she cut property taxes considerably and so effectively used income from a new sales tax (instituted just before she was elected) to make the town more impressive that she was able to woo a number of big box stores to Wasilla, making it the go-to town in the area.

Along the way, she appears to have cut ties to people she determined were corrupt and off-base... and did so before anyone else suggested she should cut them out to protect her political image. In fact, it sounds like that very characteristic - her ability to not suck up to the establishment, even in her own party - that has given her the public support to pull off changes. In her role as mayor she immediately let go several local higher-ups who had signed letters of support for her opponant. I guess the case could be made that she needed to try to work *with* them because those who voted for the other runner deserved to have their voice heard through those men, etc. She, on the other hand, essentially said, "I won, I have an agenda, these guys support a different one, and so it doesn't make sense for them to try to help me further mine. Thanks for playing the game, and I wish you well."

Harsh? Maybe, but despite the early frustrations the city felt with her slash-and-burn method of forming a team, she won her second mayoral race by a landslide because under her, the local economy boomed like never before.

Normally, I'd be the type to think a single person isn't likely to pull that off solo, but it does appear that she was the one with the vision to make it happen.

After several terms as mayor she ran for lt. gov. and didn't win, but was appointed to the ethics committee that oversees the oil and gas industry. And it was there, from what I'm seeing, that she showed the ability to be extremely brave and conviction-driven.

adn.com | front : Palin explains her actions in Ruedrich case

By the time it was all said and done she'd blown the whistle on key members of Alaska's Republican party and some oil company execs they were in bed with.

She caused an awful lot of trouble for BP throughout this ordeal... despite the fact that her husband worked for them.

She did all of this simply as a *citizen* filling an appointed spot on the ethics commission. She had been asked by a higher-up named Lyle to look into the computer of her co-committee member whom she suspected of being corrupt after he resigned and left the ethics committee. She gave him everything but then realized he wasn't being clear with her regarding whether it was an official investigation or just his own curiosity. He hadn't even told her exaclty WHAT she was supposed to be looking for.

The story is long, long, long, but in the end it was her threats to call a press conference and expose a series of cover-ups within the Republican party toat shut a lot of corrupt politicians - people who had actually helped groom her for politics - down.

That's something she's done. I think that took a lot of courage and is a window into the type of leader she'd be. I don't think she'd put up with a lot of crap, that's for sure.

ETA: I'm having complete brain freeze and the Oklahoma girl in me is embarassed to say I can't spit out the name of the lady and the company that's on the tip of my tongue. Remember? Cher played her in the movie. She discovered nuclear waste problems at her workplace and blew the whistle and ultimately died of... OH! Silkwood! Karen Silkwood! It sounds like Palin was the Karen Silkwood of ethics issues in the Alaska Republican Party and the oil and gas industry there. I think she's got guts.

Stillhisgirl, thanks for posting that list but, as I guess you can see, it wasn't a legitimate question. Mother Theresa would come across as a do-nothing slug compared to what some are saying about Palin . . . after all, she WAS a PTA mom.

__________________

Reading is Fundamental.

No answer to this at all? I mean - besides the rhetorical ones?

__________________
"The errors of faith are better than the best thoughts of unbelief." - Thomas Russell

Proving my point that no answer will be sufficient, so why waste anyone's time?

__________________

Reading is Fundamental.

Actually, this thread was supposed to be about Sarah Palin and her involvement in Troopergate. She hasn't been vetted.

I understand that reservations have been made for 8 staff members from McCain's campaign at a Wassilla Hotel. Boy, that's risky. A reporter stated yesterday that he was the first to ask to see the local paper's archives.......

I believe that you answered a question containing an unclear antecedent. She could be referring to McCain.

McCain? Well, he was a POW. Maybe you hadn't heard about that!

Considering the source, isn't this statement - priceless ? Yes, priceless

Man, some of you are throwing Palin under the bus like she is the first politican to have a history.

Have you forgotten the Kenndys, the Clintons, the Edwards -- gosh, I could go on and on!!

Payback's a bitch ain't it? We'll just add Palin's name to the endless list of politicians on the right side of the aisle who have feet of clay.

__________________
Ana
The Republicans have been putting lipstick on a pig for 8 years. Is a pitbull wearing lipstick an attempt to keep us from noticing the pig?

It's not payback and it's not a bitch! lol Her daughters pregnant and getting married at 17. THE HORROR!!!!!!!!!!!!

So, why wasn't the wedding 3 months ago?

Could make one of those priceless commercials with this one!!

FIrst all all, I'm not involved with their life to know that answer. I'm sure they are making what they consider the best decisions for them. They are planning to ne married and are having a child. That's been going on for how many centuries???

Maybe the baby daddy just learned today that he'll be getting married.

Yes we forgot them. We remember the Larry "Wide-Stance" Craigs, the Mark "sexually explicit IMs to minors" Foley, the David Vitters, et al.

Republican Sex Scandals - dKosopedia

A shotgun wedding??? Plllleeeeeaaaaaazzzzzz.

Palin has lawyered up for Troopergate. I find her attorney's comment priceless.

“Our concern is that Hollis French turns into Ken Starr and uses public money to pursue a political vendetta rather than truly pursue an honest inquiry into an alleged ethics issue,” Van Flein said in an interview.
Attorney challenges Monegan firing inquiry: Alaska News | adn.com

Oh, that's rich.