Palin guilty of 'abuse of power'

[??????????]

This trooper deserved to be fired, plain and simple.

This is true.

Did his boss deserve to be fired as well?

10 Republicans and 4 Democrats ran this investigation. Palin abused her powers for personal gain, plain and simple.

Yes, because his boss refused to fire him.

I want you to be completely honest with me.  If this were Governor Howard Dean -- under the same exact circumstances -- would you have the same view?

Moneghan committed no crime -- not even insubordination.  Palin has repeatedly denied that she fired him for refusing to fire the trooper.  As for the trooper, I agree with you -- I'd have fired him in a New York minute -- just as soon as he was found guilty in a court of law.

Yes, I would have defended Dean, to be honest. I really am staunch about stuff like this. Most departments would have canned that officer before he was tried.

[perdedor]

This is the exact thing we don't need more of...

Yep, political torpedoing during an election over a non-issue.

Potential unlawful abuse of power is a non-issue? I would disagree.

[??????????]

This is the exact thing we don't need more of...

Yep, political torpedoing during an election over a non-issue.

Potential unlawful abuse of power is a non-issue? I would disagree.

An appointed political official serves a the governors/presidents pleasure. Ask the attorneys Bush fired.

[cinyc]

So, is that the election done then?

(serious question, actually. This'd seem to be an election killer in most places, but you people do things differently).

it was over before and it's more over now...  McCain really did not do his homework on the Palin pick.  he just thought it'd be cool.

Not this Palin wasn't properly vetted crap again.

The McCain campaign KNEW about tasergate, spent an enormous amount of time INVESTIGATING tasergate, and figured at the end of the day, it really was much ado about nothing.  Why?

Boil the charges down to their simplest form, and assume the worst charges are actually true - Todd and/or Sarah Palin pressured the commissioner to fire a police officer who tasered a child and threatened to kill Sarah Palin's father.  Assume you're not political in any stripe.  If you were in the Palin's shoes, would you have done the same thing?  

Most normal people would say yes, and that the police officer was unfit for duty and should be fired.

[??????????]

We have officers fired quite a bit for less then that.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23197160/

[© tweed]

Boil the charges down to their simplest form, and assume they are actually true - Todd and/or Sarah Palin pressured the commissioner to fire a police officer who tasered a child and threatened to kill Sarah Palin's father.  Assume you're not political in any stripe.  If you were in the Palin's shoes, would you have done the same thing?  

you miss the point entirely.  none of that matters in the least.  you know what matters?  go to CNN.com, FOXNews.com, and so on and check out the lead story.  I don't have the TV on but I can assure you that's what the talking heads will be spending their time on tonight too.  it's a brutal ~24+ hours for McCain at a time when he simply can't afford a bad ten minutes.

[JSojourner]

Just had a really bad feeling in my water about Saintly Sarah and have done since that day in Dayton, Ohio

Dave

Yeah and I have a bad feeling about uppity Obama, so whatever.

Wasn't that a matter for him to be prosecuted and let justice run its course?

Dave

Yes, but in the states MOST officers would be fired for such actions as that and for drinking on the job.

Actually, most officers who drink on the job are not fired for a first offense.  They are subject to review by a municipal or county board of safety and whatever sanctions are imposed by their immediate supervisor. Most of the time, such officers are given a suspension followed by probationary status.

Here's what concerned me about the trooper:  I suspect this was NOT his first offense.  If it had been, Moneghan would be entirely unaware of it.  State Police commissioners do not know the names of every single officer in trouble for the first time.  That is handled by chiefs of police or -- in the case of a state police department, by a review board or post commander.  

So -- this trooper was brought to Moneghan's attention by someone.  I see no evidence that the trooper's supervisors lobbied Moneghan for the guy's dismissal.  Palin did.

Now, I know -- you think I am going to say it was none of her business.  And I would say that -- if drinking on the job were the guy's only alleged offense.  However...

He drank on the job.  (He was punished for this.)

He tasered a little boy.  (He admits this and punishment was meted out in the department.  However, I question whether they took this seriously enough.  This was a CHILD.)

He allegedly threatened the life of Palin's father.  (He denies this.)

So in all candor -- I do not blame Palin for recommending the guy's firing.  And it certainly IS a Governor's job, if he or she becomes aware of a problem employee, to at least look into the matter or have an underling do so.

Where Palin erred, I believe, was in firing Moneghan and never giving him a reason for his dismissal.  Moneghan is a professional and has decades of law enforcement supervisory experience.  He also knows state law better than Palin.  He further knew the intimate details of the allegations and of the trooper's defense.  It was Moneghan who signed off on certain punishment but declined to completely fire the guy.  

Still -- if this is the "worst" thing Sarah Palin has ever done...then she possesses a pretty immaculate record.

[Mr.Jones]

I dont understand why the Republicans are arguing in support of Sarah, when the fact is the group of 4 Democrats and 10 Republicans, I repeat 10 Republicans found her guilty of abusing power !! This is just insane, or is it Republicans first and Country second, I dont understand !

She is corrupt. She is toast and McCain is history.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

How are the muddiuriah (lol, the wit) likely to spin this [qm']

[??????????]

I dont understand why the Republicans are arguing in support of Sarah, when the fact is the group of 4 Democrats and 10 Republicans, I repeat 10 Republicans found her guilty of abusing power !! This is just insane, or is it Republicans first and Country second, I dont understand !

She is corrupt. She is toast and McCain is history.

And the panel recommended :

You must be logged in to read this quote.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27105917/

So quit spinning.

[Daniel Adams]

I dont understand why the Republicans are arguing in support of Sarah, when the fact is the group of 4 Democrats and 10 Republicans, I repeat 10 Republicans found her guilty of abusing power !! This is just insane, or is it Republicans first and Country second, I dont understand !

You don't understand, just like your presidential candidate, huh? Are you unaware of the split between the old, corrupt, Stevens/Young wing of the Alaskan GOP and the reformist Palin/Parnell wing? Several Republican legislators hate Palin for trying to put an end to the corruption in the state.

[cinyc]

I dont understand why the Republicans are arguing in support of Sarah, when the fact is the group of 4 Democrats and 10 Republicans, I repeat 10 Republicans found her guilty of abusing power !! This is just insane, or is it Republicans first and Country second, I dont understand !

She is corrupt. She is toast and McCain is history.

10 Republicans who are part of the old guard beholden to former Governor Murkowski.  They hate Palin.

And NOBODY found her guilty of anything.  An investigator hired by the legislature released a report.  Get your facts straight.

[??????????]

Get your facts straight.

Unlikely from a left wing, DUer.

[Alcon]

And NOBODY found her guilty of anything.  An investigator hired by the legislature released a report.  Get your facts straight.

Which found her guilty of ethics violations, no...?

I hope there'll be a good article about the inner workings of the AKGOP and how that might have contributed to the investigation.

[AkSaber]

From what I remember about Walt Monegan, the man Palin fired, he was supposed to motivate the Alaska State Troopers, and give them direction in their duties. But he was never any good at it. Some might not think that's not important, but the State Troopers have 350 officers to patrol an area larger than France, Germany, and Norway combined. Egad.

[The Duke]

Boil the charges down to their simplest form, and assume they are actually true - Todd and/or Sarah Palin pressured the commissioner to fire a police officer who tasered a child and threatened to kill Sarah Palin's father.  Assume you're not political in any stripe.  If you were in the Palin's shoes, would you have done the same thing?  

you miss the point entirely.  none of that matters in the least.  you know what matters?  go to CNN.com, FOXNews.com, and so on and check out the lead story.  I don't have the TV on but I can assure you that's what the talking heads will be spending their time on tonight too.  it's a brutal ~24+ hours for McCain at a time when he simply can't afford a bad ten minutes.

Tweed, you are the one who is missing the point.

Cinyc is arguing that Palin did the right thing.  You ignore that completely and say she did somethign politically damaging.

I suspect you are right that this is politically damaging, but that is not relevant to whether Palin was right or not.

[J. J.]

You can't fire a trooper for non-illegal things he does off-duty. There's no record of him doing a poor duty on the job.

Of course you can, especially if the actions are illegal.

[J. J.]

You can't fire a trooper for non-illegal things he does off-duty. There's no record of him doing a poor duty on the job.

Palin abused her power for personal gain. End of story.

Yeah, tasering a twelve year old and beating your wife aren't illegal!

You must have very lax libel laws in the states.

Rumours and hearsay.

That's known fact.

Yes, he admitted to it in the paper.

[daboese]

Funny thing is, that the trooper himself is not saying anything about this.
Possibly he is not the horrible person that the Republicans want him to be, who knows?
As it is with such private issues (as divorces), they are hard to meddle through. And to be honest, I don't care about this story.
I care more about Palin talking so obnoxiously about another politician, trying to throw dirt in a personal way. If you do such things, you should be aware that someone else might eventually get back at you. Hence, if you believe in justice, in a way she deserved these things.

[MR maverick]

Ok McCain supporters  stop spinning this.

Bottomline is they said  she abused her power and didn't break a law.

Now, you have to decide if abuse of power is ok for elected office.   No need to spin the facts, because i have to wonder if this was Obama what would your reaction be?

If Willaim Ayers is on the table then so can a report of Palin abusing her power as the report says.

[cinyc]

And NOBODY found her guilty of anything.  An investigator hired by the legislature released a report.  Get your facts straight.

Which found her guilty of ethics violations, no...?

I hope there'll be a good article about the inner workings of the AKGOP and how that might have contributed to the investigation.

Not really, but it's a matter of semantics.  An investigator isn't a judge.  He's more like a policeman who filed a report with his conclusions.  It's up to the legislature to decide what to do next.  He doesn't recommend impeachment, just that two laws be changed.

[??????????]

Funny thing is, that the trooper himself is not saying anything about this.
Possibly he is not the horrible person that the Republicans want him to be, who knows?

Yeah, tasering a child and drinking while on duty is acceptable. Especially if it enhances your political stance!

[Swing low, sweet chariot. Comin' for to carry me home.]

hey, can I get some love here? 

The ruling is probably justified.   Todd Palin was too involved in Sarah's official duties.

[© tweed]

Boil the charges down to their simplest form, and assume they are actually true - Todd and/or Sarah Palin pressured the commissioner to fire a police officer who tasered a child and threatened to kill Sarah Palin's father.  Assume you're not political in any stripe.  If you were in the Palin's shoes, would you have done the same thing?  

you miss the point entirely.  none of that matters in the least.  you know what matters?  go to CNN.com, FOXNews.com, and so on and check out the lead story.  I don't have the TV on but I can assure you that's what the talking heads will be spending their time on tonight too.  it's a brutal ~24+ hours for McCain at a time when he simply can't afford a bad ten minutes.

Tweed, you are the one who is missing the point.

Cinyc is arguing that Palin did the right thing.  You ignore that completely and say she did somethign politically damaging.

I suspect you are right that this is politically damaging, but that is not relevant to whether Palin was right or not.

the original issue at hand was about the McCain camp's kneejerk gamble on Palin...

[J. J.]

Ok McCain supporters  stop spinning this.

Bottomline is they said  she abused her power and didn't break a law.

Bottom line is, she did her job as governor.  Look, the trooper was pretty bad and you don't want someone like that with a badge.  I'd use this as grounds for removing his supervisor, if his supervisor refused to act.