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Todd Palin Pushed Firing for Years, Probe Told

October 09, 2008 9:26 AM

Todd Palin campaigned for years to get state trooper Mike Wooten fired, he told the Alaska Legislature's "Troopergate" investigator, in a 25-page response to a list of questions.

Palin provided his answers to special counsel Stephen Branchflower yesterday, according to news accounts and sources familiar with the probe.  Palin's lawyer and the McCain-Palin campaign made the document available to reporters that evening, a move condemned by State Senate officials.

"The McCain campaign should not be releasing these documents to you," said Alaska Senate President Lyda Green, R-Wasilla, after learning the camp had offered the document to a reporter, under condition of anonymity. "This is a confidential report," she said. "The campaign should have nothing to do with this."

Alaska State Sen. Hollis French, who is managing the investigation, confirmed that the document was not to be made public, and is not being distributed by the investigation. 

The campaign's release of Todd Palin's answers make the document the only piece of investigative material from Branchflower's probe to become public prior to the expected release of Branchflower's report. That raised eyebrows among some Alaska officials and political observers, who noted how sharply Palin and the campaign have criticized the legislature's probe as political.

One McCain-Palin campaign ad called the bipartisan-backed probe "nothing more than a three-ring circus emceed by Obama partisans."  Palin, the campaign and her allies have criticized State Sen. French, the probe's manager, for suggesting Branchflower's findings could be an "October surprise" for the campaign, asserted Branchflower lacked impartiality, and pointed out that some Democratic legislators who supported the probe also support Sen. Barack Obama's White House bid.

"They're the ones making it political," said Senate President Green, a Republican from Palin's hometown who has nevertheless been a public critic of Palin’s.  "Alaskans are perfectly capable of asking questions, getting answers and writing a report."

Green said she was shocked at how McCain-Palin campaign aides had acted since arriving in the state in early September. "I can't believe that the campaign would condone this behavior if they truly knew," she said. "I've never seen anything like it."

October 9, 2008 in Troopergate | Permalink | User Comments (57)

User Comments

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The only way Palin is getting in to the Oval Office is with a tour pass. Keep your head in the sand, when you come up for air take a look at the electoral map. You are about to see the biggest Democratic landslide since 1964.

Republicans got their wish in 2004 and re-elected Bush who has trashed this country in 8 years. As President Obama said "Bush dug us a hole & McCain carried the shovel".

Thanks again for the Palin pick, it's the gift that keeps on giving to the Democrats.

Obama/Biden 08

In America, anybody can be president. That's one of the risks you take.

Adlai E. Stevenson
1900-1965
American Lawyer, Politician

Posted by: RJ | Oct 9, 2008 10:16:54 AM

It's time to tell the woman who has been "The Emperor's New Clothes" embodied that she is not Vice Presidential material.
Nancy

Posted by: Nancy Kelly | Oct 9, 2008 10:19:47 AM

It's funny how McCain's people never mention the make-up of the committee supposedly controlled by Obama. It's eight republicans and only four democrats. Palin prefers the panel she picked because she appointed all three members.

Posted by: John Tate | Oct 9, 2008 10:22:37 AM

The McCain campaign is exhibiting a type of behavior known to psychologists as "projecting". They accuse the other side of everything THEY are guilty of themselves. It's not only stupid, it's immature and is going to backfire on them in a big way.

McCain keeps hurling smears at Obama, questioning his judgment.... when he can't even be honest about his OWN poor judgment in picking a running mate who is embroiled in a CURRENT bi-partisan ethics investigation.

The key word here is ETHICS, and the lack thereof.

Sarah and Todd Palin are vindictive small-town liars.

Posted by: mavisdarling | Oct 9, 2008 10:22:54 AM

It's funny. The probe began BEFORE Palin was selected by McCain. How is the investigation a political ploy by the Democrats?

Posted by: Amy | Oct 9, 2008 10:47:15 AM

Amazing... Palin even manages to try to blame this probe on Obama. A probe that was launched by a Republican majority LONG before Palin was even on the McCain ticket!

If Senator Obama has that kind of fortune telling ability to know she would have been picked by McCain along with the political ability to persuade the Republicans to start the probe then I definitely want to see him President. Imagine what he could do with our foreign relations!

Posted by: McCain is a liar | Oct 9, 2008 10:58:26 AM

Hypocrites are soon going to be exposed! i cant wait for the October surprise! Palin will go down in history and Forget about Palin 2012!

Posted by: hutch | Oct 9, 2008 11:03:37 AM

It's an unfortunate reality of modern politics that, in the 11th hour, the mud-slinging begins. I think it will backfire on repubs this year.

Posted by: Concerned | Oct 9, 2008 11:06:58 AM

Palin fought corruption in alaska that is why there is a bipartisan effort to get her down.

The One didn't fight therefore he's still Chicago's darling.

Posted by: t.g. | Oct 9, 2008 11:07:54 AM

Unbelievable. And, we are stupid enough to believe it all... two friends in New Jersey, well educated, believe the "terrorist" label and are voting for McCain. Just goes to show you...

Posted by: Fleetwood Andrew | Oct 9, 2008 11:08:42 AM

Unbelievable. And, we are stupid enough to believe it all... two friends in New Jersey, well educated, believe the "terrorist" label and are voting for McCain. Just goes to show you...

Posted by: Fleetwood Andrew | Oct 9, 2008 11:09:00 AM

It's interesting that neither the article nor any of the comments mentioned the fact that the Trooper at the heart of this investigation was habitually abusive, both physically and emotionally. He clearly behaved in ways counter to what a Police Officer should be. Has no one stopped to consider that the attempts to have him fired might have been legitimate, and were carried out in the light of day?
If a cop were abusing my sister, I'd do everything I could to get him fired and prosecuted. Palin may be inexperienced, and she may not be up to the job--no one knows until it happens. But Troopergate has nothing to do with any of those things.

Posted by: Wayne | Oct 9, 2008 11:09:37 AM

This country is in a mess whoever wins has a huge job not only with the economy, health care .....but we may not even know in my lifetime how long it will take to regain our world standing if ever. We are now the bully on the world stage the only thing worse is the thought of Sara Palin as VP
Debi

Posted by: DebiHaq | Oct 9, 2008 11:09:39 AM

McCain = Bush? The attack ads by McPain & PA In(sic) smell suggestively like the modus operandi of the infamous Karl Rove who successfully smeared everyone in his and W's way to glory and richess.
Can anyone verify whether Karl 'Iago' Rove sat in on the GOP campaign strategies? Or not?

Posted by: Nick Nicosia | Oct 9, 2008 11:10:10 AM

It's interesting that neither the article nor any of the comments mentioned the fact that the Trooper at the heart of this investigation was habitually abusive, both physically and emotionally. He clearly behaved in ways counter to what a Police Officer should be. Has no one stopped to consider that the attempts to have him fired might have been legitimate, and were carried out in the light of day?
If a cop were abusing my sister, I'd do everything I could to get him fired and prosecuted. Palin may be inexperienced, and she may not be up to the job--no one knows until it happens. But Troopergate has nothing to do with any of those things.

Posted by: Wayne | Oct 9, 2008 11:10:14 AM

In conjunction with this probe, I watched the video that Sarah Palin made for the Alaskan Independence Party convention. There were no folksy sayings or perky winks. she looked and sounded like a governor. My questio is, did she make videos for the Democratic or Republican conventions? I couldn't find them.
She was very happy to be making a welcoming video for them and seems to have been condoning their view of the world. I find her words very chilling and disturbing that she condones a group that wants to break up our country, i.e. secede from the United States.
Teri

Posted by: Teri Davis | Oct 9, 2008 11:10:29 AM

SO THIS IS THE SPIN OFF. PALIN WILL BLAME IT ON TODD, AND CLAIM SHE DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT IT. People, once again, we are seeing the type of coneiving we could end up with for the next 4 years. DON'T let them distract you.

Posted by: Angelou | Oct 9, 2008 11:12:09 AM

Incredible the hypocrisy the McCain-Palin campaign. McCain's new plan for the crisis is going to benefits the banks its "loaded with goodies" for them at the expense of the taxpayers. Alaska is the state that gets the most federal handouts so that Palin can give money to Alaskans as rebate checks. Palin hired her high school friends with zero experience to top paying govt. jobs. She claimed $40000 per family member as travel expenses, why the heck is family traveling so much, I can barely afford a vacation in one year if at all.

Posted by: Helen K | Oct 9, 2008 11:12:34 AM

Maybe they would all agree we've got bigger fish to fry like energy independence and corporate malpractice on Wall Street. Start conserving now and Go Green

Posted by: UseWater | Oct 9, 2008 11:12:54 AM

If McCain wins McDonalds is set to launch a new sandwich called the "McSame". It will be offered for the next 4 years and will look & taste exactly like the current Filet'O Fish sandwich which has been showing a steady lag in sales over the last 8 years.

A kids meal will also be offered that will have an action figure, Barbie-like "Palin" doll which winks when pushed. Choice of matching gun or bow will be available.

Posted by: mvp | Oct 9, 2008 11:14:06 AM

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