Trooper Union files a complaint against Palin Wednesday

Union Director John Cyr

Per NBC (hat tip to Daily Kos diaries):

The GOP candidate for vice president, Gov. Sarah Palin, may be facing yet another ethics investigation back in her home state of Alaska. An ethics complaint obtained by NBC News was filed Wednesday by the police officers union in Alaska, requesting a probe into possible wrongdoing by the governor or her office. It was brought on behalf of state trooper Mike Wooten, an ex-brother-in-law of Palin who is at the center of the "Troopergate" scandal.

The complaint alleges that the governor or her staff may have have improperly disclosed information from Wooten's personnel records. The complaint alleges "criminal penalties may apply."

John Cyr, director of the union that filed the complaint, told NBC News, "It seems obvious to us somebody has improperly accessed [Wooten's] personnel file."

HERE is the complaint.

Now let's watch the McCain/Palin tapdance:

The McCain/Palin campaign Thursday launched a spirited defense when contacted by NBC News. They say the personnel files were not protected; a campaign source says Wooten himself had previously signed a waiver allowing a divorce lawyer to obtain his personnel records. The campaign then sent a copy of that waiver to NBC News, which reads "I hereby waive any privilege I may have to said information to said attorneys."

Because of my health issues, I've filled out a ton of freakin' "waivers" in Alaska for personnel (and personal) records. Any legal waiver specifically lists the person or persons they apply to and NO ONE ELSE can use such a waiver to access or use private information if they are not listed.

Sooooo...the divorce attorney cannot allow someone else not listed to access the information on his/her waiver. If they do, they can also be prosecuted.

Oooops...

The issue concerns disclosures about Wooten's records made by a Palin aide - Frank Bailey - in a February 2008 phone conversation. The police officers' union complaint claims the transcript of that conversation clearly indicates there was improper access to Wooten's records.

The McCain/Palin campaign, in a response to NBC News, provided a family twist to the story, saying the governor's husband - Todd Palin - was the source of that information to Bailey. They say the information came from divorce proceedings, and that Gov. Palin never improperly accessed any records.

As is typical of "pageant pit bull" Palin, she just threw a) the divorce attorney and b) her husband under the bus.

Ooops...

Taylor Griffiths, a spokesman for McCain, said "When you're a real reformer like Sarah Palin, who isn't afraid to take on entrenched political interests, scurrilous attacks and empty allegations come with the territory."

What's scary is she's got to be loving how much easier it is to lie and strike-out at your "enemies" when you have an entire presidential campaign to do it for you.

Hope she doesn't get used to it.

Alaskan loyalty...and fear of retribution: Why Palin stories didn't break before the nomination -- my Firedoglake post

Here's my post up at Firedoglake:

It was clear that Editor and Publisher was peeved at the Alaska media for sitting on a story for weeks, even months...the pregnancy of Bristol Palin. I can understand why a reporter from a large media outlet in a populous city would be baffled by all of the secrecy. Understand that NO ONE was saying ANYTHING on the record and the blogs (and the Anchorage Daily News) had to make due with emails and on-line comments. Also understand that there is a reason no one was saying anything and one must appreciate living in Alaska to get the full picture.

I like to explain the State of Alaska as a small town (600,000 +) broken up by great distances into many VERY small towns. Alaskans will snicker if someone from the "lower-48" assumes we know their second cousin thrice removed on their mother's side just because he happens to live up here. However, we're also quite accustomed to running into our politicians and other "celebrities" in line at the grocery store, coming out of a movie theater, dip-netting for salmon on the Kenai River, etc... Folks from other parts of the country don't understand our nonchalant familiarity as was evident by the chuckle I had with progressive radio talk-show host, Cary Carrigan, when I was reporting on his show from the Democratic Convention. He recounted a phone call that he received from an Obama campaign worker (probably an intern) who was "excited" to tell Cary that he could "get him some media time" with former two-term Democratic Governor, Tony Knowles. I later was able to laugh about it with Governor Knowles, who was at my breakfast table.

So on one hand, Alaskans feel a connection to their politicians because those politicians are more available to their constituents. This breeds loyalty. The next reason for silence and secrecy, however, is not filled with "lollipops and rainbows." As a matter-of-fact, it has people fearing for their jobs and believe it or not, their lives.

Friday, July 11th, the highly-respected Walt Monegan was fired as the Commissioner of Public Safety for undisclosed reasons by a Palin underling, not by the Governor herself. Many of us who had been at least guarded supporters of Palin on some issues were perplexed and outraged. Walt Monegan seemed to be working towards actual solutions to serious problems with more than just a band aid. Plus, there were indications from the very first press event that the new appointee, Chuck Kopp, could end up being a disaster. (He was...he lasted 10 days.) It was around that time that many of us were starting to write highly critical articles of the Governor that her spokesperson, Sharon Leighow, started "selectively" handing out press releases. One day, while a number of us were waiting by our email accounts for the Governor's statement regarding Chuck Kopp, I got a phone call from a friend at progressive radio, declaring "Dan Fagan (conservative talk-show host) is reading the statement on the air NOW!"

The Governor's spokesperson, Sharon Leighow, was Dan Fagan's radio partner on his talk show before she worked for Palin.

So, as you can see, Sarah Palin and her spokesperson do the George W. Bush (and now John McCain) practice of punishing those they don't like and rewarding those they do. As a result, Alaska MSM...a business that depends on getting timely information...has been putty in her hands.

The media manipulation is just a small demonstration of how she does business in Alaska. The Monegan firing and then ensuing information regarding the attempt to get her ex-brother-in-law fired is only the most recent example of what she does when she perceives that someone has "crossed her." She also has a history of exactly the same behavior.

When she was Mayor of Wasilla, she fired the police chief, Irl Stambaugh saying that he "intimidated her." Palin also wanted to ban some books from the library and when library director Mary Ellen Emmons fought her on it, she fired her as well. Her explanation:

“I do not feel I have your full support in my efforts to govern the city of Wasilla. Therefore I intend to terminate your employment …” (The Anchorage Daily News, via nexis)

Ultimately, Palin let the library director have her job back; though Stambaugh’s position was not returned. The police chief took the matter to court, where a judge sided with Palin, saying city law allows the mayor to fire the police chief without cause.

When questioned by the Anchorage Daily News at the time, Palin refused to give details on how Stambaugh had not supported her, saying only: ”You know in your heart when someone is supportive of you.”

According to the nationally-touted comments (read on the Randi Rhodes Show today) in the Washington Independent article from Wasilla resident, Anne Kilkenny:

She [Palin] has bitten the hand of every person who extended theirs to her in help. The City Council person who personally escorted her around town introducing her to voters when she first ran for Wasilla City Council became one of her first targets when she was later elected Mayor. She abruptly fired her loyal City Administrator; even people who didn’t like the guy were stunned by this ruthlessness.

Fear of retribution has kept all of these people from saying anything publicly about her.

The fear has escalated now that Palin is in line to potentially hold the second-highest position in the country.

A blogger told me that he needs to back off the more sensitive Palin information because he's afraid of getting shot by some of the more fanatical, hard-core "Palin-bots." I've been told that when media representatives attempted to speak to several members of Palin's former church, one member wouldn't speak out of fear of his/her life and the other declined out of fear of potential treatment by law enforcement who are also members of the church.

Wow. Can you imagine Sarah Palin with full access to all Departments of the Federal Government? Perhaps G.W. Bush wasn't the worst we could do after all.

There may be some Alaskans who are incensed by the deluge of national media into our state, especially Wasilla. However, I am grateful for their help and I offer my assistance to anyone who needs it. After all, what we are all looking for is change and unless for you that means a power-mad, inexperienced, vindictive former Alaska Governor one step away from the Presidency (and the button), we can use all of the research help we can get.

OK, Fox News...let's see you be "fair and balanced" on THIS one--Sarah Palin sits through anti-Jewish sermon

You don't even need to go to You Tube to get it...Wasilla Bible Church very kindly has the audio and transcript on their website--August 17th.

David Brickner of Jews for Jesus:

But what we see in Israel, the conflict that is spilled out throughout the Middle East, really which is all about Jerusalem, is an ongoing reflection of the fact that there is judgment. There is judgment that is going on in the land, and that’s the other part of this Jerusalem Dilemma. When Jesus was standing in that temple, He spoke that that judgment was coming, that there’s a reality to the judgment of unbelief. He said “I long to gather you, but...” what? “You were unwilling.” God never forces His way on human beings. And so because Jerusalem was unwilling to receive His grace, judgment was coming...

...When Isaac was in Jerusalem he was there to witness some of that judgment, some of that conflict, when a Palestinian from East Jerusalem took a bulldozer and went plowing through a score of cars, killing numbers of people. Judgment—you can’t miss it.

Ben Smith has an excellent analysis of what Sarah Palin's addition to the ticket means to the Jewish voters in this election.

What are the Repubs thinking? Someone needs to teach them about "safe YouTube."

First, the RNC's "parody" about Obama in Germany (which also features David Hasselhoff) is actually just damn funny in...OK, I'll say it...a positive way for Obama.



Someone needs to tell the McCain people that a "parody" isn't supposed to make people laugh at the people who are making the "parody."

Then, McCain compares Obama to Britney and Paris, claiming that he is as big of a superstar as they are:



Has someone told them that calling Obama a celebrity isn't necessarily a bad thing...that people spend millions of dollars on tabloids and magazines tracking the movements of celebrities?

Can you say D-E-S-P-E-R-A-T-E?

I like the Obama Campaign's response a lot!

In a statement, Obama spokesman Tommy Vietor had this to say:

On a day when major news organizations across the country are taking Senator McCain to task for a steady stream of false, negative attacks, his campaign has launched yet another. Or, as some might say, "Oops! He did it again."

Also, a group called Progressive Accountability came up with a great video rebuttle--comparing Britney rather successfully to John McCain:



And then there is my favorite...McCain doesn't speak for the McCain Campaign.



When it comes to just about everything about Sen. McCain's campaign, he has not chosen wisely.