Chuck Kopp resigns effective immediately

Per KTUU 5:00 report breaking news: Kopp resigns on his own "for the good of the Department of Public Safety."

More at 6:00 PM report and the press release should be out any second...we hope...

Per ADN:

In a brief news conference with Gov. Sarah Palin in her Anchorage office late this afternoon, Kopp said he was stepping down effective immediately. Kopp, appointed to replace former Commissioner Walt Monegan 10 days ago, said recent scrutiny of a 2005 sexual harassment complaint has been too hard on his family.

Neither Kopp nor the governor would answer questions.

"We're going to move forward now," Palin said. "This has been brutal on a good family."

No replacement has been announced.

I'll bet...not for awhile...

This is the part I love:

"The recent media firestorm has been detrimental to the Department of Public Safety mission, the citizens of Alaska and my family," Kopp said. "While I have been portrayed in a negative light, my personal worth is now in the person of Jesus Christ."

Yeah, it's always a good idea to bring Jesus into these things.

Perhaps the fact that media folks and bloggers like myself have been getting all kinds of emails and comments had something to do with this? Perhaps we were calling and emailing the right people and it was only a matter of time before someone went on the record with information proving that you lied through that entire previous press conference on the nature of your harassment? Perhaps the idea of a FOIA requesting access to all of your non-case-related phone conversations with dispatchers (which are recorded) made you nervous about big trouble down the road?

Perhaps the reason you resigned wasn't because of the "media firestorm" that YOU created, but because there were more chickens that were about to roost on top of the other ones?

Buh bye...don't let the door hit ya--well, you know the rest...

***UPDATE***

HERE is the raw feed of Kopp's statement at the press conference.

HERE is the raw feed of the Governor's statement.

The Alaska Hillbillies

Come listen to a story 'bout a man named Kopp"
A young police chief who didn't get the word 'stop'
The woman he kept huggin' wanted him to go
So he came face-to-face with Alaska EEO
Complaint, that is...investigation...letter of reprimand

So a few years later the Guvner called him forth
She said, "Hey Chuck, we need you up North"
"I know you've had problems but I'm sure you'll fit the bill"
"Since I'm really in need of another "yes man" shill"
Commissioner..."Top Kopp"...over-his-head

News of his new job shocked the woman, don't you see
Because no one else would know due to Title 23
So she told her story to a couple in the press
And it turned his first conference into something of a mess
Evasive buffoon...obvious liar...couldn't say he "didn't do it."

So now he's denying even though we have the letter
From the City of Kenai meant to make it somewhat better
Between Monegan and Wooten and Mr. "Sex Harasser" new
The Guvner has put herself in quite a Hillbilly Stew
Family feud...nasty and unprofessional...bye bye VP hopes