There are no questions on the OBA site. We just spend most of our time posting YouTube videos cracking dumb jokes. (Not my jokes. Mine are always funny.) :-)
liz -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Isparklaria Sent: Saturday, August 30, 2008 2:06 PM To: Memphis Freethought Alliance Subject: Re: Scandal in Alaska I don't think that I can read OBA website since I am not a member. However, I will attempt to answer the questions. On Aug 30, 2:00 pm, Clogtowner <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Hi y'all - this has already been posted on the OBA website. Plagiarism > will get you nowhere! Your penance is to read the OBA website and > answer questions on it at the book club. > > On Aug 30, 1:33 pm, Isparklaria <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > > I found this on wikipedia. It is a scandal involving the new > > Republican Party VP nominee. > > > Alaska Public Safety Commissioner dismissal > > From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia > > Jump to: navigation, search > > As of August 29, 2008, Alaska Governor and presumptive Republican vice > > presidential nominee for the 2008 United States presidential election > > Sarah Palin is being investigated by an independent investigator hired > > by the Alaska Legislature[1] to determine whether she abused her power > > when she fired Public Safety Commissioner Walter Monegan. [2][3] > > > On July 11, 2008, Palin dismissed Monegan, claiming poor work > > performance. Monegan, however, alleged that his dismissal may have > > been tied to his reluctance to fire Palin's former brother-in law Mike > > Wooten. In late July, an independent investigator was hired to > > investigate Palin and her staff for possible abuse of power > > surrounding the dismissal. The Palin administration has been > > cooperating in the investigation and thus subpoenas have been > > unnecessary. > > > [edit] Background > > In 2006, before Palin was governor, Alaska State Trooper Wooten was > > suspended for ten days after being accused by his ex-wife Molly McCann > > (Sarah Palin's sister) of threatening to kill McCann's and Palin's > > father, tasering his 11-year-old stepson, drinking beer in his squad > > car, and violating game laws.[4] Following an investigation, Wooten > > was suspended for illegally shooting a moose and using a Taser on his > > stepson, while most of the charges were dismissed.[5] After a union > > protest, the suspension was reduced to five days, and Wooten was > > warned by Col. Julia Grimes, head of the Alaska State Troopers, that > > he would be fired if he messed up again.[4] > > > On July 11, 2008, Palin dismissed Monegan and offered him a position > > as executive director of the state Alcoholic Beverage Control Board, > > which he turned down.[6][7] Her power to fire him is not in dispute, > > however Monegan alleged that his dismissal may have been tied to his > > reluctance to fire Wooten, who had been involved in a divorce and > > child custody battle with McCann..[8] > > > Palin said that her dismissal of Monegan was unrelated to the fact > > that he had not fired Wooten, and said that Monegan was instead > > dismissed for not adequately filling state trooper vacancies, and > > because he "did not turn out to be a team player on budgeting > > issues."[9] Monegan claims that the two most recent trooper graduating > > classes had the most recruits in years, and that Palin stated the > > audit Monegan provided made the administration look like it did not > > support the troopers.[10] Palin acknowledged that there were a number > > of calls from her office regarding Wooten, and that a member of her > > administration, Frank Bailey, mentioned "a family tie with the > > Governor there" and said "we don't know why this guy is still > > working." Monegan told the Anchorage Daily News that Todd Palin had > > "showed him some of the findings of a private detective the family had > > hired to investigate Mr. Wooten and accused him of a variety of > > transgressions, including drunken driving and child abuse."[11] > > > Ms. Palin acknowledged that there were more than two dozen inquiries > > to the public safety department from members of her staff about > > Wooten, but she said she had played no role in the inquiries.[12] Both > > Palin and Bailey say that happened without her knowledge and was > > unrelated to her dismissal of Monegan,[9] and Bailey was put on leave > > for two months for acting outside the scope of his authority as the > > Director of Boards and Commissions. Commissioner Monegan received no > > severance pay, though at the same time another dismissed Commissioner, > > Charles Kopp (who served only 11 days) received $10,000.[13] > > > Palin replaced Monegan with Chuck Kopp. Kopp had been previously > > suspended and investigated for sexual harassment of an employee. At > > the time, Palin said she believed that the investigation had cleared > > him, but a letter of reprimand later emerged.[14][15] > > > [edit] Recent developments > > In late July 2008, a bipartisan committee of the Alaska Legislature > > voted 12-0 to hire an independent investigator to investigate Palin > > and her staff for possible abuse of power surrounding the dismissal. > > [1] A retired state prosecutor, Steve Branchflower, was chosen. [16] > > Democratic State Senator Hollis French, who is overseeing the > > investigation, says that the Palin administration has been cooperating > > and that subpoenas are unnecessary.[17] > > > The Alaskan Attorney General and the Department of Law are conducting > > their own inquiry, at the request of the Governor. [18] The Palin > > administration itself was the first to release an audiotape from > > February of inquiries being made by Bailey about the status of the > > Wooten investigation.[9][19] Palin later admitted that members of her > > staff had made about two dozen contacts with public safety officials > > about the trooper, including at least one conversation that could > > appear to be an attempt to pressure the commissioner. She said that > > her staff's contacts with the commission were not directed by her and > > she had little knowledge of them.[20] The aide who made the call, > > Frank Bailey, was placed on paid leave by Palin pending the outcome of > > the investigation.[21] > > > [edit] References > > ^ a b Loy, Wesley (2008-07-29). "Hired help will probe Monegan > > dismissal", Anchorage Daily News. Retrieved on 2008-08-29. > > ^ Quinn, Steven (2008-08-13). "Palin says staffer pressed trooper > > firing", Associated Press. Retrieved on 2008-08-29. > > ^ James, Frank (2008-07-31). "McCain-Palin ticket hits Alaska > > iceberg", The Chicago Tribune. Retrieved on 2008-08-29. > > ^ a b Demer, Lisa. Is Wooten a good trooper?, Anchorage Daily News > > (2008-07-27). > > ^ Luo, Michael (2008-08-29). "Investigators Are Looking at Governor > > About Firing", New York Times. Retrieved on 2008-08-29. > > ^ Resources from Anchorage Daily News regarding the Monegan affair. > > ^ Hopkins, Kyle (2008-07-12). "Governor offered Monegan a different > > job", Anchorage Daily News, The McClatchy Company. Retrieved on > > 2008-08-21. > > ^ Hollan, Megan (2008-07-19). "Monegan says he was pressured to fire > > cop", Anchorage Daily News, The McClatchy Company. Retrieved on > > 2008-07-22. : "Monegan said he still isn't sure why he was fired but > > thought that Wooten could be part of it." > > ^ a b c Cockerham, Sean. “Palin staff pushed to have trooper fired”, > > Anchorage Daily News (2008-08-14). Retrieved 2008-08-24. > > ^ Simon, Matthew (2008-07-19). "Monegan says Palin administration and > > first gentleman used governor's office to pressure firing first > > family's former brother-in-law", CBS 11. Retrieved on 2008-08-29. > > ^ Luo, Michael (2008-08-29). "Investigators Are Looking at Governor > > About Firing", New York Times. Retrieved on 2008-08-29. > > ^ Luo, Michael (2008-08-29). "Investigators Are Looking at Governor > > About Firing", New York Times. Retrieved on 2008-08-29. > > ^ Corey Allen-Young (2008-08-14). "Bombshell in commissioner > > controversy". KTVA. Retrieved on 2008-08-29. > > ^ Moore, Jason (2008-07-21). "Complainant details Kopp's harassing > > behavior", KTUU. Retrieved on 2008-08-29. > > ^ Moore, Jason (2008-07-24). "Palin spokeswoman: Kopp never told > > governor about reprimand (Updated with comments from lawmakers)", > > Anchorage Daily News. Retrieved on 2008-08-29. > > ^ Holland, Megan (2008-08-02). "Branchflower will investigate Monegan > > case", Anchorage Daily News. Retrieved on 2008-08-30. > > ^ “Subpoenas uncalled for in Wooten matter”, Anchorage Daily News > > (2008-08-16). Retrieved 2008-08-24. > > ^ Cockerham, Sean (2008-08-13). "Palin launches Monegan inquiry ahead > > of special investigation", Anchorage Daily News. Retrieved on > > 2008-08-30. > > ^ Palin press release with audio of Bailey call > > ^ Sean Cockerham (2008-08-14). "Alaska's governor admits her staff > > tried to have trooper fired". Anchorage Daily News. Retrieved on > > 2008-08-29. > > ^ Hopkins, Kyle (2008-08-20). "Palin aide put on leave in firing > > flap", Anchorage Daily News. Retrieved on 2008-08-30. > > Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ > > Alaska_Public_Safety_Commissioner_dismissal"- Hide quoted text - > > - Show quoted text - --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Memphis Freethought Alliance" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/memphisfreethoughtalliance?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
