Olive Branch Atheists. We're a meet up group. Liz
-----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of ornamentalmind Sent: Saturday, August 30, 2008 2:15 PM To: Memphis Freethought Alliance Subject: Re: Scandal in Alaska OK, I give...after looking at numerous pages regurgitated by Google...and getting come chuckles from what came up, what the heck is OBA in your context? On Aug 30, 12:06 pm, Isparklaria <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > 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 -- Hide quoted text - > > - Show quoted text - --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Memphis Freethought Alliance" group. 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