from
All Facts and OpinionsWhile the McCain/Palin camp falls over itself trying to parse language to say that
Troopergate investigator Stephen Branchflower was wrong to say that Sarah Palin violated the Alaska Ethics Act,
Time magazine reports that however one interprets the report issued Friday, it is clear Palin and her husband showed a "disturbing" lack of judgment and a great deal of self-serving immaturity.
Did Governor Sarah Palin abuse the power of her office in trying to get her former brother-in-law, State Trooper Mike Wooten, fired? Yes.
Was the refusal to fire Mike Wooten the reason Palin fired Commissioner of Public Safety Walt Monegan? Not exclusively, and it was within her rights as the states chief executive to fire him for just about any reason, even without cause.
... But the Branchflower report still makes for good reading, if only because it convincingly answers a question nobody had even thought to ask: Is the Palin administration shockingly amateurish? Yes, it is. Disturbingly so.
The 263 pages of the report show a co-ordinated application of pressure on Monegan so transparent and ham-handed that it was almost certain to end in public embarrassment for the governor.
... A harsh verdict? Consider the report's findings. Not only did people at almost every level of the Palin administration engage in repeated inappropriate contact with Walt Monegan and other high-ranking officials at the Department of Public Safety, but Monegan and his peers constantly warned these Palin disciples that the contact was inappropriate and probably unlawful. Still, the emails and calls continued — in at least one instance on recorded state trooper phone lines.
via Time:
What the Troopergate Report Really SaysPalin and cronies insist she broke no laws because money was not involved. Clearly, they are mistaken or lying. Here is what the Alaska Executive Branch Ethics Act actually says:
Sec. 39.52.010. Declaration of policy.
(a) It is declared that
(1) high moral and ethical standards among public officers in the executive branch are
essential to assure the trust, respect, and confidence of the people of this state;
(2) a code of ethics for the guidance of public officers will
(A) discourage those officers from acting upon personal or financial interests in the
performance of their public responsibilities [emphasis mine].
All one needs to do is to
read the law itself. Again, it says "personal
or financial interests." Palin does not have a leg upon which to stand here. She broke the law. The governor will not go to jail over this and may escape sanction, but the truth is plain, as is her obvious personal stake in the misconduct of herself, her spouse, and her underlings.
Labels: alaska, anti-palin, anti-republican, Corruption, Elections, ethics, gop, law, McCain/Palin, political corruption, republicans, Right Wing, sarah palin, todd palin, troopergate, US Politics
Clever Wife regularly participates in a forum for craftspeople who make soap. Lately the forum has included some long digressions into politics. She is usually capable of responding to the misinformation she sees, but occasionally she asks for my help. The other day someone posted a list of "rumors" about Sarah Palin debunked by someone named Charlie Martin, a computer programmer in Colorado. Charlie's list on his blog
Explorations is now up to 71 points and has earned him a spot on Fox News along with tens of thousands of blog hits.
Clever Wife thought that Charlie's debunking shows a solid pro-Palin slant. It looks that way to me, too. It's not so much about setting the record straight as it is about presenting a partisan defense of Palin against any criticism. CW asked if I could help her debunk some of Charlie's debunking. Some of his debunking is just fine, but many of the answers leave important information out, simply accept the McCain/Palin version of events, blame the victim, or take cheap shots at the mainstream media. After trying to hit just a few of the more difficult points on his list things rapidly got out of hand. I decided to take on the whole list fisk-style. I wish he included the source for some of the rumors because they really are quite stupid and Charlie is right to dismiss them.
Here's the result of my efforts. I'll continue to refine my list as I get new information, so if you know something be sure to put it in the comments or write me. Links to supporting sources get you extra points. When you collect enough points, you win a new president.
Labels: Elections, palin, Politics
All Spin Zone » Top Ten Reasons GOP Voters Prefer Fred Thompson
10. If you’re going to tell American voters tall tales, you need to nominate the tallest candidate.
9. GOP voters expect their politicians to tell them what they want to hear…and they insist that the nominee is able to execute that task well and with flair.
8. GOP voters are skittish about men like John McCain…they prefer that their presidential candidates either have no military experience or that they know how to fake it.
7. He has experience with partisan presidential politics…he starred in The Hunt For Red October…which should translate well into a red November.
6. Rudi Giuliani brought law and order to New York City…but Fred Thompson brought Law & Order to every American home.
5. He would do a much better job with natural disasters like Katrina…he learned the dangers of wind and water when filming Cape Fear.
4. Actors make the best GOP candidates…you give them a script, they memorize it, and they repeat it over and over again.
3. He won’t be afraid to continue the Bush administration’s torture policy…he’s already threatened to give Michael Moore electro-shock therapy in Cuba.
2. Mitt Romney may have Ronald Reagan’s hair…but Fred Thompson can be counted on to continue the Reagan tradition of having only one wife at a time.
1. Since the Clinton presidency, GOP voters want to be sure that their president prefers to smoke his cigars.
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Labels: Elections, Humor, Politics
