09/01/08 7:01AM
Sarah Palin: Government Corruption Up Close & Personal
As more information comes to light about Sarah Palin — the “reformer” Governor who supposedly “took on corruption” in state government — a fascinating recording has surfaced of a phone call from Palin’s office in which direct pressure is brought to bear on the Police Department to fire State Trooper Mike Wooten.

By way of back-story, Wooten was married to Palin’s sister, and the couple went through an acrimonious divorce. Prior to Palin’s election as Governor, the Palin family presented a list of 14 accusations against Wooten to the Police Department (including using his patrol car to pick his kids up from school and illegally shooting a moose). The charges were investigated, and Wooten was given a 10-day suspension.

When Palin took office, she, her husband, and her staff began putting pressure on the Commissioner of the department, Walt Monegan, to fire Wooten. Dozens of communications were made to the Department by the Mayor’s staff. Monegan resisted the pressure and did not fire Wooten. Monegan was subsequently fired from his job as Police Commissioner.

When allegations were made that Monegan had been improperly terminated, Palin initially denied that she or her staff had put any pressure on Monegan. (She then changed her story once recordings surfaced showing members of her staff directly pressuring police officials to fire Wooten, at which point she claimed that the calls were unauthorized.)

Following is a link to a recording of a phone call between Frank Bailey (the Mayor’s Director of Boards & Commissions) and Lieutenant Rodney Dial of the Public Safety Department. Its fairly long, so readers might not want to listen to the whole thing (although if you have the time, its a fascinating case study in the slimy methods by which public officials exert pressure without actually saying anything incriminating).

Recording of Phone Call Between Frank Bailey and Rodney Dial

Excerpt: After a lengthy discussion of all of the reasons why Wooten should not be kept on as a trooper, Bailey (the Mayor’s Director) says to Dial (the police lieutenant), “Todd and Sarah [Palin] are scratching their heads, ‘Why on earth hasn’t this, why is this guy still representing the department?’ He’s a horrible recruiting tool, you know.” Dial assures Bailey that the department wants to do anything it can to keep the Mayor happy. Bailey’s response is an example of classic back-room political sleaze:

Dial: You know, its very important for us that the Governor have a good opinion and impression of the [police] department. I mean we care very deeply about what she thinks about the department. And, you know, I don’t want it to appear that we don’t.

Bailey: You know, you know I appreciate that so much, and I’m telling you, honestly I mean, she um, you know she really likes Walt [the Police Commissioner] a lot, but on this issue, she feels like its… she doesn’t know why there’s absolutely no action for a year on this issue. Um, its very, very troubling to her and her family. You know, I can definitely relay that. You know?

Dial: Well, um, please tell her that, you know, I certainly am concerned, and I will immediately get on the phone after we’re done and see if there’s something that the department does not know about this, um something more that can be done, maybe some additional information that you don’t have that I can pass on.

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Hmm, on second thought, maybe Palin actually does have all the “experience” she needs to be Vice President…

note from admin:
This is a guest blog that originally included a hyperlink. I’m a smartard so it was fifty fifty. Here’s a a cut & paste for ya.

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