« previous | MUCK HOME | next »
Palin Aide Dodges Trooper-Gate Deposition
As if we needed another sign that Sarah Palin has decided to stonewall the Trooper-Gate investigation, ABC News reports this afternoon that lawyers for her aide Frank Bailey have cancelled Bailey's scheduled deposition in the investigation .
Bailey is central to the case. In phone recordings released last month as part of a parallel probe by the state Attorney General, Bailey suggested that Palin and her husband wanted trooper Mike Wooten -- who has been embroiled in a messy family dispute with the Palins -- removed from his job.
"The Palins can't figure out why nothing's going on," Bailey told a trooper official. "I mean he's declared bankruptcy, his finances are a complete disaster, he's bought a new truck. All kinds of crazy stuff. He doesn't represent the department well. The community knows it, but no action is being taken."
This is by no means the first instance of foot-dragging on the legislature's investigation from Palin's camp since she was announced last week as John McCain's running mate. In a complaint filed last night to the Alaska Attorney General, Palin's lawyer suggested that Palin would not be made available for her deposition unless the investigation was taken out of the hands of the legislature and handed over to the state personnel board, who's three members are appointed by the governor. Sen. Hollis French, the Anchorage Democrat overseeing the probe, has said that he is willing to issue subpoenas if necessary.
Josh
Zachary
Another name to watch is Mike Tibbles.
Tibbles was Palin's Chief of Staff as Governor - until he abruptly resigned in May 2008 to "spend more time with his family."
Tibbles family apparently didn't want him around, though, because now he's Ted Stevens' campaign manager.
Tibbles has been named in Troopergate as one of her aides who was pressuring state officials for the firing of Palin's brother-in-law.
Maybe he saw the writing on the wall?
September 3, 2008 5:35 PM | Reply | Permalink
When you vet from the hip you reap the whirlwind.
And after the wind comes the storm surge.
September 3, 2008 5:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
But McCain likes surges, doesn't he?
September 3, 2008 6:21 PM | Reply | Permalink
How long before we hear the Republicans referring to Sen. Hollis French as a renegade legislator pursuing a partisan vendetta? They seem to pull out that old chestnut every time one of their own gets indicted.
September 3, 2008 6:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
Well, guess they 'know him'.
Sarah called the oil company's bluff -- and they didn't like it at all.
Hollis is not after the truth. He is just trying to 'get' Sarah.
September 3, 2008 11:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
There is a plane load of GOP Lawyers in Alaska, right now....cutting deals and "shoring up" the base..offering choice Ambassadorships, offering special appointments with all the trimmings, posh office arrangements...in exchange for dragging this "investigation" and any others out, till after the elections..(or just dropping it all together due to lack of evidence) and to start the choir singing the praises of Sarah Palin....
September 3, 2008 6:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
GOP lawyers have been at the scene of every crime.
Remember 2000 in various election offices in South Florida? Ben Ginsburg? The RNLA? GOP lawyers.
Remeber the 2004 vote and stolen election? Mark F. "Thor" Hearne, II? Jill Holtzman-Vogel? Jason Torchinsky? GOP Lawyers.
Is anyone up in Juneau, Anchorage and Wasila who can provide a list of these lawyers and just what they're up to?
September 3, 2008 6:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
BTW, it is WASILLA not Wasila.
September 3, 2008 11:05 PM | Reply | Permalink
Governor Palin's spokesperson would only say the governor wanted to have more family to spend time with.
September 3, 2008 6:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
The Governor would only say she wanted to have more family to spend time with
September 3, 2008 6:13 PM | Reply | Permalink
Isn't the stonewalling supposed to start AFTER you're elected? It's hard to imagine how they think they'll pull this off. This is what the press will be talking about for the next two months. I guess it's fair to assume this whole deal is at least as bad as it looks--otherwise, they'd get it over with as quickly as possible.
September 3, 2008 6:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
The RNC is making the most of it too. With the left chasing after every Palin mishap like the reporting of Brittney on TMZ, it does not give confidence to the independents and even repubs who might be persuaded to vote dem.
We only have 2 months and we are all acting like....oooh shiny object......
McCain folks..remember him?
September 3, 2008 7:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
Dear, please, God . . . Let the Alaska legislature send State Troopers to the RNC to cuff her and frog-march her off the stage right after her acceptance speech.
September 3, 2008 6:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
The Alaska State Legislature doesn't have the authority to send troopers after ANYONE.
Besides, the FBI is ALREADY picking off our legislators....one by one.
We can only hope that they have the right goods on Stevens, Murkowski, Young, et al.
Sarah has been a great governor. I don't agree with everything she does or says, but at least I know it isn't like the Murkowski administration where 'dollars' were the deciding point.
She stands up for what she believes in.
I was going to vote for Obama. With Sarah on the Republican ticket, I think we might actually have a chance to have someone who LISTENS to the voters.
September 3, 2008 11:09 PM | Reply | Permalink
Where's the straight talk from the new straight shooter. I thought she said "I have nothing to hide, investigate me" in the same interview where she asked "what does the vp do, anyways?"
Now there's gonna more whining from the McCain camp when she's asked why won't you testify?
Pathetic VP pick!
September 3, 2008 6:35 PM | Reply | Permalink
Sarah Palin's nomination is a Pig on a Platter once in a lifetime gift to the Democrats. The swill connected with her, real or imagined will not and cannot die down before Election Day.
Light a candle to John McCain's god-awful judgment. This is his sixth and final crash-and-burn.
September 3, 2008 6:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
This McCain and Palin drip drip, can only be discribed as a freak show. The defense provided by the Republican sheep only elevates the freak show. What a mess. The media didn't cause the freak show, that was McCain doing. Bad Judgement.
September 3, 2008 6:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
I've been wondering why a woman with a Down syndrome baby and a pregnant teen would put them through all this. Now its all crystal clear. She accepted the VP slot to avoid this ethics probe.
September 3, 2008 6:50 PM | Reply | Permalink
Just look it up yourself:
Did you know that the entire state of Alaska has a population that's smaller than *downtown* Memphis? And I'm not talking about metro Memphis, just the downtown part.
Downtown Memphis: 681,000
All of Alaska: 670,000
Metro Memphis: 1.21 million
Just thought I'd add some scale to how small Ms. Palin's "executive" role really is.
Y'know, McCain used to be a decent guy, but in this campaign he seems to have thrown away all his dignity and honorability, and he's become a gutter dweller. This VP pick is just a total, cheap gimmick, and it's an embarrassment to the U.S.A.
September 3, 2008 6:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
I just hope that this time the media will continue to go after the truth and not allow the Republican Party to dictate what information is provided to the voters. There is no need to discuss the teenage pregnancy and moral values, we already have gotten a good look at Palin's moral values. There is so much other issues about this women that need to be explored fully. Tell us about her political stances all of them.
September 3, 2008 6:55 PM | Reply | Permalink
This coutry has already gone though enough corrupt leaders. We would be fools to allow a candidate to come into office already under investigation what ever the outcome.
September 3, 2008 6:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
I think Bush is turning on McCain or at least attempting to undermine his campaign. Rice just announced that they would provide one million dollars of aid to Georgia. This is what Obama and Biden called for two weeks ago. This keep happening; Obama's calls transformed into real policy by Bush. Same thing with Patreaus who now states that the troops may be out by summer. Whats going on here?
September 3, 2008 7:05 PM | Reply | Permalink
But, Middleclassvotingbloc, Americans ARE fools. They elected Bush TWICE. The foam-mouthed members of the base Republican Base will crawl out of their burrows waving American flags and bibles screaming their heads off and, worse, heading for the ballot boxes. I can see this nightmare running its course right into the White House.
September 3, 2008 7:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
I really don't think they're going to get away with this. I could be wrong, though. It depends on whether the MSM will actually follow the investigation.
September 3, 2008 7:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
Prysmith -
But the forces of reason & light have a trump card these bright & hopeful days ...a huge demonstrated freshly enfranchised ,youth vote -
there are more of us then there are of them !
WE Will Win !
September 3, 2008 7:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
But he then goes to Ted Stevens' campaign? Maybe he needs to brush up on his reading comprehension...
September 4, 2008 7:27 AM | Reply | Permalink
McCain is the prince of the GOP, and the GOP is the land of the distraction. Hence, Sarah Palin. If he weren't so busy in and out of court, I do believe McCain would have settled on Jack Abramoff for VP. Now there's a distraction!
September 4, 2008 8:22 AM | Reply | Permalink