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Todd Palin Refuses to Testify in Trooper-Gate Investigation
Todd Palin, who was subpoenaed just last week in the Trooper-Gate investigation, has said he will not testify.
From the AP:
Todd Palin, who participates in state business in person or by e-mail, was among 13 people subpoenaed by the Alaska Legislature. McCain-Palin presidential campaign spokesman Ed O'Callaghan announced today that Todd Palin would not appear, because he no longer believes the Legislature's investigation is legitimate.
Earlier this week, Talis Colberg, the Alaska attorney general wrote a letter to state legislators, informing them that the state employees who were subpoenaed in the investigation would not be testifying.
Initially, Gov. Sarah Palin promised full cooperation in the investigation, but has been increasingly opposed to the probe since she was named as the Republican vice-presidential nominee.
Late update: Todd Palin's attorney, Thomas Van Flein, sent a letter yesterday to Trooper-Gate investigator Stephen Branchflower, informing him that his client would not be cooperating with the subpoena. The letter can be seen here.













Cuffs and frog-march all the witnesses. The first dude will look 'guuuud' in orange. It will go with his eyes.
September 18, 2008 11:00 PM | Reply | Permalink
PLEASE FORWARD!
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September 19, 2008 11:36 AM | Reply | Permalink
Have impeachment hearings on AK's AG.
September 18, 2008 11:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
Impeachment requires action by the REPUBLICAN-CONTROLLED legislature -- BEGINNING with the investigation that is being STONEWALLED.
RECALL PALIN IMMEDIATELY!
September 18, 2008 11:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
The First Dude is not a government officer.
I'd assume the Alaska Legislature could hold him in contempt, and penalties or arrest would apply.
I don't see any way of legally stopping that, unless the Governor herself somehow intervened. The Attorney General would have no jurisdiction since Todd is not a state employee.
September 18, 2008 11:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
The attorney general represents the law, and has jurisdiction to prosecute criminal violations -- including those committed by private citizens.
That Doesn't mean Todd "Bumpkin" Palin can't be prosecuted. It means you are wrong.
September 18, 2008 11:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
At the same time, the Executive -- the AG -- has no jurisdiction over the legislature (except potentially in the courts), so he has no say at all about the legislature's subpoenas. He is as much in contempt as those he is instructing to ignore those subpoenas.
The legislature should approve a 14th subpoena -- for AG Colberg.
September 18, 2008 11:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
The Alaska Legislature doesn't convene until January.
September 19, 2008 4:04 AM | Reply | Permalink
It would be odd if the Alaska constitution didn't have a provision for the emergency convening of the legislature.
And off if only the Governor/Executive could call the legislature into session outside its "schedule".
September 19, 2008 8:43 AM | Reply | Permalink
Exactly. I have a hard time seeing any precedent for a private citizen refusing a subpoena.
September 19, 2008 10:06 AM | Reply | Permalink
Someone want to tell me there isn't a bias in the media? If this were Obama, if he were being investigated by the Neighborhood Watch where he lives, and he tried to sidestep, it would be banner headlines.
September 18, 2008 11:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
When did "[I] no longer believe[] the Legislature's investigation is legitimate" become a valid reason to ignore a subpoena??
I mean, seriously?!
Can I make my own determination about which laws I will and will not consider "legitimate" here in Chicago??
(Yeah, for about 15 minutes, maybe.)
-- ARG
September 18, 2008 11:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
Golly Todd, wotcha got to hide?
These GOP establishment legal henchmen seem to think that they can trump state laws and a sovereign state legislative body. They very well may win the battle, but their cause will be lost.
September 18, 2008 11:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
To hell with the McCain-Spain blip. Stay on McSlime-ALASKA.
What the citizens of Alaska need to do -- IMMEDIATELY -- is begina a RECALL against Palin. It's the ONE check against gov't that McCrook and the Republican criminal enterprise CAN'T control of intimidate or suppress.
Ignore Palin EXCEPT to hang her around McSlime's NECK. Don't talk about Palin -- talk about BOTH McSlime and Palin TOGETHER and their collaboration AGAINST THE RULE OF LAW in Alaska.
September 18, 2008 11:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
O-B-S-T-R-U-C-T-I-O-N is a crime.
September 19, 2008 12:57 AM | Reply | Permalink
Has there been a presidential election in the past 100 years where the possible winners went into office this corrupt? Isn't standard policy to hide your corruption until you get in and it's too late for anyone to do anything?
The mere thought of this doofus ever sitting in on White House briefings makes my blood freeze.
Should Palin become president and this idiot become First Fisherman there isn't a chance we will ever ever regain respect around the world. The rest of the world will truly think we've lost our minds.
And do you think they'll hold off on their daughter's shotgun wedding until they're in office and then we'll be subjected to a pregnant bride and redneck hockey player, who by then should be drooling and incoherent, walking through the Rose Garden?
I'm just dumbfounded that idiots such as this are even in the running for this job. Did we all fall down the freakin' rabbit hole? I keep praying I'll wake up and find this was just another ambien hallucination.
September 19, 2008 1:38 AM | Reply | Permalink
yes -- 1972 but we're getting close to equaling that this year. unbelievable!
September 19, 2008 10:30 AM | Reply | Permalink
Talk of impeaching Palin is wasting time -- the citizens of Alaska should start a RECALL against Palin NOW! There is precedent for such concerning her. They did it when she was PART-TIME mayor, and that forced her to hire a city manager to do the job she couldn't do.
September 19, 2008 8:47 AM | Reply | Permalink
I'm seriously not understanding the problem here.. The Atty Gen is saying that it is "no longer" a legitimate investigation.
That means it was, at some point, regarded as perfectly valid. Politicization of an investigation does not invalidate the authority of said investigation.
See "Clinton, Bill".
I can see, hypothetically, exempting state employees until this is resolved, but a private citizen like Todd Palin has no recourse. You can't even claim executive priv like Rove/Meyers did, because he was never a state employee.
September 19, 2008 10:03 AM | Reply | Permalink
From:
Head of State
http://headofstate.blogspot.com/2008/09/palin-announces-palinmccain-ticket.html
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Palin Announces Palin/McCain Ticket: Ambition, Inexperience First
From ABC News:
Hilarious if it wasn't so frightening. The kind of slip made by a very young person whose ambitious fantasies all-too-easily break through her manifest inability to think before talking.
Incidentally, this has been her MO all along. From the New Yorker:
Impulsivity, an utter lack of reflectiveness and lack of basic knowledge combines with driving and unconsidered ambition to create a youthful, thoughtless grandiosity in reaction to the overwhelming whirl.A dangerous combination at a time when wisdom, knowledge and reflectiveness are truly a necessity for our nation and our future.
Cite:
Head of State
http://headofstate.blogspot.com/2008/09/palin-announces-palinmccain-ticket.html
September 19, 2008 10:14 AM | Reply | Permalink
Not to place to fine a point on it, but I have one question that for me summarizes this figure in the campaign firmament: Does he speak?
September 19, 2008 10:33 AM | Reply | Permalink
yes and it's on TPM somewhere but saw it on wonkette: http://wonkette.com/402836/todd-palin-interview-sharply-lowers-worlds-collective-iq
September 19, 2008 10:47 AM | Reply | Permalink
does this mean that we can all ignore subpoenas now? great!
September 19, 2008 11:40 AM | Reply | Permalink
First Dude must've finally realized what Bushco and Wall Street have known all along--following the law is for 'little people.' They have discovered that, at the upper echelons of our govt, law enforcement is a voluntary system; refuse to cooperate, obstruct the system, and watch the wheels spin and go nowhere.
The only way we are ever going to get this country back on track is to rebuild our tattered justice system, and fight the real crime going on in this country--white collar crime and abuses of power.
I still like the idea of putting some earmark money to good use in Alaska by building the Ted Stevens Federal Prison for White Collar Criminals.
September 19, 2008 12:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
Cool! The next time a cop pulls me over, I will simply tell him I don't believe his authority is legitimate and I'll just roll on my merry way down the street.
Authority, psssh, that's for the little people. When you are married to the guvner, you can do whatever the hell you want. Laws? For pansies.
September 19, 2008 12:32 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yup! Hope you enjoy your free ride in the back of a police car, along with the decorative bracelets (they go with almost every ensemble).
Maybe you can get First Dude to post bail for you?
September 19, 2008 4:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
Coverup! Coverup!
Why is Palin stonewalling the Troopergate investigation?
What is Sarah Palin hiding?
Also, why won't Palin release her Tax Returns and Medical Records?
WHAT IS SARAH PALIN HIDING?!
Where is this “Open and Transparent Government” she keeps talking about?
September 19, 2008 1:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
Dear Marietz:
Regarding your statement :"Should Palin become president and this idiot become First Fisherman there isn't a chance we will ever ever regain respect around the world. The rest of the world will truly think we've lost our minds."...
Guess what?
The whole world ALREADY thinks we've truly lost our minds (the re-election of G.W B served to confirm it beyond reasonable doubt) so the chances of ever regaining respect are slim to none. But, if we ever end up with Palin as commander in chief, then we'll be able to pride ourselves for being the first country that managed to drop its international standing from #1 to 250 in terms of credibility, moral authority and clout...
September 19, 2008 2:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
So right!
You know your country is f*cked up when other countries equate you with the "axis of evil". It's like we're importing democracy from Robert Mugabe.
September 19, 2008 4:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
Oh, I see, this must be one of them there optional subpoenas.
"I just told the legislature thanks but no thanks for that subpoena to nowheeeeeere, and that if I wanted a subpoena, I'd issue it myself!"
September 19, 2008 2:09 PM | Reply | Permalink
The only solution to this problem (getting to the bottom of Palin's alleged abuse of power) is one or two or a squad of real investigative journalists, digging to find out what Palin and the Dude are hiding behind their Rovian stonewall. We've got about five weeks for the media to dig it up and get it out there.
September 19, 2008 3:35 PM | Reply | Permalink
Who else thinks First Doofus looks a bit like a thin version of British comedian Ricky Gervais?
September 19, 2008 3:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm not sure what you're all complaining about. The days of being a nation of laws and not men have long gone....at least as of 2001 when Bush/Cheney et al, took over. What a fine example they set for the citizenry, what with their BS signing statements (the law says X but we'll do Z), torching of the Bill of Rights, ignoring the mandates of international treaties, throwing out the Hague Convention, etc. etc. Since the President and VP can ignore the laws with impunity and without consequence to themselves and their Administration, so goes the rest of the nation. It's called "trickle down anarchy." And it clearly is infecting the citizenry.
September 19, 2008 4:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
is there any possibility for a citizens arrest here? There were a lot of angry people at the No Sarah rally in Alaska.
September 19, 2008 4:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
Not to offend any of the fine citizens of Alaska but what the hell is going on up there? How in the world did you folks vote that woman in as governor in the first place. Was she less ditzy two years ago than she is today? I'm just saying...
Also, I have a few questions. I know how it works in my state. Here the spouse of the governor has none of the protections routinely afforded to the governor. She also doesn't attend government meetings or get included in government emails (at least not so far as I know right now).
So how is it the First Dud of Alaska is being represented by the same attorney his wife, The Governor, is being represented by courtesy of the taxpayers of Alaska???
How is it the First Dud can in refusing to honor a subpoena use as a defense that the Governor can fire certain employees at will meaning without supplying a reason or cause? I mean that excuse probably covers "Sarah" but I don't see how it works as an excuse for Todd refusing to testify. I'm so confused...
September 19, 2008 6:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
Is it sexist to call him the First Douche?
September 19, 2008 6:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
HOW many people understand....HOW THE RIGHT WING BOUGHT OFF THE ENTIRE MAINSTREAM MEDIA with all the LEO WANT TRUST FUND SWINDLED MONEY...and how, they scandals now are not reported and therefore do not exist?
Only news and scandal is on the internet.
Yet...Dems still don't use effective "attack ads" to their advantage.
Anybody believe the bogus bought off polling showing MCCAIN in dead heat WITH OBAMA, who actually got 70,000 people to attend a speach in Portland, Oregon?
Do you understand how the GOP--POLICE STATE is creating reality with bogus polls, disinfo, and MSM de reporting of the news...while also SECRETLY STEALING ELECTIONS?
GET READY TO LOCK AND LOAD...THE REVOLUTION STARTS NOW OR LATER?
YOU WILL HAVE TO FIGHT AND DIE FOR YOUR CIVIL LIBERTIES...AND THE POLICE STATE IS YOUR FIRST ENEMY PROTECTING THE PRIVILEDGED GOP CORPORATE SCUM....right?
September 20, 2008 1:21 PM | Reply | Permalink