Bloggers are having a field day chewing on news reports about Gov. Sarah Palin and Troopergate. Rather than offering more opinions, AlaskaDispatch.com provides you today with statements from the horse's mouth - the McCain-Palin campaign - which has assembled the Palin Truth Squad to set the record straight on the governor's firing of Alaska's top cop, Walt Monegan. This email comes from McCain-Palin spokesman Taylor Griffin, who has set up shop in Anchorage to deal with media questions about Troopergate.
Here's what Griffin sent us and other reporters Friday afternoon, responding to questions about Todd Palin's refusal to cooperate with a subpoena issued by state lawmakers to take his statement on Monegan's firing. Griffin also summarizes the "French Connection," which the McCain-Palin camp believes has tainted the once-legitimate Troopergate investigation:
"Todd Palin responded to the subpoena through his attorney Tom Van Flein and raised a number of objections. The political turn of the Legislative Council's inquiry makes clear that it can no longer credibly consider the facts and get to the truth in this matter. Recent developments have raised serious concerns about the effect of undue political influence on the inquiry. The Governor is an open book on this matter and is fully cooperating with the Personnel Board inquiry already begun by Timothy Petumenos."
SUMMARY OF OBJECTIONS
Subpoena is invalid for more than a dozen separate legal reasons, including:
--Under the Alaska Executive Branch Ethics Act, all claims relating to ethics allegations against the Governor, including specifically allegations involving the termination of executive branch employees, must be referred to the Personnel Board.
--The Alaska Constitution vests the Governor with exclusive authority to dismiss department heads, with no right of review by the legislature.
--To the extent the legislature has oversight authority over the Office of the Governor, that  authority is vested exclusively in the State Affairs Committee, not the Judiciary Committee.
--A number of the members of the Legislative Council, which originally authorized the Branchflower investigation, have stated that they no longer support the investigation as  currently structured. Sen. Kim Elton, the chair of the Council, has acknowledged the need to  re-poll the Council to determine authorization for any further action on the investigation. Thus, there is not currently any authorization for the Branchflower investigation to proceed  further.
HOLLIS FRENCH HAS POLITICIZED THE INQUIRY
Democrat Senate Judiciary Chair Hollis French Has Already Pre-Judged The Outcome Of This As-Yet-Unwritten And Un-Investigated Report Saying "It's Likely To Be Damaging To The Governor's Administration." "Is the McCain campaign afraid of an 'October surprise' involving vice-presidential pick Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska? The Alaska state senator running an investigation of Gov. Palin says the McCain campaign is using stall tactics to prevent him from releasing his final report by Oct. 31, four days before the November election. 'It's likely to be damaging to the Governor's administration,' said Senator Hollis French, a Democrat, appointed the project manager for a bi-partisan State Senate Legislative Counsel Committee investigation of claims that Palin abused her office to get the Alaska public safety commissioner, Walt Monegan, fired." (Brian Ross and Len Tepper, "'October Surprise' Over Palin Investigation," ABC's "The Blotter" Blog, www.abcnews.go.com/Blotter, 9/2/08)
French Publicly Declared Governor Palin Has A Credibility Problem. "French said he still wanted to take testimony from Governor Palin sometime in September about allegations she wanted the public safety commissioner to fire her ex-brother-in-law following a messy divorce to her sister. 'The Governor first issued a blanket denial but now she's had to back down and that's a problem,' said French. 'She has a credibility problem,' he said." (Brian Ross and Len Tepper, "'October Surprise' Over Palin Investigation," ABC's "The Blotter" Blog, www.abcnews.go.com/Blotter, 9/2/08)
French Even Commented About The McCain Campaign's Vetting And Alluded To An "October Surprise." "'French says the McCain campaign failed to contact any of the Senators involved in the investigation during the vetting process of Gov. Palin. 'If they had done their job they never would have picked her,' said French. 'Now they may have to deal with an October surprise,' he said, referring to the scheduled release Oct. 31 of the committee's final report." (Brian Ross and Len Tepper, "'October Surprise' Over Palin Investigation," ABC's "The Blotter" Blog, www.abcnews.go.com/Blotter, 9/2/08)
BACKGROUND:
LETTER: ELTON TO HARRIS
Sen. Kim Elton, Democratic Chairman of the Legislative Council, the Body Charged with the Monegan Inquiry:Â "I No Longer Believe The Debate Can Be Any More Politicized Than It Is Now." (Sen. Elton, Letter To Rep. John Harris, 9/17/08)
LETTER: COGHILL TO ELTON
Six members of the Legislative Council Joined A Letter Encouraging Sen. Elton To "Consider The Integrity Of The Legislative Council" And Calling For A Meeting To Discuss Concerns Over The Politicized Process. (Rep. John Coghill, Letter To Sen. Kim Elton, 9/9/08)
Rep. Coghill Called On The Legislative Council To Convene After Hollis French's Public Political Comments. "The decision as to whether or not the Senate or House Judiciary Committee subpoenas anyone is made by the respective committee and the presiding officer, however, considering the political nature of Senator French's comments, we believe Legislative Council should convene and have the discussion before any subpoenas are issued relevant to the investigation in light of the ethics complaints filed with the administration." (Rep. John Coghill, Letter To Sen. Kim Elton, 9/9/08)
LETTER: HARRIS TO ELTON
House Leader John Harris Called On Sen. Elton To Convene A Meeting To Examine The Impartiality Of The Council. "The political landscape certainly has changed since this investigation was authorized by the Legislative Council on July 28, 2008. What started as a bipartisan and impartial effort is becoming overshadowed by public comments from individuals at both ends of the political spectrum. A meeting of the Council is now warranted to ensure that this investigation remains and concludes in the impartial and timely manner we agreed upon." (Rep. John Harris, Letter to Sen. Kim Elton, 9/16/08)