Anchorage Daily News

Here are excepts of the phone call from longtime Palin aide Frank Bailey to Alaska State Troopers Lt. Rodney Dial on Feb. 29 of this year.

The conversation starts with talk about the upcoming troopers contract negotiations. Bailey says the head of the troopers’ union “was horrible” during the 2006 campaign, and says he’s concerned the union will misrepresent earlier promises Palin made.

“I know we’re not supposed to hold grudges, and I don’t think the governor does, but those of us around her certainly remember that, you know,” Bailey says. Then he mentions “some issues” with troopers around the state. He mentions two troopers accused of using excessive force.

Bailey: “And there’s a gentleman by the name of Mike Wooten, who’s a trooper in the Valley. … There’s a family tie with the governor there and so I think because of that, my understanding is, you know, Walt (Monegan) has been very reluctant to take any action. But there are some very clear facts out there that — and these things actually happened — that he Tasered his 11-year-old kid, he drove drunk in a patrol car, he shot a cow moose out of season. … The Palins can’t figure out why nothing is going on. Here’s the problem that’s gonna happen. … There is a possibility because Wooten is an ex-husband of the governor’s sister and there is a custody situation, there is a strong possibility that the governor herself may get subpoenaed to talk about all this stuff on the stand in the coming months. …

“It would be ugly. I don’t think anybody wants that but, you know, Todd and Sarah 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. From their perspective, everybody’s protecting him. … (Palin chief of staff) Mike Tibbles disagrees with me. (Trooper chief) Audie (Holloway) probably disagrees with me. Walt (Monegan) does, and everything, and I understand it’s really touchy but I want you to understand.”

Much later in the conversation, after Bailey lays out more accusations against Wooten, Dial says he’ll run it by Monegan. Bailey says he doesn’t see anything wrong with that.

Dial: “It’s very important to us that the governor have a good opinion and impression of the department. I mean, we care very deeply about what she thinks about the department and, I dont want it to appear that we don’t.”

Bailey: “I appreciate that so much. And I’m telling you honestly, you know, she really likes Walt a lot, but on this issue, she feels like it’s, she doesn’t know why there is absolutely no action for a year on this issue. It’s very, very troubling to her and the family. I could definitely relay that, so. …”

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

— Anchorage Daily News

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