REPORT: SARAH PALIN “ABUSED HER POWER”

This post has been updated.  See also, “Sarah Palin Did Nothing Wrong.”

The Republican-dominated panel overseeing the Trooper-Gate probe voted unanimously Friday night to release the report by its independent investigator.  Talking Points Memo, who’ve been following this investigation since before it was fashionable, summarize the findings below.

The report finds that Gov. Sarah Palin “abused her power” in violation of Alaska law. That’s the key finding. It also finds that while the refusal to fire Palin’s former brother in law was not the sole reason Palin terminated her public safety commissioner, Walt Monegan, it was a “contributing factor.”

Unfortunately for Palin and McCain however, it gets worse.

MSNBC reported this evening that the other key finding – indeed the serious breach of ethics – was the fact that Sarah Palin allowed (dispatched?) her husband to have unusual, inappropriate levels of contact with state employees in this matter. 

It seems as though Todd Palin was an enforcer of sorts for the Governor: making calls, doing follow-up, et cetera, all of which culminated in the end result of Sarah Palin abusing the power of her office in violation of Alaskan ethics law.  

The independent investigator finds:

“Governor Palin knowingly permitted a situation to continue where impermissible pressure was placed on several subordinates in order to advance a personal agenda, to wit: To get Trooper Michael Wooten fired.”

This is obviously a serious blow to the McCain campaign, who have spent weeks trying to cast themselves as the ethical, trustworthy alternative to Barack Obama. 

The full report can be read here (.pdf).  

10/11 UPDATE: Politico’s Ben Smith :

Perhaps equally damning, the report essentially accuses Palin of dishonesty. It also contradicts the best Palin spin, which isn’t about the details but about the big picture: That she and her family were afraid of the fired trooper, who had allegedly abused her sister. The evidence is “inconsistent with such claims of fear,” Branchflower writes, adding that the allegation of fear was “not bona fide.”

10/11 UPDATE 2: A statement from Palin spokeswoman Meg Stapleton below.  Two facts to remember before reading this statement: 

(1) Republicans outnumber Democrats by more than 2 to 1 on the bipartisan, twelve-member legislative panel that released this report, and (2) the investigator overseeing this matter had been hired by the Alaskan state legislature before Palin was picked to be John McCain’s running mate. 

Now, on to the make believe.

“Today’s report shows that the Governor acted within her proper and lawful authority in the reassignment of Walt Monegan. The report also illustrates what we’ve known all along: this was a partisan led inquiry run by Obama supporters and the Palins were completely justified in their concern regarding Trooper Wooten given his violent and rogue behavior. Lacking evidence to support the original Monegan allegation, the Legislative Council seriously overreached, making a tortured argument to find fault without basis in law or fact. The Governor is looking forward to cooperating with the Personnel Board and continuing her conversation with the American people regarding the important issues facing the country.”

Related: SARAH PALIN DID NOTHING WRONG

Tags: "abused her power", Alaskan investigation, Alaskan palin panel, Corruption, Ethics violation, Executive office power abused, Gov. Palin found to have abused power, Palin abused power of her office, Palin corrupt dangerous, Palin violated ethics, Palin violated office power in Troopergate firing, Sarah Palin abused power, Sarah Palin found guilty by Republican led panel, Sarah Palin lied, Sarah Palin Troopergate guilty, Trooper Wooten, troopergate, Walt Monegan