HEY PALIN: Time to say you're sorry!

By Shannyn Moore

shannynmoore.wordpress.com

Alaskans will stick up for Alaskans despite party. When it's ten below and snowing sideways, you don't check bumper stickers to see if you'll help someone by the road. Walt Monegan and many other Alaskans have been thrown under McCain's Straight Talk Express Bus. A bi-partisan team is now formally asking for an apology. The Branchflower Report found Sarah Palin did abuse her power, even though she apparently hasn't read it. I will know life is back to normal when Republican Gail Phillips and I can get back to arguing about mining issues and I can keep rooting for Chancy Croft's son Eric in his mayoral run. Right now, we are trying to salvage all the collateral damage caused by the McCain/Palin campaign.

BI-PARTISAN CALL ON McCAIN CAMPAIGN FOR APOLOGY TO FORMER ALASKA PUBLIC SAFETY COMMISSIONER

Campaign Attacks on Career Law Enforcement Office Called "Unconscionable"

ANCHORAGE - Today a bi-partisan call was made on the McCain Campaign for an apology to former Public Safety Commissioner Walt Monegan. The bi-partisan call was made by former Republican Speaker of the House of Representatives Gail Phillips and former Senate President Chancy Croft. Both legislators expressed dismay at the negative characterizations made by McCain's campaign staff that traveled to Alaska in September and October in an unsuccessful attempt to derail the Legislature's bi-partisan "Troopergate" investigation. That investigation resulted in a report that was released, on a unanimous vote of the Alaska Legislature's Legislative Council, on October 10th.

Mr. Monegan, as conceded by Governor Palin in hiring him for the position, earned great respect throughout Alaska for his dedicated law enforcement work.

Former Speaker Phillips offered the following statement about Mr. Monegan, a former U.S. Marine, widely-respected career police officer, Anchorage Police Chief and State Public Safety Commissioner: "It's unconscionable that an outside campaign organization which had no knowledge of the history, background or understanding of an Alaskan issue would come to our State to destroy the reputation and life of a dedicated Alaskan public servant, Walt Monegan. Senator McCain's attempt to insert his campaign into action taken by the Alaska Legislature was wrong and poorly thought out".

Former President Croft noted "Walt's good reputation has become a casualty because of people who never met him, don't live in Alaska and who valued political attack over honor. Gail and I are speaking for thousands of Alaskans of all political loyalties and we would like to help Walt get back his earned reputation for honesty and dedicated public service".

Here is their letter:

Dear Senator McCain:

We are writing because we believe an apology is owed from your campaign to Alaskans and our former Commissioner of Public Safety, Walt Monegan. As former legislative leaders of both major political parties in Alaska, we haven't always agreed upon political issues. However, we adamantly agree that Mr. Monegan, who is well respected in Alaska by people of all party affiliations, is owed an apology. The attacks against Commissioner Monegan for his role in administering a personnel issue, now known statewide as "Troopergate", were unwarranted and wrong. Mr. Monegan is a former U.S. Marine, a front-line police officer, was Chief of Police in Anchorage, Alaska's largest city, served as our State's Commissioner of Public Safety and served both Republicans and Democrats with professionalism and honor.

This summer Governor Palin fired Mr. Monegan as Commissioner, which was within her purview. However, in July, the Legislature, through unanimous action by the bi-partisan Legislative Council, voted to investigate Commissioner Monegan's termination and whether his refusal to fire Trooper Wooten played a role in his termination. The investigation had nothing to do with your campaign.

After Governor Palin was named as your running mate, your campaign stepped into the fray. In an effort to discredit and stop the bi-partisan legislative investigation into whether or not Governor Palin acted improperly in seeking the termination of her former brother-in-law, Trooper Wooten, your campaign engaged in a near-daily course of personal attacks against Mr. Monegan and members of the legislature. It's obvious to many of us that you probably were not aware of these attacks by your campaign committee; however, since the final responsibility is yours, we feel Mr. Monegan is owed an apology from you.

In an effort to halt the bi-partisan investigation, your campaign staff tried to vilify Commissioner Monegan. Before Governor Palin was selected to your presidential ticket, she had agreed to the investigation; she publicly said it was justified and that she and her staff would cooperate with the investigation. She stated to the press that the public had a right to be concerned whether or not her administration may have placed improper pressure on the State Department of Public Safety to fire her former brother-in-law.

Following Governor Palin's selection as your running mate, your campaign sent staff to Alaska to try to stop the investigation that Governor Palin had previously agreed to. Your campaign staff accused the legislative action as partisan in spite of the fact that the unanimous vote of the Legislative Council was bi-partisan.

Your campaign accused Mr. Monegan of being a "rogue", of being insubordinate and other defamatory statements. To justify your involvement in this Alaskan issue and the Governor's termination of Commissioner Monegan, your campaign continually changed the excuses for his termination. The various and changing excuses given by your campaign speaks clearly to the lack of credibility in its involvement.

Despite your campaign's efforts to stop the investigation in court, and by public pressure, the investigation was recently completed. On October 10th the investigative report was released and the independent investigator, Steve Branchflower, concluded that the Governor had violated the State's Executive Ethics statute by pressuring for the termination of Mr. Wooten from his position as an Alaskan State Trooper. The investigation also found that one of the probable reasons Commissioner Monegan was terminated was his refusal to fire the Governor's former brother-in-law.

We acknowledge the authority the Governor has for terminating Commissioners; however, your campaign's interference into this State matter and attempts to discredit Commissioner Monegan for campaign purposes is very troubling. Both the vilification of Mr. Monegan and the attempts by your campaign to stop the investigation were wrong.

We respectfully request an apology from your campaign to Mr. Monegan. He is a good man who has put his life on the line for Alaskans many times and he deserves better treatment from you and your campaign. Not only have the personal attacks from your campaign deeply affected and hurt the Monegan family, but also the people of Alaska who care and respect Mr. Monegan.

Sincerely,

Gail Phillips Former Speaker of the Alaska House of Representatives

Chancy Croft Former President of the Alaska State Senate

Shannyn Moore. Born Alaskan. Patriot. Constitutionalist. Lover of Freedom. Giving hell to the establishment. Standing up to fascists and tyranny...both foreign and domestic.

Visit Shannyn's blog at shannynmoore.wordpress.com

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