Walt Monegan

12 Stories

Palin's Husband, Aides Found in Contempt

State lawmakers slap wrists for ignoring Troopergate subpoenas

(Newser) - Alaska's Senate has voted to hold Todd Palin and nine of Sarah Palin's aides in contempt for not showing up to testify when subpoenaed in the Troopergate probe, reports the Anchorage Daily News. The resolution doesn’t call for any further punishment, because all 10 submitted written statements to investigators...

Palin's 'Reforms' Include State Jobs for Donors

Governor's appointees include loyalists with iffy qualifications

(Newser) - Sarah Palin has touted herself as a reformer, telling voters she "took on the old politics as usual in Juneau." But an LA Times investigation shows the Alaska governor gave more than 100 state jobs to campaign contributors and their relatives, many of whom lacked qualifications for...

Deputy Warned Palins About Troopergate

Official said efforts to fire trooper could embarrass governor

(Newser) - Todd Palin and other aides were warned by state police officials that their push to have a state trooper fired could come back to haunt them, CNN reports. Deputy commissioner of public safety John Glass told a persistent Palin that the trooper had already been disciplined and "discomfort and...

Ethics Report Zeroes in on Todd Palin

First Dude had 'significant influence' over state politics

(Newser) - Sarah Palin is back in the headlines with official findings that she abused her power as governor of Alaska—but her husband is the main character in the 300-page tome issued by the state legislature last week, reports AP. Alaska's “First Dude” spent half his time in Palin’s...

Confident Palin: 'You Got to Read the Report'

She says she didn't abuse her power as Alaska governor

(Newser) - Sarah Palin says she did not abuse her power as governor, despite the findings of an ethics investigation, CNN reports. “If you read the report, you will see that there was nothing unlawful or unethical about replacing a cabinet member,” she said. The report, however, did not fault...

Palins Piled On Pressure for Trooper's Firing

'Obsessed' pair repeatedly contacted commissioner to slam trooper

(Newser) - Sarah Palin, her husband and officials from the governor's office made dozens of phone calls to Palin's public safety commissioner and his aides denouncing state trooper Mike Wooten, the New York Times reports. Walt Monegan, whose firing Palin claims was unrelated to the matter, says the governor and her husband...

Palin Aides to Testify on Troopergate

Judge denied attempt by staffers to void lawmakers' subpoenas

(Newser) - State employees who had argued that Alaska’s legislature lacked the power to call on them have agreed to testify in the so-called Troopergate probe investigating Sarah Palin’s motives in firing the state’s public-safety commissioner, the Anchorage Daily News reports. A state judge ruled last week against the...

Todd Palin to Speak to Troopergate Investigator

Decision to cooperate in other case awaiting Alaska Supreme Court ruling

(Newser) - Todd Palin plans to speak later this month with an investigator probing abuse-of-power allegations against his wife, his attorney tells the AP. He previously ignored a subpoena ordering him to testify in a parallel probe by the Alaska legislature into the Palins' role in the firing of a public safety...

Judge Refuses to Block Troopergate Probe

Alaska judge rules that investigation must go on, upholds subpoenas

(Newser) - An Alaska judge has refused to halt the Troopergate probe, declaring it a "legitimate" investigation, despite a Republican lawsuit against it, reports the Anchorage Daily News. The judge upheld subpoenas against Sarah Palin's husband and several aides. Five Republican state legislators had filed a lawsuit claiming that the investigation...

Office Records Contradict Palin's Troopergate Claims

'Unauthorized' trip by 'rogue' commissioner was OK'd by governor's office

(Newser) - Gov. Sarah Palin's office actually approved a trip to Washington that her lawyers have been offering as evidence of the "rogue mentality" for which her public safety chief was fired, reports ABC News. Documents show that Palin’s chief of staff signed off on Walt Monegan's trip "to...

Palin Refuses to Meet With 'Troopergate' Investigator

Spokesman says probe has been 'tainted' by Democrats

(Newser) - Sarah Palin won't speak with an investigator hired by lawmakers to look into the firing of her public safety commissioner, a campaign spokesman said today. He told a news conference that Palin will not cooperate as long as the investigation "remains tainted." He said he doesn't know whether...

Flap Over Cop's Job Ensnares Alaska Gov.

Possible McCain VP pick allegedly pushed to fire sister's ex

(Newser) - Alaska's governor, a longshot possibility as John McCain's running mate, is under scrutiny in the wake of allegations she had the state's public-safety commissioner fired as part of a personal vendetta, the Anchorage Daily News reports. Walt Monegan says Sarah Palin pressured him to fire her sister’s state trooper...

12 Stories