The Truth is Not Partisan

The truth is not partisan.

On Friday, Alaska got the truth. Steve Branchflower had presented his findings of the “Troopergate” inquiry. After hours of debate, the eight Republicans and four Democrats on the Legislative Council voted unanimously to release it to the public. They were the same Council that had voted unanimously for the investigation in July.

The truth is not partisan.

The spin is completely partisan.

The McPalin Campaign have done all they can to make the Lower 48 think the legislative inquiry was a partisan witch hunt. Ed O’Callaghan, a New York prosecutor, has co-speared the smear deliveries with Meg Stapleton. The ridiculous irony to their efforts came in their self anointed title, “Truth Squad.”

Poster boards had accusatory pictures of Alaska Democrats who had cast allied votes for Palin’s policies that would have never passed without them; good, honorable Alaskans ran over by the Strait Talk Express Bus. The McPalin Campaign put out a review of the report the day before the legislature even voted on its release to confuse the truth that may come out.

The Truth: Finding One: For the reasons explained in section IV of this report, I find that Governor Sarah Palin abused her power by violating Alaska Statute 39.52.110(1) of the Alaska Executive Branch Ethics Act. Alaska Statute 39.52.110(a) provides
“The legislature reaffirms that each public officer holds office as a public trust, and any effort to benefit a personal or financial interest through official action is a violation of that trust.”

Branchflower’s report says Palin “knowingly, as the term is defined in the above cited statutes, permitted Todd Palin to use the Governor’s Office and the resources of the Governor’s Office, including state employees, to continue to contact subordinate state employees in an effort to find some way to get Trooper Wooten fired. Governor Palin knowingly permitted a situation to continue where impermissible pressure was placed on several subordinates in order to advance a personal agenda … She had the authority and power to require Mr. Palin to cease contacting subordinates, but she failed to act.”

“Compliance with the code of ethics is not optional.” (page 65, Branchflower Report)

The Lie: KTUU Channel 2 News asked the Governor if she thought she had done anything wrong. Palin: “Not at all. And I’ll tell you — I think that you’re always going to ruffle feathers if you do what you believe is in the best interests of the people whom you are serving.” She went on to say she was “pleased to be cleared of any legal wrongdoing…any hint of any kind of unethical activity there.”

The Spin: Palin Vindicated? What? Governor, I know you are a long way from home, but since you are still being paid your state wage, you should spend some time reading the report. Go to page 8. Read finding One. You have abused your power. You have allowed the GOP and the McCain Campaign to abuse the people of Alaska. You have allowed the legal process in Alaska to be abused by the McCain-Palin campaign and James Dobson’s Liberty Legal Institute Attorneys from Texas. Yes, that’s right, the legal team out of a state you wouldn’t stay in to have your baby, but don’t mind them coming here to write legal briefs on your behalf. The truth, Governor Palin, is your ignorance and/or denial of the facts of this brief show you are clearly suffering from Reality Deficit Disorder.

You owe the People of Alaska an apology.