The biggest newspaper in her home state of Alaska, the Anchorage Daily News, today published an editorial that rips into Sarah Palin's stonewalling on the Troopergate investigation, calling for the state legislature to issue subpoenas.
Gov. Sarah Palin is taking the wrong approach to Troopergate. She should be practicing the open and transparent, ethical and accountable government she promised when running for governor and boasts about now that she's on the national stage.
Instead, Gov. Palin has begun stonewalling the Legislature's attempt to get the bottom of allegations that she, her family or staff violated ethical or state personnel rules.
As a result, the Troopergate allegations hang over Palin's future and cloud her candidacy for vice president.
Any doubt that the national press may have about the importance of covering this issue and challenging the McCain/Palin/ right wing "no question is legitimate" tactic should be put to rest by the clear and direct indictment of her behaviour from the newspaper that knows her best.
Perhaps the most telling part of the editorial is the simple one line summary it ends with: "BOTTOM LINE: Gov. Palin is stonewalling on Troopergate; the Legislature should issue subpoenas"."
The full editorial can be viewed at the ADN website
http://www.adn.com/...
Update #1 - You can help more people (outside of dKos) see the original editorial by going to DIGG and rating it up (thanks Erik for pointing this out):
http://digg.com/...
The editorial writers correctly note that
Palin's lawyer has asked the Legislature to drop its investigation. He had the governor file an ethics complaint against herself, in a bid to turn the entire matter over to the state Personnel Board, which would hire an independent investigator.
This is not an open and transparent attempt to establish Gov. Palin's accountability. It is an attempt to drag out the investigation until after voters decide the fate of her vice-presidential bid.
The paper focuses particularly on the role of Palin's aide Frank Bailey, who was recorded on a telephone call pressuring the Public Safety Department to fire Palin's ex-brother-in-law. Palin claimed that Bailey was acting independently, and as "punishment" he was put on paid leave.
On Wednesday (the day Sarah Palin was giving her speech in Saint Paul), Bailey was scheduled for an interview with the legislative investigator. Despite previous assurances from the Governor's office that they would cooperate with the investigation, Bailey refused to show up for the interview.
The newspaper calls for her to address this: "...Gov. Palin should honor her pledge to cooperate with the Legislature's investigation...She could start by telling aide Frank Bailey he has to talk to the legislative investigator. She should fire him if he doesn't."
Amazingly, the editorial compares Palin's stalling tactics unfavourably to the actions of "Uncle Ted" Stevens, Alaska's indicted senior US Senator.
Instead of trying to delay the whole thing, Palin should take a cue from U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens, who asked that his corruption trial be moved up so it would be completed well ahead of the November general election. Voters deserve to know the outcome of Sen. Stevens trial and the investigation into Palin.
When this investigation into Troopergate started, Gov. Palin's response was refreshingly open. Since she became the Republican candidate for vice president, her approach has changed for the worse. America deserves the same openness and ethics from vice-presidential candidate Palin that she promised to Alaska voters in 2006.
When a candidate claiming to be a reformer is compared unfavourably by a friendly hometown paper to a discredited symbol of corruption, the shine is sure to come off the image, isn't it?
We've seen the Bush administration's continued refusal to be held accountable to the rule of law, to allow oversight and investigation, to cover up and lie when faced with exposure of their nefarious doings. This seems to be proof that McCain/ Palin are nothing but more of the same.
How many times have we heard in scandals that "it isn't the original action that gets people into trouble, it is the cover-up"? Seems that, when in trouble, Republicans still don't heed that lesson and revert immediately to the ways of Nixon.
If McCain/ Palin think this is going to go away quietly, they are seriously wrong.
Update #2 - Links to other Troopergrate stories
Nightline's fairly good piece on the investigation:
http://digg.com/...
(Once more, you can help make sure more people see the ABC piece by recommending it on DIGG - thanks again, Erik)
You can also hear Bailey's phone call to a Public Safety Department official here thanks to peace voter)
http://blip.tv/...
Update #3The Anchorage Daily News is now reporting that the Alaska House and Senate Judiciary Committees will meet next Friday to issue subpoenas for key witnesses in the case - although Governor Palin herself will not be subpoenaed
http://www.adn.com/...