GOP lawmakers sue to stop Palin investigation - Page 2

aps · 09-17-08, 08:47 PM

I actually think this is a good thing--it keeps this issue in the limelight, and it shows exactly what disneydude mentioned--that McCain-Palin is no different than Bush-Cheney (and Nixon-Watergate at that).

independent_thinker2002 · 09-17-08, 08:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Harshaw

You forget that there are numerous prominent Alaska Republicans who don't like her because she cleaned house.

Well, which is it? Did she clean house or are they still in power?

independent_thinker2002 · 09-17-08, 08:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RightinNYC

From another thread:

So, is someone who supports a candidate incapable of having the integrity to be a part of an investigation?

RightinNYC · 09-17-08, 08:54 PM

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Originally Posted by danarhea

1) Stephen Branchflower, the lead investigator of Troopergate, is a lifelong Republican.

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2) The committee investigating Palin consists of 4 Democrats and 10 Republicans.

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In two letters released Wednesday, Thomas Van Flein called the investigation "unlawful and unconstitutional" and said the man hired to run it, former prosecutor Stephen Branchflower, has a conflict of interest because he's a friend of the fired commissioner

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The investigation has included setting up a secret tip line to "accept and investigate anonymous rumors and complaints outside the scope" of the inquiry, Van Flein alleged. He also said Branchflower has deposed witnesses without proper notice other attorneys.

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Van Flein sent one of the letters to Branchflower and the other to Democratic Sen. Kim Elton, who heads the Legislative Council, the body that unanimously approved the investigation in July. Both letters were dated Tuesday.

Elton this week rebuffed a Republican attempt to have Sen. Hollis French, an Anchorage Democrat, replaced as head of the investigation.

Van Flein wrote that both French and Branchflower are friends of Monegan but apparently failed to disclose those relationships to the Legislature.

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The investigation, which began after Monegan’s dismissal in July 2008, is being led by outspoken supporters of Barack Obama and members of the Democratic Party. Sen. Elton, the Chair of the Legislative Council donated $2,000 to the Obama campaign but has failed to disclose this to the Legislative Council and he continues to preside over the Council with respect to the investigation, refusing to convene meetings of the Council at the request of a majority of the Council’s membership. Sen. French the investigation “project manager” failed to disclose to the Legislative Council the comments he made on a radio program criticizing the Governor’s conduct regarding the termination of Monegan as “criminal” prior to being appointed as the investigation “project manager” and even prior to a vote to investigate at all. Sen. French also failed to disclose to the Legislative Council that he had a personal bone to pick with the Governor over the Monegan firing because Monegan was a friend and because he had worked closely with Monegan during the 2008 legislative session regarding attempts to include in the state budget items that Governor Palin had vetoed.

adn.com | Alaska Politics Blog : And now this

If those allegations are true, this is a serious problem.

RightinNYC · 09-17-08, 09:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by independent_thinker2002

So, is someone who supports a candidate incapable of having the integrity to be a part of an investigation?

No. Someone who makes public statements about how something is "criminal" before they even begin what is supposed to be an unbiased investigation is incapable of credibly conducting that investigation.

If a judge made a statement like that about a defendant before a trial began, he'd either have to recuse himself from the case or he'd get in a ****load of trouble with the Bar because of his own ethical violation.

independent_thinker2002 · 09-17-08, 09:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RightinNYC

No. Someone who makes public statements about how something is "criminal" before they even begin what is supposed to be an unbiased investigation is incapable of credibly conducting that investigation.

If a judge made a statement like that about a defendant before a trial began, he'd either have to recuse himself from the case or he'd get in a ****load of trouble with the Bar because of his own ethical violation.

I don't know, it looks like McCain has sent a pack of wol....I mean lawyers up to Alaska to stop this.

It's funny how Bush/Cheney have been doing this for going on 8 years and here we are with more of the same BS. They'll say that they cooperate with investigations and hold people accountable, and then when push comes to shove, they balk and cry "left wing conspiracy".

Replace the Obama supporter and cooperate. But that isn't what they are trying to do. First they want it moved to a bunch of Palin appointees, and now they don't want any investigation. She agreed to cooperate. Now it seems that they have something to hide. It reeks to high heaven.

Lerxst · 09-17-08, 09:16 PM

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Originally Posted by Panther

It has been well documented. Try Google.

Thanks for not answering the question.

RightinNYC · 09-17-08, 09:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by independent_thinker2002

I don't know, it looks like McCain has sent a pack of wol....I mean lawyers up to Alaska to stop this.

It's funny how Bush/Cheney have been doing this for going on 8 years and here we are with more of the same BS. They'll say that they cooperate with investigations and hold people accountable, and then when push comes to shove, they balk and cry "left wing conspiracy".

Replace the Obama supporter and cooperate. But that isn't what they are trying to do. First they want it moved to a bunch of Palin appointees, and now they don't want any investigation. She agreed to cooperate. Now it seems that they have something to hide. It reeks to high heaven.

They didn't seem to have a problem with the investigation before it got so heavily politicized. Palin was willing to cooperate, the Republican leaders I mentioned above were supporters of going forward, and the panel voted unanimously to look into the issue to see if there was anything there.

It's only once the national election hype got a hold of this thing and the stakes became infinitely higher that both sides started to get aggressive on the issue.

Think about it: If there was really something there, don't you think Palin and the Reps would have been against this thing a looooong time ago? To me, it seems completely reasonable to oppose it now - given that guys statements and actions it seems pretty obvious that this thing is going to be framed in the absolute worst possible way.

ADK_Forever · 09-17-08, 09:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Harshaw

You forget that there are numerous prominent Alaska Republicans who don't like her because she cleaned house.

Do you think there just might be other reasons why her fellow Repubs might not like her? Just one or two... possibly? Ya think?

independent_thinker2002 · 09-17-08, 09:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RightinNYC

They didn't seem to have a problem with the investigation before it got so heavily politicized. Palin was willing to cooperate, the Republican leaders I mentioned above were supporters of going forward, and the panel voted unanimously to look into the issue to see if there was anything there.

It's only once the national election hype got a hold of this thing and the stakes became infinitely higher that both sides started to get aggressive on the issue.

Think about it: If there was really something there, don't you think Palin and the Reps would have been against this thing a looooong time ago? To me, it seems completely reasonable to oppose it now - given that guys statements and actions it seems pretty obvious that this thing is going to be framed in the absolute worst possible way.

Especially in light of the current administration, it's not the crime, it's the cover-up. This will play worse than just cooperating. Everyone is pretending as if evidence would be made up. There is an Obama supporter heading it. Fine replace him and go on with the majority republican board. Oh yeah, all of Alaska is out to get her, I forgot. What with her approval rating being as high as 80% and recently at 65%, it stinks.

Even if she did nothing wrong, it will play worse politically not being transparent.