Alaskans angered that Palin is off-limits

[RamboLiberal]

Source: LA Times

ANCHORAGE -- Jerry McCutcheon went to Sarah Palin's office here last week to request information about the firing of former Public Safety Commissioner Walt Monegan, the scandal that for weeks has threatened to overshadow the governor's role as Republican presidential candidate John McCain's running mate.

McCutcheon was given a phone number in Virginia to call: the national headquarters of the McCain-Palin campaign.

Why, he wanted to know, did he have to call a campaign office 4,300 miles away to find out what was going on in Alaska government? The longtime civic activist phoned his local state representative, Les Gara, who quickly filed a protest.

These days, many such queries about Monegan -- or anything else involving Palin's record as governor -- get diverted to McCain staffers. A former Justice Department prosecutor from New York flew in recently to advise the governor's lawyer and field reporters' calls about Monegan. Soon after, Palin's willingness to cooperate in the Legislature's probe of the affair ended.

A recent call to John Cramer, the head of the state Department of Military and Veterans Affairs -- who clashed with Palin during her years as mayor of Wasilla -- was returned by a McCain campaign operative who had just arrived from Washington, D.C. "John who?" she asked.



Read more: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-troopergate21-2008sep21,0,2158301.story

---

When they lose to Obama/Biden I get the feeling Palin's political career in Alaska is going to be screwed!

[Blue_In_AK]

1. That's a very accurate report.

I want those people out of here with every fiber of my being. They are anathema to Alaskans. It's almost like an invasion.

[barbtries]

9. keep on making the noise

there are still too many people "charmed" by this woman. since the announcement i've been reading mudflats and listening to KUDO every evening (CC's show). last week it was a huge story that the government of the state was apparently being hijacked by a political campaign! what do you think the chances are of palin being able to retrieve her alaskan political career after this boondoggle is over? if the republicans steal the election again, my interest will certainly wane as i'll be seeking a new country.

[alfredo]

23. Can she be recalled or impeached?

[pauldg0]

35. Now that's a nifty statement............

...I think that is a very important thing to bring up to the press and the public.

Boy can they get nailed to the cross for that one.......good job!!!

[alfredo]

37. Just talk of such action would hurt the McCain campaign. If we play

our cards right, maybe we can turn Alaska blue.

Why are the McCain lawyers interfering in Alaskan politics?

[HowHasItComeToThis]

27. THAT IS HOW YOU RUN A MADISON AVENUE CAMPAIGN

WHERE K STREET AND MADISON AVENUE PACKAGE A FRAUD

[dmr]

59. I want to know where the money is coming from to pay for

all the legal fees. These are monster lawyers who demand high fees for their work.

Where is the money coming from?

The RNC was very worried about their lack of finances not so long ago. Who is financing them now? It can't all be in liquid campaign contributions.

The lawyers are up in Alaska to help Palin out of trouble or in this case to undermine the State of Alaska from finding the truth whether their governor abused her power. Those lawyers are there to benefit McCain/Palin's election bid. If it benefits their bid, then those fees should be considered campaign contributions.

If it is lawful, and they are using liquid-donated contributions to pay for expensive legal fees, how can there be enough to run an effective campaign? We're talking about a lot of money here!

Mustn't all contributions, both liquid-donated and service-rendered contributions be reported within a specific time frame?

McCain's campaign is full of lobbyists, and now lawyers. None of those come cheap. How is McCain paying them? Where is the money coming from? And if they are billing them, don't those expenditures have to be reported as campaign expenses?

Not sure if I've posed my questions in an understandable way, but it seems like an awful lot of expensive lawyers are trying to bail out Palin from her state government; and I want to know how they can afford it, if it will be publicly reported and if it is legal.

If the RNC is paying for it (not the McCain/Palin campaign), where did the financially strapped RNC get the money? If the RNC is paying for Palin's legal fees, it is to benefit her election bid - therefore that is a campaign expenditure - is that legal?

[roguevalley]

36. we're so small, we see them on the street, use their businesses,

bump into them. this is absolutely not the way it is here. I agree 100% with you. anathema is the perfect word for this.

[Political Tiger]

2. Easier to coordinate the lies

if they are all coming from the same place. They gotta keep their propaganda straight you know!

[OakCliffDem]

20. Palin has moved up to the big time

The Republicans have paid professional spin masters to handle the past issues of their candidates. The Republican method of taking care of potentially negative actions from a candidates past:
Delay
Deflect
Just don't answer

[Nambe]

3. Yikes, an October surprise perhaps!

¨French warned that the committee's final report might turn into "an October surprise" for the McCain campaign.¨

[George II]

11. That would be great, for once an "October Surprise" that wasn't orchestrated by republicans.

[Democat]

4. So much for "Open Government" from Palin

As far as Alaskan's are concerned, she's locked in the bunker with Cheney.

[bjobotts]

50. She's all about Palin only. She could give a shit about Alaska. Just lip service.

[crossroads]

51. 'Lipstick' service...lol nt

[Douglas Carpenter]

5. I Just finished reading this article/ KICK AND RECOMMENDED!!

[Punkingal]

6. I have wondered if this stonewalling

wouldn't hurt her career in Alaska when they lose the election. Reading this article, it seems that it will.

K&R

[99th_Monkey]

7. Alaskans aren't the only ones pissed off about it. After all, I'm not Alaskan.

and I'm plenty pissed ... that this total unknown is being foisted onto the world stage
by McSenile and his GOP keepers.

The more we learn, the more there is to be pissed about.

[AlbertCat]

17. Dubya was also an "Unknown"...

...but for the familiar last name. I mean, who cares who the Gov. of Tx is? The Exec branch for the GOP is a secret operation with PR window dressing puppets in the "chief" positions to keep the public distracted while things are run from a secret undisclosed location.

More of the same.

[HowHasItComeToThis]

28. BINGO FOR YOU, REMEMBER THEY CREATED BUSH

[wordpix]

55. don't forget his "ranch" photo op background but MSM won't shoot his real mansion in TX

[pleah]

8. K&R

:kick:

[MinM]

10. 2000 recount redux? Edward O'Callaghan doing his best to shut it down

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=103x384816

[Uncle Joe]

26. Recommended for the O.P. kicked for this post.

Thanks to RamboLiberal and MinM.:thumbsup:

[DeepModem Mom]

12. K&R

[tanyev]

13. How can that even be legal?

[Rosa Luxemburg]

46. I'm sure that it's not legal. I can't imagine it happening in other states!

[phycomycetes]

14. I'd be so ashamed if I was a Republican supporter...

And some seem to be, too:

"This Palin VP thing has Alaskans all stirred up. Much like Palin divided the Republican Party, she has managed to divide the state over her national candidacy," conservative talk-show host Dan Fagan complained in a commentary last week.

"My fellow conservatives, remember how frustrating it was when Bill Clinton committed perjury and liberals looked the other way. As conservatives, we are no better unless we demand full disclosure from our governor," he said. " . . . No politician is so popular and charismatic that they should be above accountability and telling the truth."





"I don't know why they're trying to paint this as a Democratic partisan attack," said state Sen. Wielechowski. "The thing I constantly remind people of is: Democrats didn't push this. You know who pushed it? It was the Republicans. This is the thing people conveniently forget now. There were no Democrats out there screaming for an investigation."

[Vidar]

15. Wow, even Cheney didn't go into hiding until after he stole the election.

[Imagevision]

16. Yes indeed, it apears for once the repugs may get the October Surprise

[Solly Mack]

18. I hope Palin is crushed and crushed good

We don't need her reappearing in any capacity

Thanks for posting. Gave me a smile!!!

[madmom]

19. Here's what I think will happen..she won't answer to dems because after all it's just a partisan

witch hunt, she won't answer to repugs because they want her out because she upset the "good old boys club". So there will be another who thinks they are above our laws!!!!

[Blue_In_AK]

42. See this blog entry re Sarah and the "Good Old Boys"

http://www.andrewhalcro.com/palin_and_stevens_the_trials_and_tribulations

[TNMOM]

21. where's there is smoke, there is fire

They've got something to hide. It's going to come out, one way or another.

[Bette Noir]

22. Apparently, she learned quickly from the Bush crew.

[Tuttle]

24. DU this Palin poll

it looks like it's been overtaken by knuckle-draggers

http://www.pbs.org/now/polls/poll-435.html

One click does it.

Tut-tut

[ohio2007]

25. Shows 0% are not sure so it's either a yes or no answer

Do you think Sarah Palin is qualified to serve as Vice President of the United States?

Yes 52%
No 46%
Not Sure 0%

http://www.pbs.org/now/polls/poll-435.html

looks like you can vote often.
which makes it just another bs poll

[Blue_In_AK]

43. I just voted again.

I think this is the fourth time now. What a bogus poll.

[Barrymores Ghost]

32. Done. You need to top-post this poll, if you haven't already! n/t

[crossroads]

52. I got this in an email from a Repug yesterday

They are making the rounds with it! Please vote fellow DUers!

CR

[progressivebydesign]

29. I found ironic that the Palins cite "illegal killing of a moose" regarding the brother-in-law..

considerin that when I searched the court records up there in Wasillia (someone here had posted a link), Todd Palin, and other members of the family also have game violations up there.

[Tempest]

33. Not only that

But Palin admitted to knowing the moose was shot out of season and still accepted meat from the moose.

It wasn't until more than a year later during the divorce, and after the Palin family enjoyed the meat, that Palin filed a complaint.

[progressivebydesign]

30. BTW, who is running Alaska while she's cramming foreign policy & peddled like a trick pony? n/t

[atreides1]

31. Isn't It Obvious

That would be the McCain-Palin campaign!!!

[BrotherBuzz]

34. McCain can now claim he has executive experience

:rofl:

[progressivebydesign]

39. No kidding, I mean how can they function without their Shadow Gov Todd?? n/t

[ladywnch]

41. according the Anchorage Daily News..... the mccain campaign is running the state.

there was a post about it with the adn.com article just yesterday.

[RamboLiberal]

57. ADN: Lawmakers: Politics 'hijacked' Alaska

Top legislators say McCain campaign effort an attempt to stifle state Troopergate investigation

By Pat Forgey | JUNEAU EMPIRE
The presidential campaign of Sen. John McCain and Gov. Sarah Palin has taken effective charge of the Alaska state government's response to the legislative investigation into abuse of power allegations against Palin.

An investigation that began on a bipartisan basis with several pledges from Palin to participate, is now being manipulated to protect Palin by campaign attorneys who appear to be directing the Palin administration's response, top legislators say.

"The state of Alaska and the Alaska Attorney General's Office don't need any help from a national campaign," said Sen. President Lyda Green, R-Wasilla.

Green said the Palin administration's response seems more geared to help the McCain campaign by shutting down the investigation that's become known as "Troopergate" than informing the Alaska public.

"National politics have absolutely hijacked the state government, it's really disturbing to see from the governor," said Rep. Beth Kerttula, D-Juneau.

http://www.juneauempire.com/stories/092108/sta_334953142.shtml

[JerseygirlCT]

49. The First Dude? nt

[alfredo]

38. McCain wants to control Alaskan politics. Why aren't Alaskan rebelling

against their interference in something that should concern Alaskans only?

[Blue_In_AK]

40. We're trying, Alfredo.

You know, odd as it may sound, this really upsets me so much more than the VECO scandals, Ted Stevens' trial, the investigation of Don Young, etc. etc. etc. I mean, sure they're all corrupt, but at least it was OUR corruption, and it was issues that we understood, and stuff we knew about, had been gossiping about for years. This invasion by these outsiders is not about Alaska at all. They don't know anything about our government, our Constitution. They're like Mafia enforcers, or like the "men in black" in the Matrix movies.

For once, I think I understand where the Alaska Independence Party is coming from.

[alfredo]

44. Tap into that anger and direct it toward the McCain campaign.

McCain, Get your nose out of our Business!!

[kmdemqueen]

45. impeached now.

ya, impeach Sarah palin. That is the best way to go. I meanit will divert from the elections. and give those who were for her many a unsettled feeling. KH

[pj2472]

47. Let's see her in the debates

I want everyone to see that the only thing she has to say is "I worked against the Old Boys Network"

[rasputin1952]

48. Not that death foir the McCain cndidacy needed much more...

Palin is the final nail in the coffin...;)

[trthnd4jstc]

53. Gov. Palin is seen to be a liar. n/t

[Robb]

54. Well, they should recall her.

:shrug:

[NBachers]

56. So how do you say "Carpetbaggers" in Alaskan?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1n03a7cLf0M

[agentS]

58. Hypocrisy meter is off the charts here

You know damn well that if Paulson was a Democrat pulling this stunt the Reich-wing (that's right, I said Reich. There's nothing 'right' about the 'right-wing' anymore) media mavericks would be on TV and radio 24/7 whining and moaning about it.

She's the governor of Alaska, not a pro athlete for a sports team. If the campaign is running her state then she's gotz 2 go.

[orleans]

60. what? alaskans angered? why, i thought those palin supporters

ran the state/country over there--and that they could hardly wait to just suck her butt, or kiss it or rub it or do whatever it is they have been doing.

and now they're angry?

i'm shocked, i tell you! shocked!

[OakCliffDem]

61. Kick