McCain campaign shuts down Trooper-Gate investigation?

[ProSense]

Mission Accomplished

09.22.08 -- 11:49AM By David Kurtz

As Zachary Roth points out at TPMmuckraker, the McCain campaign has largely succeeded in its mission to shut down the Trooper-Gate investigation into Sarah Palin until after the election.

The legislative investigator still plans on issuing his report in October into whether Palin abused her power as governor, but with Palin and the McCain camp refusing to comply with his subpoenas of key witnesses, his report will be incomplete at best.

If there's one lesson to be drawn from the Bush years, it's that the old chestnut about the cover up being worse than the crime is just not true. It's a lesson the McCain camp has learned well. They made the calculation that whatever political price would be paid by impeding the duly authorized investigation of the Alaska legislature would be less than the political damage resulting from a full investigation. So far, it looks like they calculated correctly.

What utter bullshit: They're campaigning for the Presidency while involved in a cover up?

[madmax]

1. Makes Nixon look like a pillar of virtue. n/t

[grantcart]

2. Don't count on it -- The investigator says he has all that he needs to have an impartial

report and the evidence is in the emails and the authorization for the Washington DC trip.

The report will be issued and it will show Palin guilty of using her office for personal reasons. They will try to discredit it but they will be on the defensive.

[PearliePoo2]

5. I thought McWolfkiller's

admin was withholding all the pertinent e-mails? (ala Cheney/Bush) :shrug:

[vaberella]

15. I thank you so much GC.

I read your post last night on the topic and was totally elated in this. I'm glad some people are caring about the integrity of the law and plan to use it to the extent of their power.

I also like how they can force the subpoenas or have people be in the contempt of court. This will hopefully get rid of Palin once and for all.

Question, all these legal nonsense is it draining on the McCain funds. I figure since McCain was supplying the lawyer he's using donated funds to also pay off the lawyer fees.

[madmax]

3. Makes Nixon look like a pillar of virtue. n/t

[Andy823]

4. Most voters will see through the BS

Of course there is always the "zombies" who will simply vote for McCain because they hate democrats, the I think this year those "zombies" will be a minority.

[iceman66]

6. This should be highlighted

to undermine McCain's efforts to co-opt the mantra of "change" - do we really want to elect ANOTHER administration that considers itself to be above the law, or do we want to bring accountability back to Washington?

[Blue_In_AK]

7. Sarah is going to be in unbelievable trouble

when she comes home. Moves are afoot now to have her attorney general disbarred. I was watching Dan Fagan Report last night on Channel 13, and every panelist, across the board, was pissed off at Sarah -- all the way from ultra-conservative, Rush Limbaugh-esque, Dan Fagan to progressive Shannyn Moore. For Shannyn Moore and Dan Fagan to agree on ANYTHING is a monumental shift.

[PearliePoo2]

8. Hey Blue

Speaking of McWolfkiller and since you're in Alaska, I have a question.
I heard the aerial killing of wolves was on the ballot and failed to be repealed.
I also heard people complaining the bill was intentionally written VERY badly on the ballot and the wording was confusing, therefore dooming it.
Is that true and is it likely to be introduced again?
Thanks.

[Blue_In_AK]

9. I agree it was written very badly.

We've already voted twice to ban aerial wolf hunts, as you probably know. This time it was written in such a way that a "no" vote meant that you wanted to continue the aerial wolf hunts in their present form. Here's the actual language for you.

http://www.elections.alaska.gov/96oep/ballot3.htm

[PearliePoo2]

10. thanks for the link

It seems to me the crucial part is right in the first sentence: This bill would bar hunting wild wolf......
so to me, the answer is "YES" if you want to end it. Is that correct?
Will it be introduced again?

[Blue_In_AK]

12. Right, yes if you want to end it.

I don't recall specifically, but I believe the other times when this issue came up it was worded something like "should aerial wolf hunting be allowed" or whatever, which, of course, would require a "no" answer. I've read comments here and there where people have said they misinterpreted this current incarnation.

[ProSense]

13. Thanks for the info. n/t

[vaberella]

16. Wow, even more great news besides

the fact the Repub mayor of Fairbanks plans on endorsing Obama.

[Cosmic Charlie]

11. They haven't stopped anything

Branchflower never really expected Palin and crew to testify.

He already has all the evidence he needs.

Their attempts to stonewall him will just make his report that much more powerful by focusing public attention on it.

[Blue_In_AK]

14. I think you're correct.

Steve Branchflower was a dogged prosecutor back in the day. I can't really see him rolling over on this one.

[PearliePoo2]

18. Branchflower is going to have to have balls of steel.

From what I hear, Palin's a very very sore loser and she gets off on revenge.
Maybe in addition to a recall of the A. G., the good people of Alaska, having seen Palin exposed, will see fit to recall HER too.
Alaskans might not like their state being taken over and run now by McCain/Bush thugs from Washington DC.

[Labors of Hercules]

20. I think it's in their constitution that they HAVE to impeach her...

If there is evidence that she used the office for personal reasons.

[Blue_In_AK]

21. "Might not like" is the understatement of the century.

People here are furious. I can't tell you how many letters to the editor and comments I've read on local blogs where people have said "I voted for Sarah Palin. I had such high hopes for her. I'm so disappointed," or "I didn't vote for Sarah, but at least I liked her. What the hell happened?" She may actually be hurting McCain's chances here. It was amusing last night to watch on TV the two conservatives on Dan Fagan's political panel squirming over their choice. They hate Obama, of course, for being a "socialist," they never really cared much for McCain anyway (he's been very unpopular here), and now they're faced with Sarah's abdication of her governing responsibilities to the McCain campaign. Poor things -- their heads are spinning.

[PearliePoo2]

22. I have to (get to!) leave for work now but...

Thanks everyone for this great thread. Thanks Blue for your very informative and local perspective.
Things are looking up, I think, on exposing Palin and First Dude :puke: for what they are.
I hope their house of cards implodes in a seismic thunder that can be heard all the way down here in the lower 48.

[vaberella]

17. Plus this is a well documented and public stonewalling. I like Branchflower. n/t

[okieinpain]

19. well that's the dems fault. if it was obama doing it every talking head

repug would repeat it over and over and over, until it took on a life of it's own.