Under Investigation

PALIN UNDER INVESTIGATION:
On July 11, 2008, Palin dismissed Public Safety Commissioner Walter Monegan, citing performance-related issues, such as not being a team player on budgeting issues. She then offered him an alternative position as executive director of the state Alcoholic Beverage Control Board, which he turned down.Monegan alleged that his dismissal was retaliation for his failure to fire Palin’s former brother-in-law, Alaska State Trooper Mike Wooten, who was involved in a child custody battle with Palin’s sister and had been accused of threatening Palin's father. Monegan further alleged that contacts made by Palin herself, her staff, and her family had constituted inappropriate pressure to fire Wooten. Palin denied pressuring Monegan, and reiterated that she did not fire Monegan because of Wooten, who is still employed as a state trooper.
On August 1, the Alaska Legislature hired an independent investigator to review the situation.The investigation is scheduled to be completed in October 2008.On August 13, Palin changed her position after an internal investigation, acknowledging that her staff had contacted Monegan or his staff regarding Wooten, but stating that she had only known about some of the contacts, that many of those contacts were appropriate, and that she had not fired Monegan because of Wooten.On September 1, Palin's lawyer asked the state Legislature to drop its investigation, saying that by state law, the governor-appointed state Personnel Board had jurisdiction over ethics issues.Palin also asked that the Board review the matter as an ethics complaint.
Palin's choice to replace Monegan, Charles M. Kopp, chief of the Kenai police department, was named to the position on July 11, 2008. He resigned on July 25 after it was revealed that he had received a letter of reprimand for sexual harrassment in his previous position.