Legislative panel: Palin abused authority

Legislative panel: Palin abused authority

16 hours ago

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — A legislative committee investigating Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin has found she unlawfully abused her authority in firing the state's public safety commissioner.

Of course, the Republican spin-meisters have already started calling this a politically-motivated attack.

They're also claiming that this isn't the same as a guilty verdict, that it's more like Prima Facie, the "seemingness of guilt" that a police investigation requires in order to go to trial in the first place, that this is at best analogous to a Grand Jury. That may be (I can't claim to be an expert on the law in general, nor on the intricacies of the Alaskan state constitution, as I am not a lawyer, so I can't say if that's a fair comparison), and maybe when all is said and done she'll be proven innocent. Even if that is the case, her involvement in Troopergate is a very good reason to vote against her.

If, for example, she were indicted but not yet tried for murder, next to no one would vote for her. Remember all that stink over Vince Foster? There was never a prima facie case to indict Clinton for that, yet the Repubs screamed up a storm over it. Now, they're gonna take the opposite stance that she's "not guilty till it's proven in court" 'cause that's the kind of sick little games the Neocons play when they're desperate to retain their powergrabs. Troopergate is nowhere near as dire as murder (and perhaps it's unfair for me to compare them), but it's still speaks to her character. There's a prima facie case that she's corrupt, and this bipartisan report documents it.

For those who dismiss it as political attacks, I'd like to point out that the Troopergate investigation began before Palin was nominated. Remember also that the FBI never vetted her, they typically do fact-finding to make sure candidates are clean before their nominated, but McCain sidestepped them with his last minute decision to include the woman he'd only met once before.

Here's the important part: If you vote for someone who has pending corruption charges against them, you're encouraging them to commit further crimes. You're sending the message that corruption won't dissuade you from your support. It's an even worse conflict of interests in this case, since it's all too possible McCain will kick the bucket while in office, leaving Palin with executive Pardon powers. Voting for her is effectively circumventing the court process and assuring she won't be convicted regardless of how a judge or jury rules, since she'd later become able to pardon herself or appoint a successor who could do so for her.

This had better be a fucking watershed moment here where even the Repubs see the light, because if the American people can't get this right, then we deserve whatever evil shit the corrupt zealot and her fascist friends bring down on us.