Since the report was made public Friday, stories in major newspapers across the world detail a family feud that spilled into Alaska’s highest office.
The conclusion Palin, the Republican vice presidential candidate, used her position for personal purposes also comes at a time when Republican presidential candidate John McCain is falling even further behind Democrat Barack Obama in national polls.
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“We’ve seen repeated abuses of power from the Bush administration,” Osburn said. “And that’s one of the reasons Americans are cynical of politics.”
A call to the McCain-Palin campaign seeking comment was not returned by press time.
On Saturday, however, in a conference call with Alaska reporters, Palin said the report cleared her of any unethical activity.
According to a transcript of the call, Palin was reminded the No. 1 finding of the report states she abused her power and violated state law.
In response, Palin said she thinks “you’re always going to ruffle feathers as you do what you believe is in the best interest of the people whom you are serving.”
The original intent of the Troopergate investigation was to find out if Palin abused her power by trying to get her former brother-in-law fired.
The report that came out Friday did two things: it reaffirmed Palin’s right to fire former Public Safety Commissioner Walt Monegan and it said she did abuse her power.
Still, Nov. 4 is three weeks away, and anything can happen in that time. But just how much impact the Troopergate report will have on the McCain-Palin ticket depends on who you ask.
“I think given where the McCain-Palin ticket stands today, it’s a marginal factor,” said University of Alaska Fairbanks political science professor Gerald McBeath.
McBeath said voters tend to treat controversies like Troopergate differently because it involves a family dispute as opposed to rewarding cronyism.
Voters are more likely to dismiss something like Troopergate than a situation where a governor gives unethical rewards to a subordinate, McBeath said. That’s on the national scale; in Alaska, it could be a different story. Since Palin joined the national ticket her approval rating in the state has steadily declined.
Pollster Ivan Moore said Monday the latest poll shows Palin with a 60 percent approval rating and 30 percent negative in Alaska.
Those numbers may please most governors of other states. But in Palin’s case, her 60 percent approval rating is down from a high of nearly 85 percent before she was tapped for the Republican ticket.
Factors often noted as contributing to Palin’s rating decline are her role as attacker for McCain and some claims and assertions the ticket has made on the campaign trail that were disproved soon after, Moore said.
Moore said he expects Palin’s approval ratings to drop even further in Alaska now that it’s been determined she abused her office.
“I suspect it’s going to hurt her,” Moore said, adding a new poll gauging Alaskans’ approval of Palin will come out next Monday.
Since Palin’s ascension to the national stage Aug. 29, the media has been fascinated with the little-known governor from an often misunderstood state. The fascination appears to have brought to the surface more negative press than Palin has ever received before during her political career in Alaska.
The Troopergate controversy, which began as an issue rarely talked about outside Alaska, became a story in the Lower 48 when McCain picked Palin.
Following Friday’s release of the report, Rep. Bill Stoltze, R-Chugiak, said the media will have a role in shaping voters’ perception of the Troopergate controversy depending on how they report it.
McBeath said if McCain doesn’t win the presidency it’s important to remember Palin will come back to Alaska as the governor.
What will happen then is unclear. McBeath said it’s safe to say Palin’s previously sterling relationship with many House and Senate Democrats is tarnished, and the full Legislature could vote to censure her.
There hasn’t been talk of that yet, but many progressive bloggers are starting concerted efforts to circulate recall petitions among Alaskans.
“The honeymoon is over,” McBeath said.
The state’s Personnel Board is also investigating the Troopergate scandal, and Palin has said the board is the correct body to run such an investigation.
The board has hired Anchorage trial attorney Timothy Petumenos, a Democrat who contributed to Palin’s opponent, Tony Knowles, during the 2006 gubernatorial election, to run the investigation.
It’s unclear when the Personnel Board’s report will be complete.
Contact Michael Rovito at michael.rovito@frontiersman.com or 352-2252.
Comments
40 comment(s)MAXKATT from NY wrote on Oct 28, 2008 5:47 AM:
Exactly wrote on Oct 26, 2008 5:26 PM:
Which speaks to the small minded "Jerry Springer" type of mentality that Governs your state!.
She too ignnorant to know just how ignorant she is! "
valleymom wrote on Oct 25, 2008 6:51 PM:
valleymom wrote on Oct 25, 2008 6:37 PM:
anotherREALAmerican wrote on Oct 22, 2008 5:50 AM:
AnnieOkie wrote on Oct 19, 2008 6:17 AM:
Curious to know....who is this MESSIAH you speak of? Surely, your not trying to belittle, trash who ever you think this MESSIAH is...EH? I believe you need to look up the meaning of the word
HYPROCRITE ! "
AnnieOkie wrote on Oct 19, 2008 6:01 AM:
If I interpreted your post correctly, you are saying, there is no way you would help out your fellow Americans who has fallen on hard times...CORRECT?There are so many people, through no fault of their own, who need a helping hand. Do you think by giving a little extra out of your paycheck is going to put you in the poor house..take food out of your mouth? I suggest you go to New Orleans, Galveston TX, or lets say..walk the streets of the cities where some of our homeless vets live..
ProudAlaskanAmerican..change your moniker..it doesnt fit you ! "
Proud AlaskanAmerican wrote on Oct 18, 2008 10:13 PM:
Valley Girl wrote on Oct 18, 2008 10:17 AM:
Spreading the HATE!!! LET THOSE WHO HAVE NOT SINNED CAST THE FIRST STONE!!
GOD BLESS AMERICA,ALASKA, AND THE PALIN FAMILY! "
pleasetakeherback wrote on Oct 17, 2008 12:00 PM:
Mare wrote on Oct 17, 2008 11:25 AM:
Karin Byars wrote on Oct 17, 2008 10:34 AM:
You need to get out of the woods! It is no longer cool to be racist or Republican, or negative about everything or uneducated or a recluse or a secessionist.
Real Americans look forward, they see the positive side of things, they work together to make good things happen. They educate their children they protect each other and they cherish the natural beauty around them. Looking through crosshairs gives you tunnel vision. McCain has about as much life left in him as that old truck of yours.
Get real, see the light! "
AnnieOkie wrote on Oct 17, 2008 7:22 AM:
Ed from Tucson wrote on Oct 16, 2008 8:33 PM:
You betcha, she is an arrogant piece of dog dirt who should punished with time behind bars after her impeachment. Anyone who disagrees should return to school to re learn word meanings. "
Lisa Ca wrote on Oct 16, 2008 5:54 PM:
and two beautiful children...Also there is a lot of Crazy people out there and she is one of them...And that idiot JP
that says he is a raciest shame on you ..You better stay where your at because, you wouldn't get away with that in our town... Impeach Palin and her my Dog Spot husband that is always right behide her... "
alaska74 wrote on Oct 16, 2008 4:23 PM:
laura wrote on Oct 15, 2008 11:14 PM:
morgan wrote on Oct 15, 2008 9:41 PM:
Jack wrote on Oct 15, 2008 8:51 PM:
It is absolutely incredible to me, and now the rest of America, how someone this stupid rose to any level in government. Is this the best Alaska has to offer? Is there anyone out there who can still say with a straight face that you are proud of this woman? "
jp wrote on Oct 15, 2008 8:06 PM:
i think that most of you are voting for him for racial reasons (to prove that you are not a racist).
the fact still remains, he has no leadership abilities, sure he can talk a mean game, but does he have the cajones to carry through with anything, or is he just a used car salesman?
the truth is: we are voting for the lesser of two evils yet again! "
Debbie -Ft MyersFl. wrote on Oct 15, 2008 1:11 PM:
used to live wasilla wrote on Oct 15, 2008 12:40 PM:
nursek wrote on Oct 15, 2008 11:13 AM:
http://bangornews.com/detail/91025.html "
Jim from Boston wrote on Oct 15, 2008 10:37 AM:
Gidget was in New Hampshire yesterday and said New England is pretty cool because we have moose and we fish and all that stuff.
I still think she's kind of a dunce though. To bad about the ethics violations, her moose is cooked. "
Janet wrote on Oct 15, 2008 10:23 AM:
Marie wrote on Oct 15, 2008 9:07 AM:
sure you can't cross Sarah and get away with it. No disrespect to your state but I hope she will be home soon. Good luck and my God bless you. "
SmellingSalt wrote on Oct 15, 2008 4:11 AM:
Kelly wrote on Oct 14, 2008 10:38 PM:
Terri Holland wrote on Oct 14, 2008 10:36 PM:
laura wrote on Oct 14, 2008 10:15 PM:
Joe wrote on Oct 14, 2008 8:23 PM:
a husband protecting his family. And we can't move on because it is not over yet, thanks to Gov. Palin filing a complaint against herself to bring this to the personnel board. A board which, by the way, has expanded their probe. Gov. Palin brought that on herself when she tried to circumvent the legislature's investigation. "
Allie wrote on Oct 14, 2008 4:52 PM:
Jack wrote on Oct 14, 2008 4:33 PM:
Jack wrote on Oct 14, 2008 4:01 PM:
Curious wrote on Oct 14, 2008 1:18 PM:
Abuse of power corrupted both the Palins.
It was personal. No matter what authority she had, misusing it for personal gain will never equate to innocence or vindication.
Her intensions were self serving from day one when Todd Palin spoke with Monegan. She was guilty from the get go, Monegans firing under her authority she had is secondary to her initial motives. They had a alterative motive during the initial conversation, They threw out the first pitch. Now lets playball "
Vertigo wrote on Oct 14, 2008 12:26 PM:
Val wrote on Oct 14, 2008 11:01 AM:
MAXKATT from NY wrote on Oct 14, 2008 10:21 AM:
Wes Hamrick wrote on Oct 14, 2008 7:57 AM:
redcoat wrote on Oct 14, 2008 7:39 AM:
she said the report cleared her of any unlawful or unethical wrongdoing, but it did find that she abused the powers of her office.
palin needs to just go away!
how anyone could vote for her as vp much less mayor of your town is unbelievable.
even the conservative press knows that she is beyond worthless. "