Dark Star

In case you've had trouble finding information on what this State Trooper firing stuff is all about, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution has at least attempted to report some of the facts.

Among key claims in Palin’s complaint:

—Special Agent Bob Cockrell of the governor’s security detail told Todd Palin to let Monegan know about Wooten’s threats against Chuck Heath, who is Palin’s father and was Wooten’s father-in-law.

—Monegan never told the governor or Todd Palin that Wooten had been disciplined over complaints brought by the family that included tasering his stepson, illegally shooting a moose and telling others that Heath would “eat a f—-ing lead bullet” if he helped his daughter get an attorney for the divorce. Wooten ultimately was suspended for five days by troopers but the family says they only learned that when the conflict spilled into public after Monegan’s firing. In her complaint, Palin calls the suspension “a slap on the wrist.”

—Recently, Wooten’s supervisor intervened when he wouldn’t return the children after a visit, the complaint says. Wooten warned his ex-wife he was going to get her and Palin, the complaint says. “There is evidence suggesting that Wooten was following the governor,” it says.

In other words, Palin's ex-brother-in-law, a State Trooper, threatened to kill her father. He tasered his own stepson, poached a moose, and in other reports has been caught at least once drinking in his cruiser. When the Trooper's supervisor failed to take appropriate action, the Governor fired him.

This article's publishing was triggered by the fact that Palin has recently requested that an ethics investigation be done on herself by the Alaskan authorities.

But there's more...

The accusations [against Wooten] are detailed in two thick binders, the result of a nearly yearlong investigation by troopers."The record clearly indicates a serious and concentrated pattern of unacceptable and at times, illegal activity occurring over a lengthy period, which establishes a course of conduct totally at odds with the ethics of our profession," Col. Julia Grimes, then head of Alaska State Troopers, wrote in March 1, 2006, letter suspending Wooten for 10 days. After the union protested it, the suspension was reduced to five days...

Beyond the investigation sparked by the family, trooper commanders saw cause to discipline or give written instructions to correct Wooten seven times since he joined the force, according to Grimes' letter to Wooten.

Those incidents included: a reprimand in January 2004 for negligent damage to a state vehicle; a January 2005 instruction after being accused of speeding, unsafe lane changes, following too closely and not using turn signals in his state vehicle; a June 2005 instruction regarding personal cell phone calls; an October 2005 suspension from work after getting a speeding ticket; and a November 2005 memo "to clarify duty hours, tardiness and personal business during duty time."

Thanks - for once - AJC.

(Hat tip: Jawa Report)
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