The slithery, slippery, sneaky Sarah Palin

Which one is correct? The first Troopergate report which found that Gov. Palin did, indeed, abuse her power, or the second, which said she did not violate the state's ethics code?

Wait, the first report also said she didn't violate the state's ethics code, but did abuse her power.


Palin initiated the investigation by her State Personnel Board. The Board hired an Independent Counsel, who, after his investigation found that lo, and behold, she did not abuse her power and the first report was wrong to say that she did!

Here's part of the "official" reason for that finding: Palin is, glory be, Wonder Woman. She would never do anything wrong, and everyone knows. ...

Oops. That's wrong.

Here it is: "These findings differ from those of the Branchflower Report because Independent Counsel has concluded the wrong statute was used as a basis for the conclusions contained in the Branchflower Report, the Branchflower report misconstrued the available evidence and did not consider or obtain all of the material evidence that is required to properly reach findings."

Okay. So Branchflower somehow based his investigation on the wrong law. And then he looked at the evidence and got it wrong. But he didn't have all the "material evidence." Wait a minute. Palin refused to provide the "available evidence" and/or "material evidence," and refused to testify in the Branchflower investigation!

Branchflower must be pretty dumb. You think? Not!

Something smells!

Still, how could the Personnel Board reach the conclusion that Palin had not abused her power, when the Branchflower report clearly showed she did?

Well, it might have something to do with the fact that Palin oversees the State Personnel Board, which consists of three members. Two of those members are hold-overs from the current administration, but the third was appointed by Palin. AND THEY ALL CAN BE FIRED BY PALIN!

Aha! And we're supposed to believe that the State Personnel Board, of which 1/3 of the members were appointed by Palin and of which all members serve at her pleasure, was in no way intimidated or coerced to conclude Palin was innocent?

Please!

But, it ain't over yet. Walter Monegan may have the last word!

All of this does, however, pretty much put to the lie Palin's claim of being the great Alaskan uprooter of corruption. Under the Palin administration, it's business as usual in Alaska!