Troopergate Report: Palin Abused Power
Palin Says She Did 'Nothing Unlawful or Unethical' in Firing of Safety Commissioner

Gov. Sarah Palin abused her power when she fired her public safety commissioner this July, a state investigation has concluded. The Alaska legislature voted Friday to release the 263-page report on the "Troopergate" scandal, a state kerfuffle which has come to haunt Palin's vice presidential bid. (From ABC News)

Officials warned Palin aides about trooper feud, report finds

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (CNN) -- Top state police officials urged Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's aides and husband to stop pushing for the firing of her ex-brother-in-law, with one warning it could cause "an extreme amount of discomfort and embarrassment."

That warning from John Glass, Alaska's deputy commissioner of public safety, is included in a state investigator's report that found Palin unlawfully abused her authority to press for the dismissal of Mike Wooten, her sister's ex-husband, from the state trooper force. ...(CNN Politics)

Download Stephen Branchflower Report to the Legislative Council

PDF format, 2MB, 263Pages.
Public Volume of the "Alaska Troopergate" Report; October 2008.

VOLUME ONE
Stephen Branchflower Report To The Legislative Council
October 10, 2008

PUBLIC REPORT
I Introductory Comments 2
II Findings 8
III Case Summary 9
IV Explanation OfFindings .48
V Trooper Michael Wooten's Statement And Waiver 77
VI Recommendations For Action By The Legislature 78
VII In Depth Discussion OfCase Materials And Evidence 82

II Findings
Finding Number One
For the reasons explained in section IV of this report, I find that Governor Sarah Palin abused her power by violating Alaska Statute 39.52.11O(a) of the Alaska Executive Branch Ethics Act. Alaska Statute 39.52.11O(a) provides

"The legislature reaffirms that each public officer holds office as a public trust, and any effort to benefit a personal or financial interest through official action is a violation of that trust."

Finding Number Two
I find that, although Walt Monegan's refusal to fire Trooper Michael Wooten was not the sole reason he was fired by Governor Sarah Palin, it was likely a contributing factor to his termination as Commissioner of Public Safety. In spite of that, Governor Palin's firing of Commissioner Monegan was a proper and lawful exercise of her constitutional and statutory authority to hire and fire executive branch department heads.

Finding Number Three
Harbor Adjustment Service of Anchorage, and its owner Ms. Murleen Wilkes, handled Trooper Michael Wooten's workers' compensation claim properly and in the normal course of business like any other claim processed by Harbor Adjustment Service and Ms. Wilkes. Further, Trooper Wooten received all the workers' compensation benefits to which he was entitled.

Finding Number Four
The Attorney General's office has failed to substantially comply with my August 6, 2008 written request to Governor Sarah Palin for information about the case in the form of emails.

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