McCain Campaign's Alaska Coup

ANCHORAGE -- The takeover of Alaskan government by the campaign of John McCain, which is determined to shut down an investigation into running-mate Sarah Palin's burgeoning abuse-of-authority scandal has become so complete that aides to the governor are no longer answering questions about state business.

They are directing calls to McCain campaign operatives, who have flooded into the state to try and manage the so-called "Troopergate" investigation. That bipartisan inquiry was launched -- with approval from Republicans who control the state legislature -- after the governor's July dismissed of Alaska's public safety commissioner, who would not fire her former brother-in-law as a state trooper.

Alaskans are furious about the McCain camp's efforts to turn state government into an arm of the campaign.

Saturday's editorial from the state's largest newspaper, the Anchorage Daily News is headlines, "Abdication by Palin: When did the McCain campaign take over the governor's office?"

Here's the paper's position:

Gov. Sarah Palin has surrendered important gubernatorial duties to the Republican presidential campaign. McCain staff are handling public and press questions about actions she has taken as governor. The governor who said, "Hold me accountable," is hiding behind the hired guns of the McCain campaign to avoid accountability.

Is it too much to ask that Alaska's governor speak for herself, directly to Alaskans, about her actions as Alaska's governor?

A press conference Thursday showed how skewed Alaska's relationship with its own governor has become.

McCain-Palin campaign spokesman Ed O'Callaghan announced that Todd Palin will not comply with a subpoena to testify about his role in Troopergate, the Legislature's investigation into whether Palin abused her power in forcing out former public safety commissioner Walt Monegan.

O'Callaghan also announced that Alaska's governor is "unlikely" to cooperate with the investigation by the Alaska Legislature about questionable conduct by Alaska's chief executive.

Monday, he and campaign sidekick Meg Stapleton stood before Alaskans and defended the official personnel decision by Alaska's governor to fire Alaska's public safety commissioner. ABC News reported that Gov. Palin's official press secretary, Bill McAllister, paid by the state of Alaska, didn't even know the McCain staffers were meeting the press to defend his boss.

Is the McCain campaign telling Alaskans that Alaska's governor can't handle her own defense in front of her own Alaska constituents?

Way back when, before John McCain chose Palin as his vice presidential running mate, Palin promised to cooperate with the investigation.

Now she won't utter a peep about it to Alaskans. Nor will her husband, Todd, who definitely needs to explain his role in Troopergate.

Instead, Alaskans have to sit back and listen to John McCain's campaign operatives handling inquiries about what Alaska's governor did while governing Alaska. Residents of any state would be offended to see their governor cede such a fundamental, day-to-day governmental responsibility to a partisan politician from another state. It's especially offensive to Alaskans.

O'Callaghan said Todd Palin objects to the subpoena because the Legislature's investigation "has been subjected to complete partisanship." That's the kind of dizzying spin that Washington has perfected. It is the McCain-Palin campaign that has worked overtime to politicize the entire matter in a transparent attempt to justify the stonewalling.

Futile as the request may be, we encourage Gov. Palin to stand up to McCain's handlers and be personally accountable for her administration's response to Troopergate. She is the governor of Alaska, not John McCain or Ed O'Callaghan.

BOTTOM LINE: Official state business -- like Troopergate -- should be handled by the governor of the state, not by McCain presidential campaign operatives.

Comments (34)

1. people better watch out.

   as a result of concentrating our military in iraq, we failed to destroy the enemy who actually attacked us in afghanistan...so they escaped into nuke armed pakistan...

   we have been violating paki territory...they are politically a mess...

   pakistan, 100 million nuke armed sword of islam?

   Posted by dexter666 at 09/20/2008 @ 11:06am

2. Governmental transpency with less regulation: The same republican creed we have with Bush/Cheney. Hmmm, how is that working out for our nation?

   Posted by cnthom87 at 09/20/2008 @ 11:11am

3. oh, correction - 175 million...nuke armed...sword of islam...refuge for enemies of the west...

   what do we do then? would have been nice if we had devoted the iraq resources into afghanistan way back when, but...

   i hear some pundits and reporters blabbulating about how we will have to wait 10 years to assess the bush stupidity (stoopid like a foxx!!!) but i fear that whatever goes down in iraq will be a sideshow to the real long term results....

   the dystopic future is now!!!

   Posted by dexter666 at 09/20/2008 @ 11:13am

4. WOW, I'm over that the "What about Palin" blog espousing the virtues of The Straight Talk Express and the Flip Flop Production Facility...

   and here is the "States Rights" and "Personal Accountability" FLip FLop Production Annex and Storage Facility Buildings C through F.

   Posted by crabwalk at 09/20/2008 @ 11:22am

5. And why is this not news in the MSM? WHat mccain and the republicans are doing in AK just boggle my mind. I don't understand how they can get away with it, not only in the majority of the press, but also legally. How can people, including rove, miers, todd palin, and sarah palin, get away with defying a supoena? Someone please explain that to me.

   Posted by AmiBlue at 09/20/2008 @ 11:23am

6. "What About Sarah"'s legendary Toughness and the ideology of "if you have nothing to hide from the government....." we have been so well inoculated with the last 6 years?

   Are people actually saying that McCain and Palin are not practicing what the GOP has preached these many, many years! GASP!

   Posted by crabwalk at 09/20/2008 @ 11:28am

7. How can people, including rove, miers, todd palin, and sarah palin, get away with defying a supoena? Someone please explain that to me.

   Posted by AmiBlue at 09/20/2008 @ 11:23am |

   That's my question, too. Commoners get jailed for ignoring subpoenas - it's called contempt of court.

   Posted by Balrog at 09/20/2008 @ 11:59am

8. Look, Mr Nichols, Sarah is completely innocent...

   and that's why the investigation MUST be stopped until wayyyyyy after the election is over!

   Duh!

   Posted by Maskdelta at 09/20/2008 @ 12:00pm

9. We have Alaska's first lady hiding behind his wife's skirts and refusing to testify.We have modern republicans redefining maverick and reformer to include those,like Palin/McCain, who attempt to cover up wrong doing while putting out ads where they claim that they reformed Washington DC and Alaska.

   Posted by i'm nobody at 09/20/2008 @ 12:19pm

10. All this unsavory stuff now leaking out about Palin reconfirms a long-held belief of mine: that there should be a prescribed minimum window of time before the election for the presumptive presidential candidates to announce their vice-presidential picks. Announcing a veep candidate weeks before the election is not fair to the public that has very little time to make up their minds about putting someone a heartbeat away from the Oval Office. This is especially true when the candidate is someone as unknown to the electorate-at-large as Palin was till her selection by McC.

    Given the ever-present risk of the veep becoming prez, it is the complete ticket that needs thorough vetting, not just the top slot.

    Posted by oneworld at 09/20/2008 @ 12:36pm

11. Posted by oneworld at 09/20/2008 @ 12:36pm

    We do need some fresh ideas.

    To be stuck with criminals-in-chiefs, loser, lackluster incumbents for years is antiquated and inefficient.

    How about this... we make voting much more flexible, simple. Do it at your bank, the library, etc. And it's twice a year.

    January 4th and June 4th are Citizen Vote Days. Every year.

    A confidence vote is held for the administration and all members of congress, and all governors twice a year. So there's an ongoing evaluative mechanism.

    Should the administration or any member of congress or any state governors drop below a certain threshold of citizen confidence (say 25%) they are subject to RE-ELECTION the next Vote Day.

    Posted by winyahn at 09/20/2008 @ 1:08pm

12. Well, what was the "Mayberry Machiavellis" quote in the Susskind book? "We're talking about everything, EVERYTHING, being run out of the political office." Politically, she has to stonewall the investigation, so the campaign gives her a way to do it, althugh not legally. Not answering subpoenas but claiming for the cameras that the investgiation is tainted poltically -- that's the Meiers-Rove way to stonewall a legitimate investigation. For the Mayberry Machiaveelis, it's all about "running out the clock." Let's hope it runs out on a Tuesday night in November.

    Posted by RLawrence at 09/20/2008 @ 1:14pm

13. The GOP is done for as far as this election is concerned.

    But how much will it matter?

    An Obama/Biden admin will inherit the greatest US disaster since FDR took over in '33.

    But FDR had an intact Constitution, a small & inobtrusive military, no foreign wars & military occupations abroad.

    The corporate rightwing has just staged a de facto coup d'état, so it will not matter to them now if Obama/Biden take over in Jan '09, as the new admin will be crippled from the start.

    The corporatist fascists have won. The '08 election will have little meaning. The most important post WW2 election was '00, and the Supreme Court's rightwingers approved the rightwing's theft of the results.

    We the People now have a democractic republic in little more than name only.

    Posted by sloper at 09/20/2008 @ 2:50pm

14. Chertoff had better get down to the Ryder Cup! I just saw those guys doing the "terrorist fist bump"! On national TV!

    Posted by crabwalk at 09/20/2008 @ 3:29pm

15. Chertoff had better get down to the Ryder Cup. I just saw those guys doing the "terrorist fist bump!"

    On national TV!

    Posted by crabwalk at 09/20/2008 @ 3:33pm

16. Drastic times call for drastic measures. Start impeaching the former administration as soon as the crowd from Obama's inauguration disperses. Expand the Supreme Court to 11, or 13, or 15 members and nominate and confirm young liberals to the bench. Nationalize the financial markets, just as Greider suggests. Maybe the energy markets, too, while we're at it.

    They want revolution? Let's give them revolution!

    Posted by tnac1 at 09/20/2008 @ 3:35pm

17. i guess, for palin, "reform" means a push towards more authoritarianism.

    Posted by darladoon at 09/20/2008 @ 3:51pm

18. The Sith Lord Cheney has taught his apprentice Palin well. Yoda says, "Hide well from investigations, and reporters she does."

    Posted by CanWeQuestionPalin? at 09/20/2008 @ 4:07pm

19. Part I:

    On so many of these blogs that I visit, I see McCain supporters claiming that electing Obama is like electing the socialist wing of the party. True, these views are rather neo-con in their nature; however what I would like to point out is the difference in our party--the Democratic Party--and theirs.

    Is it a crime for the American people to want to see some of their hard earned tax dollars to come back to THEM? Is it a crime for the American people to want to see our infrastructure renovated with 21st century technology in order to keep our loved ones safe? Is it a crime to want our young men and women to only be called into battle with the utmost dignity and judicious valor, in order that not one life is lost for lies.

    The Republicans howl and bray about earmarks and the corruptive nature of your representatives representing you and bringing some of the hard earned tax dollars that you paid into the federal budget, back to you and your states interests. Of course! That is utterly against the corporate party of bailouts, outsourcing; and no-bid government contracts that fleece the American people while they claim to be fiscal conservatives.

    Is it a crime to want our young men and women to only be called into battle with the utmost dignity and judicious valor, in order that not one life is lost for lies?

    My fellow citizens, please take a look at the last 7+ years and what has been the fruit of a republican leadership. How have they spent your hard earned tax dollars? Halliburton/KBR and Blackwater, have profited from Bush's war that was based on lies.

    Posted by PrairieDeb at 09/20/2008 @ 4:09pm

20. Part II:

    Is it a crime for Americans to expect our banking representatives to be honest, our food to be safe, and our toys to be lead free?

    Deregulation that has been the pride and joy of McCain's economic emphasis has not only cost Americans their homes, but they have compromised our safety, our retirement, our environment, and our hard earned tax dollars as well. They have trade policies that permit corporations to fleece American tax dollars in corporate welfare while they not only take our jobs overseas, but they exploit disadvantaged communities while getting away with environmental crimes that would never fly here. These corrupt selfish leaders do not care about their neighbors. In fact the evidence shows clearly that they do not even care whether or not their own fellow Americans are losing their homes. However, when Wall Street starts losing, then all of a sudden it is a national emergency.

    While they and their supporters like to claim that we are socialists due to the fact that we want our tax dollars to benefit Americans, they are actually CORPORATE SOCIALISTS. They will bend any rule, spin any issue, and distort any truth in order to benefit their corporate sponsors. They are CORRUPT CORPORATE SOCIALISTS. Their deregulation has even compromised the quality of information American citizens receive from the press, with corporate leaders dominating and filtering our information.

    Please America; do not be manipulated, for you have cried over our unnecessary loss of life. Please America; do not grow callous and apathetic in the shadow of their examples. Care America, care for the Americans who pay those tax dollars and vote to return to to the honor of a citizen leadership that actually takes the oath to uphold the Constitution seriously.

    Posted by PrairieDeb at 09/20/2008 @ 4:16pm

21. I mean come on already! A male candidate would not be getting away with this crap. 3 weeks and she's answered barely 20 questions, none of them in live settings. A single press conference?! One appearance on Meet the Press?! This is absolutely unheard of!!! She wants to hide inside her pretend bubble of sexism and claim she's ready to be President. Someone needs to burst her bubble, NOW! The mainstream press still hasn't grown a pair. There should be an outcry for her to live up to her little game of "Let's stump the candidate." She was given a chance to address ANY foreign policy issue and she still passed.

    We need more Republicans to "Put Country First" and speak the real truth like Chuck Hagel. Call her what she is. The most unqualified potential VP or even POTUS EVER, at the worst time imaginable to do so. McCain made a cynical, purely political decision about someone he'd met ONCE!!! And he did this about the most important appointment he can make. This should simply disqualify them both in the minds of the public...and hopefully it will.

    Posted by CanWeQuestionPalin? at 09/20/2008 @ 4:20pm

22. LvLiberty-Actually,Palin would be the least prepared because she knows so little about anything going on outside of Alaska which,of course,is not the case for Obama and the fact that you don't agree with his views does not change that very relevant fact.

    Posted by i'm nobody at 09/20/2008 @ 6:32pm

23. No one knows what qualifies one to be POTUS since our best have little in common with one another.Some presidents, who looked quite good on paper, turned out to be not so good while others who did not have a wonderful resume turned out to be pretty good.One would think that with McCain's experience that he would know better than to pick a running mate that is under investigation and then announce that he plans on interfering with the investigation..Experience does not always mean good judgment.

    Posted by i'm nobody at 09/20/2008 @ 6:39pm

24. *One would think that with McCain's experience that he would know better than to pick a running mate that is under investigation and then announce that he plans on interfering with the investigation*

    One would also think that a thorough vetting process would have brought these potential problems to light. What is becoming more and more apparent was the vetting process was she's a vagina no one had heard of outside of Alaska. I shudder to think the real rationale for picking Palin, as that just gets too soap-operaish for me.

    Posted by yutsano at 09/20/2008 @ 6:46pm

25. yutsano-had they checked into her then they could have sent Rove up to end the investigation before anyone heard about it.The whole thing makes no sense.

    Posted by i'm nobody at 09/20/2008 @ 6:51pm

26. lvliberty-As I just said.No one knows what qualifies one to be POTUS.McCain has shown extreme poor judgment,signs of having more and more senior moments,he sings looney things like his bomb Iran thing,and he has shown that he is corrupt and will interfere in investigations and not allow a state to carry on with it's own affairs.

    Posted by i'm nobody at 09/20/2008 @ 7:03pm

27. lvliberty-You may want to let Palin know that McCain is the POTUS candidate.She is confused about that,like the rest of us.

    Posted by i'm nobody at 09/20/2008 @ 7:05pm

28. lvliberty-Obama supporters have said why they believe he is qualified.Personally,I see him as the lesser of two bad choices which would not make me much of a supporter.

    Posted by i'm nobody at 09/20/2008 @ 7:20pm

29. What has Obama accomplished to make him qualified to be president?----Posted by lvliberty1 at 09/20/2008 @ 6:57pm

    He hasn't supported 90% of the agenda that got us into this mess for starters!

    That alone makes him better than McCain!

    Posted by Maskdelta at 09/20/2008 @ 7:37pm

30. lvliberty-Obama isn't the topic.McCain and his interference into the investigation is.There is plenty of time to discuss Obama on those boards where that can be gotten into.What do you think about a representative from the federal government interfering into a states business?

    Posted by i'm nobody at 09/20/2008 @ 9:07pm

31. It's called a strawman Nob, he wants you to focus on Obama and therefore loosen your argument on Palin and Grandpa's interference in the Troopergate investigation. In other words, he's trying to downplay Palin's very thin political resumé so you won't attack her nearly absent lack of national positions.

    Oh and LVL, you know Obama has 12 years in the Illinois state Senate and four years in the US Senate where he has participated in legislation on nuclear non-prloiferation. Why don't we play the game of intellectual honesty and say that even if Obama's resume matched Biden's you'd still find cause to oppose him?

    Posted by yutsano at 09/20/2008 @ 9:33pm

32. Posted by lvliberty1 at 09/20/2008 @ 8:32pm

    Anybody who opposed Bush more than helped him....

    should be credited for great accomplishment.

    Posted by Maskdelta at 09/20/2008 @ 10:50pm

33. It saddens me that this incompetent 'leader' of the Republican Party is no longer feels he lives in a democratic country as America. He keeps claiming how patriotic, hero he is but, he's definitely not democratic taking over the investigation as it is. Alaska he has put you second and himself first above his country. That is dictatorship not democracy. How dare he!!! He is no different than Hugo Chavez of Venezuala. That is what your bush, cheney, mccain,rove does to the un 'elite', the workers of America.

    John Sydney McCain III is not worthy to run his own home let alone the country. Either is the bimbo with him. Please cast your vote with thoughtful preparation. This man is already making enemies around the world. He is spewing and bullying many other nations as we speak. He is a total fraud.

    Posted by nativegirl at 09/21/2008 @ 4:13pm

34. You folks are missing the point here. My state's government has been taken over by the McCain campaign goons! They're calling the shots in the Atty. Gen's. office. He's a nice local atty. who specializes in workmen's comp. His office building isn't big enough to house a Hummer.

    Even the kids in the Youth Court in Wasilla have been told not to answer any questions from the media, but, refer them to the mayor's office.

    Secession's starting to look real good about now. If this were happening in your state would you be outraged? Or would you just bend over?

    The trooper's an idiot. Ought to be fired. The governor likes to misuse her political powers and think's she's the dictator in charge. She did this as mayor, she did it as governor, and if you think Dubya's got too much power, just wait until she pulls a Tanya Harding on McC's presidency!

    Yes, us commoners would be doing time for contempt of court if we'd dissed a subpoena. And this is the issue. Not the trooper. Palin has abused her office. She's given the reigns of state government over to unelected non-residents who have told state workers to ignore a legal subpoena!

    If there's no fire why is there so much smoke coming from Palin's office?!

    Palmer, Alaska

    Posted by alaskadiva at 09/22/2008 @ 2:12pm