UPDATED: Hollis French STILL Refuses to "Let It Go"
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"Hello, we are here to investigate Governor Palin."JUNEAU - The Alaska Senate voted today to find Gov. Sarah Palin's husband, Todd, and nine Palin aides in contempt for failing to show up when ordered by subpoena to testify in the Legislature's "Troopergate" investigation of the governor.
But the Senate resolution also said there should be no punishment because Todd Palin and the others did eventually submit written statements to the investigator, Steve Branchflower.
"People kept saying 'You've got to do something about the subpoenas -- what are you going to do about the subpoenas?" said Anchorage Democratic Sen. Hollis French, who sponsored the resolution. "And while there was practically no support for doing anything regarding the governor, a lot of people were upset that the subpoenas were ignored."
Hey, Hollis "Gunny" French, if a lot of "people" told you to jump off of a bridge, would you do it?
I think this comment over at ADN says it all:
Talk about beating a dead horse. If the senate doesn't have anything better to do, then adjourn. Go home. Save the taxpayers some money.
UPDATE by JR:
Lt. Governor Parnell responds.
UPDATE by Ramrocks:
This is such a worthless bit of grandstanding. Lt. Gov. Parnell's letter says it all. Todd Palin and the governor's aides had every right to "lawfully ask the court system to quash" those subpoenas "or seek other legal remedies." When the court denied them that right, Todd and the others complied with French's committee by submitting statements to the committee's written interrogatories.
The AK Senate will not seek any other punishment. This was just political posturing so that today's AP headline can read "Palin's husband, staff in contempt"! That's all that most people will read. They won't understand the whole story. All they will see is "contempt charges."
It's the sort of thing the ankle-biting attention freak loves. It doesn't matter that her endless ethics charges are frivolous and will be thrown out. All she wants is the headline: "Ethics Complaint Against Palin." She and others like her want to slowly chip away at Palin's credibility as an honest ethics reformer. They are attempting to rob her of her greatest attribute.
We see through their little games.
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13 comments:
Maybe he is getting paid to do so.
Holy cow! That is exactly what was recommended for the legislature to do in their waste of an investigation, NOTHING!!!
The whole thing was such a political ploy. Most people see right through it and know it is such a waste of time and money. To continue beating this dead horse serves no purpose for the Alaskan people. But, it might get French some headlines again.
Whatever happened to Gunny French's promise on Alaska radio, when he made the joint appearance with the Guv and they pledged to stop this crap?
Guess that he was just lying. What a scumbag.
I hope French runs against her
what a loser
Good old Hollis, what a pathetic loser, and a liar.
Probably changed his mind after alfalfa dinner. They'll do anything to destroy before she destroy Obama.
Well, I said it before, and I'll say it again, in politics you fight fire witht fire. Where are the friends of Sarah in Alaska. Why are they not filing ethics complaints against French. It is easy and costless to do.
French, a major Obama supporter, had a prima facie case of conflict of interest - or perceived conflict of interest - when he chaired the committee investigating Troopergate in Oct..
He should have recused himself from the committee - but did not do so. He clearly violated ethics guidelines. Why is this not being pursued.
As much as the legislature and others in Alaska complain about the fact that the Governor may or may not venture out of the state to use her influence for Alaska and other causes she believes in, I wonder if French and others aren't also enjoying the spotlight that is focused on them as a result of their petty complaints. Do I smell a hypocrite?
"Talk about beating a dead horse. If the senate doesn't have anything better to do, then adjourn. Go home. Save the taxpayers some money."
LMAO!!! WOW If ADN says that you know it must be a dud of an issue...
I just LOVE the radio interview she did after the election where the Host had her and Hollis "make nice"
That was the Bob & Mark show. They are very friendly with the Palins and have become friends.
Hollis French says that "there was practically no support for doing anything with the governor, [but] a lot of people were upset that the subpoenas were ignored." I am guessing the "a lot of people" he are the Obama-fans in the Lower 48.
Hollis really listened to the poll that said 67% of Alakan's are tired of troopergate. Hollis remember what the Personnel Board decided. Sarah did not abuse ethics. Which was fairer than the Branchflower witchhunt. They also did testify Hollis. Let it go.
There's an interesting update on this at the ADN Alaska politics blog: a letter from Todd Palin's lawyer to Hollis French. Worth a look.
Hi Anon., thanks for the reference to Todd Palin's lawyer's letter to the committee, posted on the ADN. I went and read it and it is a very powerful presentation in Todd Palin's (and the 9 other staffers) defence. I would hope that JR or ramrocks will do a new post on this and excerpt the exculpatory sections.
Apart from showing that Todd and the staffers did no wrong - what was truly amazing is that the committee did not inform the accused that the committee was going to meet to adjudicate this contempt motion; and, they did not allow Todd or the staffers to testify as to their innocence, or allow their lawyers to make a presentation of the facts to show their clients innocence, and get the facts on the legislative record.
This was truly a "star chamber" proceeding that denied the accused their constitutional rights of self defence.
First, this was a gross abuse of legislative power by the committee members, and ethics charges should be brought against the members.
Second, this contempt motion damages the reputation of the accused. While Todd Palin can shrug it off as politics as usual, the staff members will have this follow them around for the rest of their careers, and potentially hurt their future employment prospects.
While the Palins may simply want to walk away from this, I think they owe it to their staff members - who were loyal to the Palins - to stand up for them and fight for them.
Therefore, I believe not only should Todd and the staffers lay ethics complaints against the committee for abuse of legislative power, but they should also start a civil suit against all members of the legislative committee and sue for denial of their constitutional rights, and for damages, for impairment of their reputations.
If they do this I beleive the committee members will quickly back down and revoke their contempt motion.
I think this would be good PR for the Palins as they would be seen as fighting back not so much for themselves - but for the reputation of their staff members.
If you don't fight back people will think the Palins and their staff members are guilty and it will encourage only more of this behavior in the future.
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