Sunday, January 4, 2009

More Weirdness at the Anchorage Daily News?


Part One: Today's edition of the Anchorage Daily News contains a long investigative article by ADN reporter Sean Cockerham. He reports that there is a growing controversy on whether not not some unnamed outside agency determined the timing of the arrest of Sherry Johnston, mother of the alleged father of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin's daughter Bristol's newborn son, Tripp.

Hopkins claims that State of Alaska and City of Palmer investigators "are alleging political meddling in the Sherry Johnston drug case, including a delay in serving the search warrant because of the November election."

However, it isn't clear from the article, the excerpts from the emails, or in statements by Palin administration officials what the claim "political meddling" means, or how Cockerham can actually make that claim. I'm not saying that Cockerham's assumption is wrong, only that the article's premise is somewhat unclear. From the articles statements by Public Safety Employees Association Director John Cyr, Alaska State Trooper investigator Kyle Young and Palmer Police Department lead investigator, Donna Anthony.

The protestations against "meddling" accusations by Alaska Public Safety Commissioner Joe Masters (Palin's third in six months) and Alaska State Troopers director Col. Audie Holloway are no more helpful. Cyr, Young and Anthony are unclear about what was manipulated, other than possibly arrest timing, and Masters and Holloway are vague about what they appear to be defending themselves against.

Hopefully, more precise details of what has happened here will clarify the situation.

Part Two: In the comments appended to Cockerham's article in today's paper, I noticed something bizarre. My hunch is that Team Sarah or some other Mooselini fan club are teaming together to have critical comments at articles about Palin moderated. As an example, here are three comments that are "pending review":

For God's sake wake up Alaskans. How much more does this women have to dump on you. Join the rest of the nation and pray that she just go away, forever. She is so over her head.

Get rid of this Hillbilly Barracuda immediately! You wait til Jay Leno or David Letterman gets whole of the Levi controversy. It will show this Barbie is a National embarrassment.

Given Palin's less-than-sterling record of integrity, ongoing abuses of power and her demand for puppet commissioners, I believe what the troops on the ground are saying in this situation. Just another nail in the impeachment coffin.


To me, there is nothing in these three examples that would merit being put into moderation. Compare them to this one by an anointed Palinbot that draws no criticism:

u betcha.... And it's Sarah's fualt the lady which she never met or even knew was dealing to right? Everything is Sarah's fualt.... YOU PEOPLE MAKE ME SICK. And lets see troopers union, hahahahahahahah so honost, so faithful, so Wooten...... What the hel- does the troopers union have to do with arrests or investagations? Ohhhhhhh right maybe they can get a DIG in on Sarah... Why not everyone else is.... Jump on the wagon people.... YOU PEOPLE (the haters) MAKE ME SICK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Separate subject, sort of: I wrote a diary yesterday evening for firedoglake's Oxdown Gazette, about web coverage of Dan Fagan's article on Levi Johnston's apprenticeship, and the article's reltionship to the ongoing demise of the ADN.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

How about this very first comment (with 55 recommendations) that has been hidden:

I for one am sick of this Governor prancing around this state abusing her power pushing around and making the Public Safety Department look bad. She is no Public Servant like her oath says she is. Say it ain't so Joe - I thought you had some integrity but I clearly see you are another Palin Lap Dog not willing to stand up for your guys who do the right thing. I wonder how many times in your career someone stood up for you - lots I am sure but look what you do the first chance you get - Beware Joe she will mess you up the minute you cross her. This Governor makes Frank look like a saint.

---

I don't see anything so terrible there. The first thing I noticed upon reading the comments to that article is that the Palinbots were out in force.

What is it going to take to get some real investigation going here? This woman seems to have donned Reagan's old Teflon.

Gryphen said...

Surely you are not suggesting that the Troopers and John Cyr are exaggerating this are you Phil?

And I had no idea that you were the Edward Teller over at Oxdown Gazette when I sent that link to Dan Fagan. Interesting choice for a nom de plume by the way, you will have to enlighten me someday.

Philip Munger said...

Gryphen,

1. I don't think you can determine as much from the statements from either the investigating officers and Cyr, or from Palin's appointees as Cockerham asserts they are saying, especially from the investigators and Cyr.

2. Edward Teller has been my nom de blog at a few sites since 2004. I use it because I'm puttering away at an opera about Project Chariot and Edward Teller's role in it.

To me, Teller is emblematic of how a super intelligent guy can end up being so wrong overall about so many basic things about human life and survival.

He and I corresponded about the opera. He wished me luck.

CelticDiva said...

Yes, Team Sarah members systematically go on the Daily news and hide/report comments which don't reflect their Messiah in a positive light.

Methinks this will become a definite problem for the ADN's "new" comment system.

WorkandTravel Alaska said...

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Very Nice Site

Anonymous said...

Investigator Anthony has NOT made any statements to the media. Maybe that's because she staying away from any political skirmishes. If we want the facts why don't we ask her. Oh wait, maybe it's an on going case and she can't...

Unknown said...

Who owns this newspaper moderating the comments any GOP ties?