Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Saradise Lost - Book 5 - Chapter 58: De Marban's Monegan Interview - "What Does Loyalty Mean to You?"

The Alaska Newspapers syndicate is running Alex DeMarban's interview with Walt Monegan, the steadfast Marine and Alaska Public Safety Commissioner, who refused to be loyal to his boss over a higher principle. Monegan is now serving as director of the Alaska Native Justice Center.

I've known Walt since I gave him and some other Anchorage Police Department officers a tour of the Cordova Center, Alaska's largest halfway house, when I was running it in 1991. He asked a lot of questions, some hard to answer.

Of the questions Alex asks of Walt now, the most interesting to me is how his dismissal went down:
[J]ust before I left, my final week, I was scheduled to fly down to Bristol Bay and observe the Alaska Wildlife Troopers, the Brown Shirts, in the Bristol Bay fishery. There'd be the marshal in town to keep everyone civil. So I was going to spend Monday through Friday on the fishery, and I moved from one boat to the other, from the Enforcer to the smaller boat.

While I was on the boats, I'd put in a request to meet with the chief of staff about issues on the upcoming gubernatorial picnics. And I said we should talk about this. And while I was there, by satellite phone, I was advised that I have a meeting with the chief of staff on Friday at 3 o' clock at the governor's office in Anchorage.

OK, cool. So I get into Dillingham. I call my wife. I ask her, "Can you meet me (at the Anchorage international airport) and bring me a suit?" I'm dressed in jeans and flannel shirts, right, this is boats. So she drops off a suit, I arrive in, I change into my suit and I go straight to the governor's office, and Mike Nizich and I were sitting at the conference table in the governor's office.

And that's when he informs me, "The governor would like to offer you the position of the director of the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board."

"Umm, I take it that means I'm no longer the commissioner of Public Safety."

"That's correct."

"When is it effective?"

Immediately.

Oh wow. My head wasn't even in that part of the world, you know. So I asked a couple questions. I asked, "Was it Mike Wooten?"

"No, the governor just wants to take it in a different direction."

"Which direction?"

"A different one."

"Ah, OK. Well as far as that job is concerned, I'm not interested."

He said, "Well, think about it. Talk to your wife first, I'll call you tomorrow."

"I can do that. I'll do that."

I explained this was out of the blue. I didn't know anyone was ever mad at me. No one ever yelled at me. No one ever said, "Watch it, one more time." There wasn't any of that. It was just, "Wow."

But I understand it's an at-will position, you can be dismissed for any reason, or no reason at all. That's what I did as chief (in Anchorage) and I was chief for five and a half years.

So, I asked if there was going to be a replacement and Mike Nizich told me there was a short list.

OK.

"And the acting position will be the deputy commissioner, John Glass?"

"Uh, yes."

"Have you told him?"

"No. Do you want me to tell him?"

"Please."

"Sure, I can do that."

So I got up and shook his hand and told him I'd talk to him tomorrow and I left. It was a shock. So I contacted all my directors, I talked to John. I called my wife first, and she goes, "What happened?"

"I don't know. I don't know."

And as the media rose to this, once it became public, it was actually the governor herself who narrowed it down for me. I suspected that Wooten might be a part of it.

But it was, "Walt wasn't doing enough for the alcohol in the Bush."

Well, that'd never been a complaint to me. But then a reporter said, "So, then why you'd offer him the job of the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board director?"

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Walt Monegan is a shining example of a dedicated loyal public servant. Sarah Palin is the exact opposite. Just thinking about how that all went down with Walt makes me furious all over again.

Sarah, Todd, and Meg Stapleton should all burn in Hell for turning Alaska into their little fiefdom and for besmirching Walt's outstanding reputation.

Alaska is a better place because of Walt Monegan. And Sarah ruins everything she touches.

Anonymous said...

Ah yes, Officer Monegan. Yeah, I met the guy once.

He pulled me off my daughter's then boyfriend. I remember the day well. It was summer and I had the jerk in a neck hold out on the lawn. The creep decided to hit my daughter and actually thought he could re-enter my home a few days later. tsk... tsk...

Walt saved the abusive ex boyfriends life!

Palin had no idea what she was doing while Govenor. No clue.

So I drove thru Wasilla yesterday. Saw a few signs posted in some of Wasillas right of ways... the signs said "Worst Govenor Ever". Simple white signs with black letters.
ha ha ha...

wakeUpAmerica said...

Very interesting! Yes, the over-whelming feeling of Walt Monegan is that he is a man of great integrity and kindness even though I live in CA and have never met him. Isn't it time to organize a brigade across America to put the Tundra Turds name on tiny flags and stick them in dog droppings? Please? We could call it the "Whiner in Poo Day."

Anonymous said...

Recall when Meg Stapletongue of the "Truth Squad" was ripping Walt Monegan apart on national TV? Didn't she look like a crazed Nazi-type with her eyes glazed over, her body vibrating, and her mouth spewing venom unrelentlessly? Yep, Meg was a wonderful palinbot who destroyed her own life to promote Sarah the Quitter.

Anonymous said...

Thank you for letting those of us outside have an inside view of Alaska, and for continuing to shine the light on Palin. I still curse McCain daily for unleashing her on the rest of us.

Anonymous said...

I have often interacted with Mr. Monegan in special events while he was APD police chief. He is a true gentleman and a fine person. In fact, I didn't pay attention to Palin's shenanigans much, until Troopergate. Then, I researched (re-read) Dairygate news articles and could read between the lines into the deception of the Palin administration. From then on it was easy to see the lies and deviousness behind what Palin does and says. Thank you Walt Monegan for opening my eyes on the WGE.

Kate said...

What is Meg doing now?

Anonymous said...

Palin is a whore, and progressives are power hungry sluts.