Friday, December 26, 2008

Todd Palin - Alaska's Biggest FUCKUP Dad

I'm not claiming to be a perfect dad, but I've got to admit, even if I intentionally screwed things up, I'd probably be better for my kids and family, than Todd Palin has been for his.

I don't subscribe to some of the rumors and myths surrounding the Palin family. Although I've watched Sarah Palin since she was on the Wasilla Planning Commission, it was usually from afar, as we never lived in the city limits. But all along, we've had close friends who watched Sarah and her family very closely.

One of my best friends was Palin's first mentor, Wasilla mayor John Stein. We watched as she turned on him and on his wife.

I was close to Palin's second mentor, ex- Alaska Representative, Vic Kohring, when she climbed aboard his libertarian fantasy machine, that, for Kohring, ended in Federal prison.

I kept my own interests in her political activities, though, mostly to keeping track of her whenever her role in helping creationists get positions in local politics - particularly the Mat-Su District School board - came into play. And when Palin was chosen to be Sen. John McCain's 2008 presidential race running mate, I initially kept my involvement in Sarah Palin and her family's local past to my knowledge on that set of issues. Partially, it was a promise I made to my wife and kids, as we've always felt there was more than enough on Sarah and the family to bring her political future to an end, should it be brought out, without my having to jump in there.

I still feel that way. But thinking about the way Sherry Johnston's bust came down, in the ambience of the Palin's relationship with that family, begs some scrutiny.

Reading through the public reporting on information provided so far by the Alaska State Troopers on Ms. Johnston's surveillance, reminded me of these excerpts from the Branchflower Report:

During the winter of 2007, Trooper Wooten sustained an injury in the course of his employment. He had submitted a workers' compensation claim with the Department of Public Safety, and was on light duty while recovering from his injuries.

Mr. Monegan testified that Todd Palin told him that he [Palin] had observed Mr. Wooten riding a snowmachine 100 miles off the road. Palin told Monegan he had taken pictures of Wooten and wanted to give them to Troopers to investigate because Palin believed Wooten may have been committing workers' compensation fraud.

Commissioner Monegan caused the matter to be investigated. It was determined that at the time of the snow machine incident, trooper Wooten had discussed the planned trip beforehand with his doctor who had given Wooten his permission to make the trip. [Branchflower Report - p. 29. Emphasis added by PA]

Todd Palin's call to AST Colonel Audie Hollowav during the fall of 2007 about MikeWooten's dropping off his children at school in a patrol car:

Todd Palin called Colonel Audie Holloway during the Fall of 2007 to say that Trooper Wooten was seen dropping off one of his children at school at 8:01. The complaint was investigated and it was determined that Wooten had obtained his supervisor's permission to do so.

Todd Palin's call to Colonel Holloway in October 2007:

Todd Palin called Colonel Holloway in October 2007 following a news event about a lawsuit involving another trooper. He wanted to know what AST was doing about the lawsuit. According to an email Holloway sent to Commissioner Monegan [who was out of state at the time], Holloway said that Mr. Palin claimed Trooper Wooten was a friend of the other trooper.

There is more stuff like this in the Branchflower Report. Not just on Todd's obsession with Wooten, but also on Sarah's. But these three examples of the mania should suffice, to sketch background for my question:

Why haven't we found evidence that the Palins were similarly interested in keeping close track of Track and Bristol over the past three or four years? I've been asking around for even anecdotal information on either of the adult Palins checking on the Johnston family's activities involving their daughter, and have only come up with blanks.

Why do the Republicans in the Alaska Legislature feel that such a fuckup of a weird, obsessive guy as Todd Palin should be able to run amok in government spaces, rifling through government files? As Walt Monegan put it to Branchflower:

[Commissioner Monegan arrived at the Governor's office at the appointed time and was directed into Governor Palin's office. Governor Palin was not present. Mr. Palin was sitting at a large conference table and invited Mr. Monegan to sit. Both men were wearing business attire. Mr. Monegan testified:

MR. MONEGAN: What I recollect was that Todd was sitting there.He had three stacks of paper in an array in front of him. The largest one was probably a quarter inch thick, and that was in the center. To his right, I believe what I recall was a stack of paper that looked like photos or copied photos on to typing paper, if you will. And on his left, I believe he had a smaller stack, as well, that had three or four pages in it. And it was — it had the letterhead and logo of the Department of Public Safety.

MR. BRANCHFLOWER: Okay. So the one stack that had the Department of Public Safety logo on it, could you tell what kind of documents they were?

MR. MONEGAN: That one appeared to be correspondence. It was —it looked like a letter that was sent, and presumably from the Alaska State Troopers. And it was text written ~ I think the date was somewhere in '05 or '06, I believe. I don't remember looking at the date. But it was older; I know that.


Why the hell does anyone let this vindictive asshole anywhere near Alaska Government documents, files, records, or for that matter, offices during working hours? Apparently there isn't a law against it, but after re-reading parts of the Branchflower report, there should be.

I've mentioned to several other officers of the Alaska Democrats, and to a couple of our legislators, that there should be legislation to keep Mr. Palin out of the peoples' business 24-7. Rep. Mike Doogan, in a weird e-mail reply to a query from a constituent, posted at The Mudflats, wrote to the concerned writer that:

I intend to move forward with legislation to prevent a re-occurrence of some of the problematic behavior that has arisen from the mess commonly called Troopergate. That legislation will define more closely what is a public document and seek to prevent public officials from shielding their communications by using private email accounts, and the state from stifling public access by charging an arm and a leg.


This is a decent start, but we also need to keep Alaska's biggest fuckup dad out of our government spaces.

14 comments:

Annette said...

The correspondence from Doogan went downhill from there. AKMuckraker I believe is going to write on it later or tomorrow. Several of us got some interesting responses from him, basically telling us to leave him alone and get off his yard.

Philip Munger said...

Thanks, Annette.

I asked around, to see if any other bloggers had a real phone number for Doogan. None did. I called his office, explaining to the msg service that I want to get more information on what he intends to do in regard to ethics legislation in January.

Doogan represents District 25, which is one of the few in AK that went for Obama. I feel, as an officer of the AK Democrats, I have a duty to explain to him - and other Democrats in our legislature - that he and they have a duty to his or their constituents to engage the Governor directly this session on her ethical shortcomings.

And on Todd's.

Anonymous said...

Another positive post on how the Democrats are going to help Alaska.

clark said...

has doogan lost his mind? merely misplacing his frustration back on constituents? corrupted himself?
i can't wait to read mudflats' post on him [and would like to hear more about your thoughts on it later, too]. she noted before, why spend $100k on the branchflower investigation if you don't intend to follow up on any of its findings, or take the people to court who didn't answer the legislature's subpoenas? what's going on?

Philip Munger said...

anon who had been @ #4 & is now deleted,

I didn't say I'm not a "fuckup dad." I sometimes am, as my kids and others remind me.

Read my fucking post.

I'm also not a political figure, and I don't go around snooping through government files to carry through my vendettas.

Anonymous said...

This makes me so angry. I cannot tell you how disgusted I am.

Thank you for your effort in trying to do something to keep these yahoos in line.

What can we do to help?

P.S. My rep is Gatto. So contacting him is a waste of time.

Philip Munger said...

anon @ #6 - Carl is mine, too. I will be speaking to him about this anyway. He listens to me, then does what he wants or is told by the leadership.

Unknown said...

With regard to Doogan, I travelled to his office in Juneau with a serious inquiry and a firm appointment time. I am a service-connected disabled veteran and he is supposed to be my representative. I expected him to be respectful towards me and to offer his direct assistance (or at least a referral), but got neither.

He was late to the appointment and did not acknowledge me in any way when he eventually entered the office, trapsed back and forth in front of me in his rather small office, pounded on his copmputer keyboard for a while, and only eventually allowed me to enter his office "sanctuary". After hearing of my concern, Doogan told me "there are FIVE levels between you and me" and you need to take this matter up elsewhere. Period. End of meeting. He basically told me nhot to let the office door slam me in the butt as I got the hell out of there.

I am a life-long progressive democrat, but did not vote for him during the last election. Any surprise, Mike?

clark said...

doogan seems prone to drastic mood swings. when he quit writing his ADN column he had some really sour words about it -- that he doubted anything he wrote ever made any difference or something like that. and i thought, OK, a healthy amount of self-doubt i suppose. but why spend 15 years doing it if that was going to be the outcome? and he did make a difference -- ask almost anybody who used to read him. i used to look forward to his columns. i still remember that he used to appear on sunday, wednesday and friday. he made a big difference to me, by providing perspective no one else did. sort of what we rely on bloggers to do today. that he's starting to seem like an enemy of the people is mystifying.
someone at mudflats suggested they would take genuine contempt over faked compassion, in regards to dialogue with a politician any day of the week. not i. i would like mutual respect, even when there isn't agreement. it's not too much to ask.

Anonymous said...

I am appalled at how Alaskans allow their government officials to speak to them. I can't believe the written response from your legislator.

Are you used to these types of behaviors from your elected officials or is this something new?

Good Luck getting anything done with people like this.
They need to be reminded of the here and now, not what may happen in '12.
Alaskans are doing themselves and the rest of the country a great disservice by allowing Sarah Palin not be held responsible for her actions. And allowing Todd Palin access to information that is not available to the other citizens.
What else has he done or is doing?
The public needs to know what is going on in your own government.

Unknown said...

This is a sure sign that the wimpy democrats of Alaska are still scared to death of the good governor. When she becomes president of the U.S. in 2012, they'll have even more fun as they try in vain to make her appear even one-tenth as sleazy and corrupt as the democrats.

clark said...

riiight, jim! what parallel universe are you living in?
evidence, please of the massive democratic corruption.

Anonymous said...

I have no hope that Doogan will be a "leader" legislator, or that he'll do much to "right" the SP situation....Doogan didn't support Clean Elections, was loud about it...in spite of the fact that more than 20% of his district signed the initiative petition! Doesn't look like Mike follows the wishes of his district!

Anonymous said...

I love it Democrats eating themselves alive! And you Phil are leading the charge. go figure...


Perhaps you should stick to photos of Fagan's crotch, victimizing teen mothers and being a thief of others copywrited work.