KTUU.com | Alaska's news and information source | Lawmakers move to investigate Monegan ouster

Lawmakers move to investigate Monegan ouster

by Mike Ross
Thursday, July 24, 2008

ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- State legislators are making a move to look into Gov. Sarah Palin's shake-up at the Department of Public Safety.

State lawmakers Thursday scheduled a meeting for early next week to talk about hiring an investigator to look into what the governor did and why.

Questions have swirled for almost two weeks now. Did Gov. Palin fire Public Safety Commissioner Walt Monegan because of a personal grudge? Did the governor's husband put pressure on Monegan to fire state trooper Michael Wooten because of his bitter divorce and child custody feud with Gov. Palin's sister?

The governor said last weekend the allegations are false.

"Walt Monegan was not pressured in any way to dismiss any trooper as evidence by the trooper still being a trooper," she said.

But many state lawmakers want to know if the changes the governor made at the department were to move the agency in a new direction, as the governor claims, or if they are the result of an abuse of power.

"A lot of people are very upset about it," Senate Majority Leader Johnny Ellis said last week. "We're trying to figure out what the truth might be in these charges."

The Legislature's search for the truth will take a major step soon. The Legislative Council has scheduled a meeting for next Monday afternoon at the state Capitol.

 "Alaskans and legislators both deserve something other than speculation and something other than trying to read between the lines of what people are saying," incoming council chairman Sen. Kim Elton said.

Elton says his preference is to hire an independent investigator to look into what he calls the cloud hanging over the governor's head.

"It's probably better to have an independent, arms-length relationship with anyone who is doing any kind of review," Elton said. "That tends to de-politicize what is potentially and explosive political situation."

The governor says she welcomes the investigation.

"I have absolutely nothing to hide and am happy to answer any questions," she said. "I'm happy to answer any questions between now and when they do conduct an investigation also."

The union that represents state troopers says an independent review is needed.

"We, the public I mean, we have a right to know whether or not this governor has abused her office, whether or not there has been undue influence placed on the command staff," Alaska Public Safety Employees Association Executive Director John Cyr  said.

Gov. Palin said last weekend that she did not think an independent investigator was needed.

"That being the route that they choose, then so be it," she said. "I'm happy to comply, to cooperate. I have absolutely nothing to hide. No problem with an independent investigation."

Palin has denied any wrongdoing in the actions she's taken. State lawmakers may very well want to find out for themselves.

Commissioner Monegan's termination isn't the only controversy swirling in the Department of Public Safety.

The man appointed to take over for Monegan, former Kenai Police Chief Chuck Kopp, had been issued a letter of reprimand for a sexual harassment complaint when he worked there.

Kopp said Tuesday the letter was removed from his personnel file two years after it was issued because there had been no other complaints filed against him.

Gov. Palin said last week that she had been told that Kopp had been cleared of the allegation.

Thursday, the governor said it was a surprise to her that Kopp had been issued the letter and she says Kopp did not tell her about the reprimand before she appointed him.

She addressed the question of firing Kopp or asking for his resignation.

"In trying to get the bottom of all of it, I am trying to seek the facts, deal in only facts," Palin said. "I will be doing the right thing for Alaska."

The governor said she has a meeting with Kopp Friday.

Commissioner Kopp could not be reached for comment.

Contact Mike Ross at mross@ktuu.com