The moose, the trooper – and a scandal that could engulf McCain

[BuyingThyme]

The moose, the trooper – and a scandal that could engulf McCain

Sarah Palin could face criminal charges over sacking of brother-in-law

By Leonard Doyle in Washington
Saturday, 11 October 2008

Could the illegal shooting of a moose in the Alaskan wilderness affect the outcome of the race for the White House? Alaska's lawmakers were last night reviewing a potentially explosive report after their investigation into charges that Sarah Palin abused her power as Governor by sacking a senior official because he refused to bow to her wishes in a vendetta against her estranged brother-in-law.

The report's focus is on the sacking in July of former Alaska public safety commissioner Walter Monegan. Mr Monegan, who ran the state police force, claims he was ousted because he refused to sack Mike Wooten, the ex-husband of Mrs Palin's sister. One of the complaints given by Ms Palin's aides against Mr Wooten was that he pulled the trigger that felled a moose without a licence.

The findings could wreak havoc with John McCain's already faltering presidential hopes by reopening questions about his failure to vet his running mate. There is even a possibility of a criminal investigation into Mrs Palin. A scandal would, at best, be an unwelcome distraction for Mr McCain in the crucial final weeks of the election. The inquiry added to claims that Mr McCain is erratic at a time when steady leadership is needed.

The bipartisan investigation began before Ms Palin was picked as John McCain's running mate. Mrs Palin, who did not co-operate with the inquiry, denies any wrongdoing. Her critics allege that she wanted Mr Wooten drummed out of the police force on technicalities including that he illegally killed a moose during a family hunting expedition in 2003 when he was still married to her Ms Palin's sister, Molly. Molly had a hunting licence but her husband fired the fatal shot and the animal was eaten by the entire extended Palin family.

...

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/race-for-whitehouse/the-moose-the-trooper-ndash-and-a-scandal-that-could-engulf-mccain-957891.html

[panader0]

1. I swear, this sounds like a Coen brothers movie.

You just can't make this shit up----truth is indeed stranger than fiction. If it wasn't so F'ing important, I would be laughing my ass off.

[BuyingThyme]

2. Is it illegal to eat a poached moose?

Like receiving stolen property?