Palin Implicated By Witness in ‘Troopergate’ Probe

[JonLP24]

Source: The Public Record

An Alaska woman who owns a company that processes workers’ compensation claims in the state has told an independent investigator that she was urged by the office of Gov. Sarah Palin to deny a benefits claim for Palin’s ex brother-in-law, a state trooper who was involved in an ugly divorce and child custody dispute with Palin’s sister, despite evidence that the claim appeared to be legitimate, according to state officials who were briefed about the conversation.

Murlene Wilkes, the proprietor of Harbor Adjusting Services in Anchorage, had originally denied there was any pressure by Gov. Palin’s office to deny state trooper Mike Wooten’s claim for workers compensation benefits.

But she changed her story when she was subpoenaed by Steven Branchflower, the former federal prosecutor who was appointed in July to probe allegations Gov. Palin, Republican presidential candidate John McCain’s running mate, abused her office by abruptly ousting Public Safety Commissioner Walt Monegan, state officials knowledgeable about her conversation with Branchflower said.

Monegan has said Gov. Palin pressured him, several of her aides, and her husband, Todd Palin, to fire Wooten. Branchflower’s investigation centers on whether Palin fired Monegan because he refused to fire Wooten.


Read more: http://www.pubrecord.org/component/content/359.html?task=view

[orleans]

1. more from your link:

Wilkes told Branchflower that the implication that she would lose the contract if she did not deny the claim. Although Wooten’s claim was denied it is unclear if Wilkes played any role in it.

Two weeks ago, Branchflower confronted Wilkes with evidence—including statements made to Branchflower by one of Wilkes's' former co-workers—that showed her previous statements were contradicted and that Palin’s office did try to intervene and contacted her to ensure Wooten did not receive benefits for a back injury he said he received while on the job.

Wilkes told Branchlower that she received phone calls and personal visits from Palin officials, including Palin’s husband, Todd Palin, and was told to deny Wooten’s application for worker’s compensation claims because he lied about his physical condition, these people said.

Wilkes said Todd Palin had shown her photographs of Wooten on a snowmobile during the time he was allegedly unable to work as evidence that he was not entitled to benefits, these people said. It is unknown whether Branchflower will determine that any laws were broken as a result of Palin’s office alleged interference in her ex brother-in-law’s workers compensation case.

http://www.pubrecord.org/component/content/359.html?task=view

[Frank Booth]

2. The Palin pick keeps looking worse and worse. Nice judgment there, Johnny Mav!

[IllinoisBirdWatcher]

3. Just the tip of the iceberg

The evidence of the Palin vendetta against her ex-brother-in-law is strong and ongoing. Accusations dating back to 2003, yet never reported to authorities until the 2005 divorce.

Complicity on the part of the entire Palin family in moose hunting fiasco. They all enjoyed the mooseburgers until they decided to turn him in.

Claims of death threats, spying through windows of his home, stalking him, but never calling 911 (until the divorce)

A divorce court judge warning the Palin family that their vendetta was "emotional child abuse."

Then it all started over from Juneau almost the day after she was elected governor.

[sattahipdeep]

21. 30 days into Palin's term . in November 2007 there was a settlement.

Part of that settlement included an operation on Wooten’s back in California.

This was a serious injury and he was flat broke and had to file for bankruptcy because his claims were denied. There was absolutely a personal vendetta against this trooper by the governor and the governor’s staff.”

....
He filed for benefits due to a back injury he suffered when he pulled a dead body from a wrecked automobile and slipped on icy pavement.

The same month Wooten started receiving workers compensation benefits, Todd Palin began following Wooten around “snapping pictures of him,” Cyr said.

By Jason Leopold
The Public Record
Monday, September 29, 2008
http://www.pubrecord.org/component/content/359.html?task=view


"I think the best thing about Todd Palin, he's a man's man," family friend Kristan Cole told ABC News.
:puke:

[pnwmom]

4. This charge may the the one that finally brings her down.

Thanks for the post!

[bjobotts]

5. Palin's already been brought down by the Couric interview.Can't ignore her ignorance.

[pnwmom]

6. I mean, the one that results in criminal charges. n/t

[ContraBass Black]

15. I'll believe that when I see the handcuffs.

[meowomon]

7. UhOh

[superconnected]

8. It's amazing how her family and office help her in trying to ruin people financially.

Sounds like they were on people to make it tough for this guy like ceaseless rabid pitbulls.

This is consistent with the tons of police reports they all made against her brother in law.

[DFW]

9. It sounds like she is Karl Rove with a skirt

No wonder McCain's people liked her. Maybe they DID vet her, and thought
her credentials (to their way of thinking) were impeccable.

[Whoa_Nelly]

10. Rove's much more intelligent, and doesn't wear lipstick, even though he is a pig

'nuff said

[DFW]

11. Most pigs would probably be insulted to be grouped together with Rove

[Whoa_Nelly]

14. True enough, 'cept maybe for this pig (vid at link)

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26867597/

Pony-size pig holds woman captive, sent to stud
Hog made 'aggressive demands' to be fed, headbutted her door


A pony-size pig who held an Australian woman hostage for 10 days inside her home will be removed on Wednesday to a piggery, where his bacon will be saved by a stint on stud duties, rangers said.

The 176 pound pig, nicknamed Bruce, kept self-confessed animal lover Caroline Hayes, 63, in her farmhouse near Uki, in northern New South Wales State, with aggressive demands to be fed, even headbutting her bedroom door at night.

"I picked up a broom and poked him out with it and he snapped it in half with his mouth," Hayes told Australian media.

She said the pushy pig was as big as a "Shetland pony" and wandered onto her property 11 days ago after being let loose in surrounding rainforest by neighbors.

"One of its eyes it couldn't see out of, so I put cream in it and I fixed its back up. But apparently it's actually claimed my land and claimed my place," Hayes said.

[sellitman]

22. *Ding* Ding* Ding*

We have a winner.

She is one of them. They vetted her perfectly!

[mwb970]

18. "Palin" must be Alaskan for "nasty".

Republicans are so mean-spirited. It's heartbreaking to see what happens when they are put in power.

[happygoluckytoyou]

12. Murlene Wilkes---> just one election away from GITMO.... please help Murlene Wilkes and vote OBAMA

[OakCliffDem]

13. KICK. Why won't the Main Stream Media pick this up and run with it

The MSM is in the tank for McCain

[JonLP24]

16. They have already taken too many shots for being too tough on Palin

They're scared to be true investigative journalists because they will be blacked out and wont be allowed to ask Palin-McCain questions ever.

[paparush]

17. Buh Bye, Sarah, Buh Bye...

Don't let the moose hit you on the way out.

[JonLP24]

19. Off topic: Did you hear about the mass killings of Caribou in Alaska?

[lynnertic]

25. No, tell us more.

[stoge18]

20. Troopergate, Schmoopergate......

I don't see what the big f'ing deal is.... So she used her position to put the screws to somebody she doesn't like. Big deal. It's not as if there's no precedent here. I seem te remember a small town mayor from a little town called Wasilla who used the same MO as standard practice. It's called the Palin Doctrine -- ever heard of it??? If so, in what respect?

If you can't use your position as an elected official to screw over enemies and people who disagree with you, then why even run for public office in the first place?

:sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm:

[usregimechange]

23. MSM?

[grantcart]

24. this is an escalation and now borders on criminial charges

[DeeDeeNY]

26. Will anything come of this?

Todd refused to show after being subpoenaed and nothing happened to him. It's not like he can get away with that. Oh wait. Karl Rove and Harriet Miers did the same thing and got away with it too.