Governor Sarah Palin: Did She Make False Allegations Against a Father?

2008-09-03
By

St. Paul, Minnesota—Since the Republican Vice Presidential nomination of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin last week, the media has been buzzing over Palin’s politics, personal life, and how the two mix.

One issue that has seen some press involves Palin, Alaskan State Trooper Mike Wooten and the dismissal of Alaska’s Public Safety Commissioner Walter Monegan.

Trooper Wooten was involved in a bitter custody battle with Palin’s sister, Molly McCann. Palin hired a private investigator to observe Wooten in order to determine whether Wooten was a threat to McCann and the rest of the family. The private investigator brought forth several accusations, including domestic violence, drunk driving and using a taser on a 10-year-old-child.

Based on these accusations, the State Troopers began an investigation into Wooten. They upheld several accusations and did not substantiate many more. This resulted in a five day suspension from the force and a warning that Wooten would get only one more chance as a State Trooper.

Once Palin was elected Governor, Walter Monegan was added to the mix. As the Public Safety Commissioner, Monegan had the power to fire State Troopers—a power that he felt pressured by Palin to use. According to Monegan, Palin asked him to fire Wooten. He refused, and Palin fired him instead. Palin stated that she fired him for reasons unrelated to Wooten, while Monegan claims that Wooten was in fact the cause of his firing.

The dismissal of Monegan came as a shock to many in the political realm, including Alaska politician Andrew Halcro who stated Monegan’s firing was an abuse of power and questioned Palin’s true motives. However, Halcro, who ran against Palin during the 2006 race for Governor, may not be an objective source on the matter. To read Halcro’s statement, click here.

After reviewing numerous articles on Governor Sarah Palin, Fathers & Families cannot conclude that Palin knowingly made false allegations against Mr. Wooten.

Dr. Ned Holstein, M.D, M.S.
Chair of the Board and Founder, Fathers & Families

Ned is a divorced father of two adult children and is the custodial parent of his third child, a senior in college. Ned graduated from Harvard College, then obtained a Masters degree from M.I.T. before attending Mount Sinai School of Medicine. He next trained at what was then Boston City Hospital. He is a Clinical Assistant Professor at Mount Sinai and is a nationally recognized expert in his field. He lives in Auburndale.

1,965 views

  • http://mensnewsdaily.com/author/rogerfgay/ Roger F. Gay

    Finally, an article on the topic that matters. Ned Holstein, Chair of the Board and Founder, Fathers & Families, is completely right in assuming an interest.

    BTW: Accuser – Alaska politician Andrew Halcro – is the guy she beat in the Republican Gubernatorial primary.

  • merck

    If it’s true that he used a taser on his ten year old stepson, and apparently it is, then he should suffer a hell of a lot more than being fired from his job.

    I understand his fellow cops sticking up for him, because that’s what people who depend on each other do. If you can understand that, then it’s not that hard to understand why Sarah Palin would want to stick up for her sister.

    If the accusation is true, and according to the investigation it is, then I think the guy is a criminal wearing a uniform and should suffer severe consequences for his actions.

    Anyone who would taser a ten year old child should not be in law enforcement under any circumstances.

    The more I learn about Palin, the more I admire John McCain for choosing her as his V.P.

  • http://www.shatterdmen.com/ shatteredmen

    Palin hired a private investigator to observe Wooten in order to determine whether Wooten was a threat to McCann and the rest of the family. The private investigator brought forth several accusations, including domestic violence, drunk driving and using a taser on a 10-year-old-child.”

    Is it not possible that the private investigator reported what he thought Palin wanted to hear and that she acted in good faith that the report was accurate?

    Even if the worst is true, we need to remember that this is one incident compared to Biden’s millions of destroyed homes due to the VAWA he himself brags about. If true we need to use this to educate how common false accusations are by comparing it to Biden’s VAWA and how that one act has destroyed more homes then any other.

    Senator Joe Biden acknowledged he grew up in an abusive home with this statement in part:

    My sister grew up with absolute impunity in our household. And I have the bruises to prove it (It would seem like the Senator wants all women to have absolute impunity)

    If Biden becomes V/P we will have one of the most misandrist people in history one heart beat away from being the POTUS. I think he may even outdo the Clinton’s in his misandry.

    http://www.shatterdmen.com/Bidden.htm

  • Sambini

    Dr Ned has mis-stated Monegan, who has actually said that Palin did NOT ask him to fire Wooten; further, Monegan was fired for ongoing and outright insubordination to the Guv on economic and policy issues, and was NOT a shock to anyone.
    He also failed to mention that Wooten was investigated because Gov Palin was asked upon taking the office an SOP question: ‘Are you or anyone in your family under any threats?’ Since Wooten had threatened to ‘put a bullet in’ his father-in-law’s head, and included Sarah in the threat, the answer was yes. An official investigation ensued.
    The answers to all of this will come out, and none of us should be making conclusions until it’s over.
    Yes, there’s a lot of false accusations against good men out there; but not all of them are false, and there are some brutes in the world who need to be firmly dealt with.

  • PolishKnight

    “Anyone who would taser a ten year old child should not be in law enforcement under any circumstances.”

    I’ve read articles that claimed that the child wanted to see what it felt like and the trooper buzzed him in a controlled way. Tasers aren’t lethal and all law enforcement officials are required to subject themselves to it so they understand what it’s like both from an empathy point of view, and their limitations.

    It appears as if this is wrong under any circumstances but consider that this is rugged Alaska where children at that age are probably already hunting. So yes, this was probably a stupid thing to do but I don’t think he was abusive.

    All that said, a personal grudge battle is not evidence one way or another for personal policy. For example, Joseph Biden was a single father but he has problems bashing divorced fathers via the VAWA act. He was a victim of DV by his older sister and he JOKED about it. There’s no reason to believe that Sarah Palin wouldn’t be sympathetic to the plight of father’s and men’s rights and traditional values.






Search

RSS Amy Alkon

RSS Donna Laframboise