Alaska probe finds Palin 'abused her power'

Washington, Oct 11 (PTI) Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, the
running mate of John McCain, "abused her power" in seeking to
get her former brother-in-law fired as a state trooper, an
ethics report has found, dealing a blow to the Republican
Presidential nominee who is struggling to hold ground against
Democrat rival Barack Obama.

44-year-old Palin "knowingly permitted a situation to
continue where impermissible pressure was placed on several
subordinates in order to advance a personal agenda...: To get
Trooper Michael Wooten fired," the 263-page state legislative
investigative report said Friday night.

The investigation looked into Palin's sacking of Public
Safety Commissioner Walter Monegan, who claimed that he was
dismissed because he refused to bow to pressure to fire
Wooten, who was involved in a bitter divorce and custody
battle with the Governor's sister. Palin insists the firing
was over a budget dispute.

The legislative panel, which authorised the
investigation, released the report, but did not immediately
vote whether to endorse its findings, 'The Boston Globe'
reported.

However, the report, which found that Palin violated the
state's ethics law banning public officials from using their
offices for personal gain, did not say whether Palin should be
censured by the Legislature or whether the matter should be
referred for criminal investigation, the paper reported.

As the November 4 presidential race narrows, the report
thrusts a new issue into the campaign when Palin's reputation
as a reform-minded candidate is already being subjected to
scrutiny. The Republicans may also face Democrats' attacks on
the matter.

The report's findings were revealed as Obama scored a
double-digit 11-point lead over McCain for the first time in a
Newsweek poll amid deep concerns about economy.

In the latest poll, Obama leads McCain by 52 per cent to
41 per cent among registered voters compared to a Newsweek
survey carried out a month ago, which had the two tied at 46
per cent.

The investigation into the "Troopergate" case also found
that Palin "knowingly" let her husband, Todd, use the
resources of the Governor's office "to find some way to get
Trooper Wooten fired."

Much to the displeasure of the probe panel, Palin had
refused to testify before it.

While Palin could fire Monegan "for almost any reason, or
no reason at all," it was "impermissible" to put pressure on
him to dismiss Wooten, the report concluded, according to the
paper.

Palin and Republican presidential candidate John McCain
have denied that she acted improperly in the firing of
Monegan.

The report "shows that the Governor acted within her
proper and lawful authority in the reassignment of Walt
Monegan," a campaign statement was quoted by the paper as
saying.

The findings come at a time when Palin, the mother of
five, is criticised by some in the political circle for her
lack of experience and her halting answers in recent
television interviews.

Fighting back such attacks, the McCain campaign said she
was a uniquely qualified outsider who can help
reform Washington.

The legislative inquiry into the 'Troopergate' matter was
approved by a bipartisan vote, but the McCain campaign alleged
that it was a partisan 'witch hunt', the paper said.