http://www.adn.com/troopergate/story/527346.htmlTROOPERGATE: Governor's lawyer attempts to clear her of misconduct in the firing.
By WESLEY LOY
wloy@adn.com
Published: September 16th, 2008 12:36 AM
Last Modified: September 16th, 2008 01:47 AM
Walt Monegan lost his job as public safety director because he resisted Gov. Sarah Palin's budget policies and showed "outright insubordination," say papers the governor's lawyer filed Monday with the state Personnel Board.
It was Palin's strongest effort yet to snuff allegations she sacked Monegan because he refused to fire a state trooper involved in an ugly divorce with the governor's sister.
Along with the papers filed Monday were a slew of e-mails from the governor's office purporting to show Monegan's "rogue mentality" as a member of Palin's Cabinet.
In one message, the governor's budget director, Karen Rehfeld, wrote that she was "stunned and amazed" that Monegan appeared to be working with a powerful state legislator, Anchorage Republican Rep. Kevin Meyer, to seek funding for a project Palin previously had vetoed.
To coincide with Monday's filing, spokesmen for the Republican national ticket of John McCain and Palin, his vice presidential running mate, held an Anchorage press conference touting the "important new information" they said cleared Palin of misconduct in what has come to be known as Troopergate.
Monegan, reached Monday at his Chugiak home, said he was dismayed at the attack on his record as Palin's public safety commissioner.
"In my mind, I've always been a team player," he said.
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Monegan, in an interview Monday, said that the papers the governor's lawyer filed are selective and he's provided other documentation to the legislative investigator, Steve Branchflower, that will provide a more balanced portrayal of his time as commissioner.
As for why he was fired, Monegan said he believes it was his failure to fire trooper Wooten.
"Sadly, yes, I do," he said, citing the July 17, 2007, e-mail as the sort of tacit pressure he said he received repeatedly from Palin and her husband.