Judge told Palin to leave brother in law alone THREE YEARS AGO! Also accused Palin of child abuse.

An Anchorage judge three years ago warned Sarah Palin and members of her family to stop "disparaging" the reputation of Alaska State Trooper Michael Wooten, who at the time was undergoing a bitter separation and divorce from Palin's sister Molly.

Allegations that Palin, her husband Todd, and at least one top gubernatorial aide continued to vilify Wooten—after Palin became Alaska's governor and pressured state police officials to take action against him—are at the center of "Troopergate," a political and ethical controversy which has embroiled Palin's administration and is currently the subject of an official inquiry by a special investigator hired by the state legislature.

Court records obtained by NEWSWEEK show that during the course of divorce hearings three years ago, Judge John Suddock heard testimony from an official of the Alaska State Troopers' union about how Sarah Palin—then a private citizen—and members of her family, including her father and daughter, lodged up to a dozen complaints against Wooten with the state police. The union official told the judge that he had never before been asked to appear as a divorce-case witness, that the union believed family complaints against Wooten were "not job-related," and that Wooten was being "harassed" by Palin and other family members.

Court documents show that Judge Suddock was disturbed by the alleged attacks by Palin and her family members on Wooten's behavior and character. "Disparaging will not be tolerated—it is a form of child abuse," the judge told a settlement hearing in October 2005, according to typed notes of the proceedings. The judge added: "Relatives cannot disparage either. If occurs [sic] the parent needs to set boundaries for their relatives."

So even before Palin was the Governor and "doing her duty by protecting the integrity of the State Troopers", she was just a pissed off big sister trying to make sure her brother in law did not get custody of his children.

The more of the back story that emerges about the Palin clan, the more I find it surprising that they have never made even one appearance on the Jerry Springer show.

Teen pregnancies and drug use, torrid affairs, misuse of power, bizarre religious beliefs, habitual lying, and moose hunting. This could use up a week's worth of episodes on Montel Williams, Tyra, or maybe even Judge Judy.

But sadly this is not some episode being broadcast on my television.

No this is the political soap opera that is being played out in Alaska, and the rest of America, and there is no way to change the channel. And that is very sad thing for this country indeed.