Okay here are the pertinent findings from Senate Resolution No.5.
No. 1) On July 28, 2008, the Alaska Legislative Council unanimously authorized an investigation into the firing of Walt Monegan.
No. 2) On September 12, 2008, the Senate Judiciary Committee issued subpoenas to witnesses in the case.
No. 3) A few days later the subpoenas for Todd Palin, Randy Ruaro, and Ivy Frye were all served on their respective attorneys, and the subpoenas required Mr. Palin, Mr. Ruaro, and Ms. Frye to appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee on September 19, 2008.
No. 4) On September 19, 2008, Todd Palin, Randy Ruaro, and Ivy Frye failed to appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee.
No. 5) Assistant Attorney General Michael Barnhill promised the cooperation of the witnesses represented by the Department of Law (Annette Kreitzer, Dianne Kiesel, Nicki Neal, Brad Thompson, Michael Nizich, Kris Perry, and Janice Mason), and Mr. Branchflower agreed not to serve the subpoenas and began scheduling depositions of the witnesses.
No 6) Three days later, on September 16, 2008, that written promise of cooperation was countermanded by a letter from the Attorney General (Talis Colberg) demanding that the subpoenas be withdrawn.
No. 7) The subpoenas were then served on the seven witnesses represented by the Department of Law, requiring that they appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee on September 26, 2008.
No. 8) On September 25, 2008, the Department of Law filed a lawsuit on behalf of Annette Kreitzer, Dianne Kiesel, Nicki Neal, Brad Thompson, Michael Nizich, Kris Perry, and Janice Mason, asking the court to declare invalid the subpoenas issued by the Senate Judiciary Committee.
No. 9) On September 26, 2008, Annette Kreitzer, Dianne Kiesel, Nikki Neal, Brad Thompson, Michael Nizich, Kris Perry, and Janice Mason failed to appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee in compliance with the subpoenas that had been served on them.
No.10) On October 2, 2008, Superior Court Judge Peter Michalski dismissed the Department of Law's suit, finding that "AS 24.25.010 gives the legislature and the Senate Judiciary Committee's subpoena power" and that there had been "no due process or fair and just treatment violation" of anyone's rights.
No. 11) On October 5, 2008, written interrogatories were sent to the seven witnesses who had failed to appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee on September 26, 2008, as well as to Todd Palin, Randy Ruaro, and Ivy Frye.
No.12) On October 10, 2008, the Alaska Legislative Council unanimously adopted a motion stating that witnesses had "submitted responses to the interrogatories, thereby aiding the investigation".
Okay are you still with me? Good.
To sum it up. The Senate Judiciary Committee issued subpoenas for these ten Palin people. Attorney General Talis Colberg said "Don't worry you don't have to honor these subpoenas because I am going to file a lawsuit to stop them". While the case was still pending the date for honoring the subpoenas came and went. Then Judge Michalski said, "Colberg, you jackass, you have no legal right to tell those individuals to ignore a subpoena issued by the Judiciary Committee!" And threw the lawsuit out. And then Colberg said "Oh you want them to testify? Why didn't you just say so? Of course they can testify!" And the witnesses then provided testimony as Branchflower was just wrapping up his report.
And now the Alaska Senate has found that these ten people who followed Talis Colberg's advice are in contempt. Which of course may mean jail time or fines for these ten scofflaws. But the Senate decides that just telling them they were naughty is good enough. "Bad Palin-bots, bad!"
But that is definitely NOT good enough!
They defied an order from the Alaska Judiciary. They are lawbreakers. That means they fucking get punished. And if they don't, what kind of signal does that send to the next person who receives a subpoena from the Judiciary? "Oh never mind, these pussies never follow through with ANYTHING!" Or does that only work if you are married to, working for, or BFF's with the Governor? Jesus Christ!
Okay fine, then don't punish them.
But surely the person who TOLD them to break the law is going to be punished! Please tell me that Talis Colberg should be getting his affairs in order and preparing to spend a couple of months, or a year, walking to the showers with a "soap on a rope" around his neck!
Just don't fucking tell me that these people get to flaunt the law and get away with it because our State Senators are afraid of Caribou Barbie! Don't tell me that there is not enough backbone among our State Legislators to stand up to this tiny woman.
I am trying to find a reason to be proud of my state Government, give me something!
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I'm certainly hoping that Colberg is the one who ultimately answers for this. It seems to me like the Senate felt like they couldn't do more to these 10 becasue they were following Colberg's advice ... which was wrong. He should be removed from office and disbarred, in my opinion.
ReplyDeleteGryphen, when I first saw this I was like "Yeah!" but then I read the rest...I can imagine how you of Alaska feel... all Gov. grifters' "gates" spineless leg. crazy assed senators...and on and on.
ReplyDeleteHave you seen Christian Bales Rant?
I love it, I put it on my myspace, things I would like to tell Palin myself!
http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog
I especially like the part where he screams "F*ck NO!!!!"
Lock 'em ALL up!
ReplyDeleteThen, IMPEACH that useless governor!
I think that all of the people that failed to respond to the subpoenas should be held accountable for their actions as it was their choice to break the law. And AG Colberg should be held accountable, too.
ReplyDeleteI'm just hoping this goes to Talis. Who knows the ways of the legislature - thay have surprised us before. Maybe the ends justify the means. I can only hope.
ReplyDeleteFuckin' A Gryph! Right the Fuck on! Great summary. I hope there is a chess game going on...get Talis Colberg! AND...PALIN 2012 my husband was in contempt...so what? what are you gonna do about it???
ReplyDeleteI was thrilled when I first saw the headline - but stunned that no action was going to follow.
ReplyDeleteMore outrage in the bubbling stew of contempt for Sarah Palin and her entourage.
Hopefully her goose will be cooked soon and you folks can be rid of her once and for all (and she is cooked enough to not rise again here in the lower 48)
Subpoenas are so "yesterday", dude! If Rove and Cheney can ignore them, why not everyone else?
ReplyDeleteA law is only as strong as the willingness to enforce it.