Posted by
Ron Devito on Thursday, May 28, 2009 6:12:29 AM
On May 27, 2009, the Alaska State Personnel Board dismissed yet another ethics complaint against Governor Palin -- this being the 13th -- finding it to be baseless and without merit. As with several others, this complaint was dismissed based on a simple review of the law; hearings were not even necessary (Ethics Complaint, 2009, ¶1-3). Andree McLeod, became a vocal critic of the Governor's since being denied employment by the state last year (Ethics Complaint, 2009, ¶2). She filed her eight-allegation complaint in March 2009, and amended it several times since then (Ethics Complaint, 2009, ¶3-5).
“While the complaint process under the ethics act can be a useful tool for holding state officials accountable, it’s obvious that political opponents of the governor have been abusing the system, attempting to turn their resentments into legal issues,” said Bill McAllister, the governor’s communications director. “We’re grateful that the personnel board and its investigators have taken a rational approach to these matters, finding that the vast majority of the complaints did not even warrant the collection of evidence because they failed to assert any violation of the law” (Ethics Complaint, 2009, 4).
The complainant, "McLeod said that there were two matters showing an improper connection between the governor’s office and her political action committee; that two comments made by McAllister about the governor’s travel plans were political in nature; that the governor’s trip to Evansville, Indiana, for a right to life event used state resources, and that she improperly accepted gifts there, including chocolate, baked goods and a hockey stick from a youth hockey group; that the governor’s daughter, Bristol, used state resources in her efforts on behalf of the Candies Foundation; and that the governor’s press release concerning her selection as a vice presidential candidate was improper. Geraghty found all of the allegations to be baseless and not worthy of an investigation" (Ethics Complaint, 2009, 5).
Commentary
It is patently obvious that these baseless ethics complaints against Governor Palin all have ulterior motives attached to them. In this case, McLeod has a beef with the Governor, because she applied for and was denied a state job. Upon being denied the job, she became one of Governor Palin's enemies. So, she came up with allegations, half of them mirroring those filed by other complainants -- which were similarly dismissed -- and threw them at the Governor hoping at least one would stick.
The remaining complaints have been filed to a one by left-wing bloggers, and Democrat operatives using the ethics complaint process as part of Saul Alinksy's Rules for Radicals, the specific rules here being negate the positive" and "show the target as being a hypocrite."
The Governor's release stated that a few more complaints remain pending." That few is likely to be two. When ethics complaints within Alaska's system was last addressed here, 11 had been dismissed leaving three outstanding. The 12th one to be dismissed was lodged at the federal level. This would be the 12th one within Alaska's system to be dismissed (but 13th overall) out of 14, leaving two.
While we're on the subject of ethics complaints if you have not already donated to the Alaska Fund Trust, or have donated less than $150, please consider a donation there to be top priority. Donors may donate up to $150 per calendar year cumulatively or in a single donation to this fund.
References
Another McLeod ethics complaint fails: Officially found to lack merit. (2009, May 27). State of Alaska, Governor. Retrieved May 27, 2009 from: http://www.gov.state.ak.us/news.php?id=1869