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Republican vice presidential running mate Sarah Palin may have abused her power as Governor of Alaska in having someone's employment terminator, but she did not break any law according to findings reported Friday night.
Public Safety Commissioner Walt Monegan's refusal to fire Palin's ex-brother-in-law from the state police force was "likely a contributing factor" to Monegan's July dismissal, but Palin had the authority as governor to sack him, the report by former Anchorage prosecutor Stephen Branchflower states, according to a CNN report.
The bipartisan Legislative Council, which commissioned the investigation after Monegan was fired, unanimously adopted the 263-page public report after a marathon executive session Friday. About 1,000 more pages of documents compiled during the inquiry will remain confidential, the council's chairman, state Sen. Kim Elton, said.
Rep. John Coghill, a Republican who criticized the handling of the investigation, said it was "well-done professionally."
But he said some of the conclusions were judgment calls by Branchflower, and recommended readers should view them with a "jaundiced eye."
This may not bode well for the John McCain/Sarah Palin ticket, which is already finding itself in a pretty deep hole.
Online gambling website, BetUS.com, had now entered into uncharted territory, making the Democrat Barack Obama's odds of becoming the next US President a -450 likelihood. In the world of sports, that's considered a virtual "lock" with upset potential still a remote possibility. Republican nominee John McCain had odds at nearly 3/1.
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Christopher Costigan, Gambling911.com Publisher
