Long-Standing Feud in Alaska Embroils Palin

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/30/AR2008083002366.html

For the past several years, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, the Republican vice presidential candidate, has been embroiled in a bitter family feud that has drawn in the state police, the attorney general, the governor's office and the state legislature.

A bipartisan state legislative panel has appointed a special prosecutor to investigate whether Palin improperly brought the family fight into the governor's office. The investigation is focusing on whether she and her aides pressured and ultimately fired the public safety commissioner, Walter Monegan, for not removing Palin's ex-brother-in-law from the state police force.


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French said the investigation of the popular 44-year-old governor had been criticized throughout the state until about two weeks ago, when the governor's office released the audiotape of Bailey.

Such evidence points to a violation of Wooten's privacy, French said.

"We're seeing clues or signs that matters from his personal confidential file were being shared to generate talking points against the trooper as drums being pounded to get him dismissed," French said yesterday.