Palin Facing Alaska Ethics Investigation

State probes claim that Mac pick had former in-law canned from job
By Wesley Oliver,  Newser Staff
Posted Aug 29, 2008 12:30 PM CDT
Palin Facing Alaska Ethics Investigation
Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and her husband Todd wave as she is introduced as Republican John McCain's running mate today in Dayton, Ohio.   (AP Photo)

John McCain’s running mate comes to the national campaign embroiled in a scandal back home, Talking Points Memo reports. Alaska’s legislative council has appointed a special commission to investigate Gov. Sarah Palin, who’s accused of pressuring the state’s department of public safety to fire her former brother-in-law, state trooper Mike Wooten—who is battling Palin’s sister in a messy custody suit.

Palin denies the charges but has admitted that someone in her administration played a role in “Wooten-gate.” She’s distanced herself from the staffer, but phone recordings suggest he was acting with her consent. “This is a governor who was almost impervious to error,” a Democratic state senator tells the Wall Street Journal. “Now she could face impeachment, in a worst-case scenario.” (More Sarah Palin stories.)

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