Palin abused powers, Alaska ethics probe finds

Governor's pressure on subordinates to get trooper fired violated executive code

Election 2008

"In light of this constitutional and statutory authority, it is clear that Gov. Palin could fire Commissioner Walt Monegan at will, for almost any reason, or no reason at all."

The report states that, while there is no doubt that Monegan's "failure to fire Trooper Wooten was a substantial factor in his own firing, the evidence suggest it was not the sole reason."

Twelve members of the legislature's 14-member Legislative Council, the interim body that meets when the Legislature is not in session, deliberated in closed session over the findings for most of the day before voting unanimously to release the 263-page document publicly. One member voted by telephone.

Several Republican legislators had launched a legal effort to halt the inquiry, which they said had become tainted by politics after Palin's nomination to the GOP ticket.

But even the eight Republicans on the council supported the report's release, though many emphasized they were voting to make it public, not in endorsement of its findings.