Palin husband among 13 subpoenaed in Troopergate probe Mike Sheehan

Published: Friday September 12, 2008





Print This Email This The husband of GOP vice presidential candidate Gov. Sarah Palin is among 13 witnesses subpoenaed by Alaska lawmakers, the Associated Press reports.



The subpoenas are "part of the investigation into whether the Republican vice presidential candidate abused her power in trying to get her former brother-in-law fired," writes Gene Johnson for the AP.



Johnson quotes retired prosecutor Stephen Branchflower saying of Todd Palin: "He's such a central figure. ... I think one should be issued for him."



He adds that Branchflower "said he wants to interview Palin herself, but did not ask for a subpoena for her."



Rhonda Schwartz and Justin Rood at ABC News' "Blotter" blog described the proceedings that led to the subpoenas:

In a nondescript conference room filled to capacity, a Republican-dominated panel of lawmakers voted to issue subpoenas to force testimony by Alaska 'First Gentleman' Todd Palin and a dozen current and former state officials, including aides to Gov. Palin, to determine whether she had misused her authority in firing one of her commissioners in July.

The so-called "Troopergate" probe, write Schwartz and Rood, "was prompted by Palin's July 11 firing of her former public safety commissioner, Walt Monegan, after he refused to dismiss Mike Wooten, a state trooper who was Palin's ex-brother-in-law.



"Wooten and Palin's sister had gone through a lengthy and bitter divorce and custody battle in 2005, during which Palin herself had accused Wooten of threatening her and her father," they continue, adding that Wooten has denied the accusations.



