Update: Palin's Trooper-Gate Troubles

Sarah Palin's original claim that Walt Monegan was ultimately fired for taking an unauthorized trip to Washington, D.C. is false. Documents recently obtained by ABC include a Travel Authorization form which was filed and approved prior to Monegan's trip to the nation's capitol. The former Public Safety Commissioner was also said to have been "egregiously insubordinate" and a "rogue" actor within Alaska's public sphere. Those claims are yet to be supported by any tangible evidence.

It's obvious now that this scandal in not so clear-cut after all. Palin initially welcomed a full investigation but has now been stonewalling for the better part of 2 months. She's apparently caught in a bold-face lie here with this "unauthorized trip" nonsense, and who knows what other revelations will be revealed before the official report is published on October 10th. The one thing that is certain is that Palin has the capacity for duplicity.

She jumped on the Straight-Talk Express after the engine had quit and tried to fix it with some good ole folksy- hockey mom- abortion hating-gun toting-creationist tools, and some lies of her own. Now she's in a muddled mess that could derail the Express for good.

Trooper Gate Cover-up

Five Republican state officials have filed suit to halt the investigation into the firing Walt Monegan, who refused to dismiss Palin's ex-brother in-law from Alaska's state police force. Monegan claims that he repeatedly came under pressure from Palin to dismiss the officer, who was engaged in a bitter custody dispute with Palin's sister at the time. Monegan feels he was dismissed for not firing the trooper.

Palin initially welcomed a full investigation but has since appeared reluctant to let it run its course. Todd and Sarah Palin have been accused of pressuring the then-Public Safety Commissioner to fire the trooper and of having him dismissed when he refused. Palin claims Monegan was dismissed over budget disputes and "egregious insubordination".

Before the GOP allies filed this latest suit, the Senate Judiciary Committee issued subpeonas to Todd Palin and 10 members of Palin's administration. The initial probe gained bi-partisan support in the AK Legislative Council but has recently been deemed "partisan" and "tainted" by McCain camp officials who seem intent on stalling or halting it altogether.

We'll keep close tabs on the story as it unfolds, but at this point, Palin's reluctance to allow the investigation to run its course does seem curious.