Legal Commentary

Todd Palin Refuses to Comply With Subpoena

By Jeralyn

It's official. Alaska "First Dude" Todd Palin, husband of Gov. Sarah Palin, will refuse to comply with the subpoena issued last week to testify before the Alaska Senate Judiciary Committee on TrooperGate.

Instead of taking the 5th, something we could respect as his constitutional right, he's claiming he can't get a fair hearing. Republican politics as usual.

A state Senate committee is scheduled to meet Friday to take statements from the 12 people they subpoenaed last week, including Todd Palin. But McCain-Palin spokeswoman Maria Comella said Todd Palin would not face a "fair hearing" before the Senate Judiciary Committee.

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McCain's people have added a new argument:

In a new twist, Comella said Alaska state law bars ethics investigations of people running for elected office. "That law was passed to insulate legislative investigations from exactly the kind of political maneuvering we are seeing in this inquiry," she said.

Of course, she isn't running for state office and the investigation was launched before she was running for vice-president --and she originally said she welcomed the investigation.

The law campaign officials cited appears to apply to candidates for state office, while Sarah Palin is seeking a federal job. But another campaign spokesman, Taylor Griffin, said the subpoenas violate "the spirit of the law, if not the letter."

In addition, state Attorney General Talis Colberg told lawmakers Tuesday that state employees wouldn't comply with subpoenas because the governor "has declined to participate" in the inquiry. Colberg said Sarah Palin's refusal puts them in the position "of having to choose where their loyalties lie."

What it means: A contempt vote must wait until the full Senate convenes in January. So, Palin and McCain have derailed the investigation -- but it also means she will run for Vice-President with a cloud of suspicion of impropriety over her head.

Sarah Palin: Ethically challenged, Polarizer in Chief. Run, Sarah, Run.

Other late Palin related news: Republican Senator Chuck Hagel says she's not qualified to be Vice-President.

Full post as published by TalkLeft on September 19, 2008 (boomark / email).