Palin Cleared in "Troopergate"

In case you hadn't heard, Gov. Sarah Palin has been cleared in the "Troopergate" manufactured scandal:

Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, Republican John McCain's running mate, didn't violate ethics rules when she fired the state's public safety commissioner, an investigation conducted for Alaska's Personnel Board concluded.

``There is no probable cause to believe that the governor, or any other state official, violated the Alaska Executive Ethics Act in connection with these matters,'' according to the report issued on the eve of the U.S. presidential election.

Palin had asked the three-person panel charged with investigating ethics complaints against state employees to look at whether she committed any ethics violations in her July 11 firing of Public Safety Commissioner Walt Monegan. A separate probe conducted for a state legislative panel reported Oct. 10 that Palin abused her power in violation of state ethics rules.

Monegan contended he was dismissed because he refused to fire state trooper Mike Wooten, who was involved in a divorce and custody battle with Palin's sister. Palin, 44, maintains she fired Monegan over budget disagreements.

``The governor has testified that she did not seek the termination of Trooper Wooten after she became governor,'' according to the report.

Tim Petumenos, the panel's investigator, is a registered Democrat. The Personnel Board is made up of three political appointees, all of whom were named by the previous governor.