Sarah Palin Guilty of Power Abuse

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After months of denying any wrongdoing on the campaign trail, the Legislative Counsel in Alaska investigating a scandal popularly known as "Troopergate" has decided that Sarah Palin violated a statute of the Alaska Executive Branch Ethics Act.

She did so when she tried to get State Trooper and ex-brother-in-law Mike Wooten fired due to a family feud. And when Public Safety Commissioner Walt Monegan refused to, she found authority as governor to terminate him.

"I find that Governor Sarah Palin abused her power by violating Alaska Statute 39.52.110 (a) of the Alaska Executive Branch Ethics Act," investigator Steve Branchflower concluded.

The report, 263 pages long, however also said that while the family grudge was a factor, it was not the only reason for Monegan's dismissal. Palin has always said that budgetary conflicts were the reason for Mr Monegan's termination.

Mr Monegan said that felt vindicated by the verdict.

"It sounds like they've validated my belief and opinions," he said. "And that tells me I'm not totally out in left field."

However, Palin's lawyer said that the findings have not been conclusive because no personal gain was established.

"Mr Branchflower has failed to identify any financial gain," Thomas Van Flein explained.

There have also been questions regarding possible bias in the bipartisan investigation. Alaska's state Senator Gary Stevens disputes the verdict.

"I would encourage people to be very cautious, to look at this with a jaundiced eye," he said.

According to the McCain camp, who released its own 21-page report, the entire saga is conjured by former campaign opponent Andrew Halcro, and Mr Wooten.

In it: "It is tragic that a false story hatched by a blogger over drinks with Trooper Wooten led the legislature to allocate over $100,000 of public money to be spent in what has become a politically-driven investigation."