Mike Wooten, hero? (or, why Ivory Webb wishes he were an Alaska State Trooper, protected by their union)

You may have seen a post in my personal blog about the Log Cabin endorsement of John McCain/Sarah Palin, based partially upon a post from local Matt Munson.

Munson has posted a follow-up:

Governor Palin in the past cut funding for pregnant teens, worked to ban books at the local public library, using government agencies against a former brother in-law. And in the church the governor belongs to, they are just as radical as Obama’s home church but with beliefs that “terrorism is god’s way to punish Israel for not converting to Christianity”, and they are hosting an ex-gay conference hoping that people in Alaska will be healed and converted to heterosexuality.

However, increasing publicity on the "former brother in-law" is bound to backfire. Palin is alleged to have claimed that Alaska state trooper disciplinary measures were not tough enough, and to have interfered in the disciplinary process. At this point some people stop reading and start screaming about abuse of government power. But tell me, what would you do if someone said this about your sister and father?

"If your dad helps you through this divorce he's gonna, he's gonna eat an F'n lead bullet."

and

"I'm gonna take your sister down. I'm gonna ruin your family. know people in all the right places, in high places. I know judges. I know attorneys. I have relationships with these guys. You guys are all going down."

Oh, and how about this?

Another set of interviews conducted later in 2005 with both Todd and Sarah Palin showed more abuses of power, this time while he was at a bar with his "girlfriend." While at the bar and off duty Mike flashed his badge and demanded that another patron be removed. There were also instances of two different DUI's one for Mike and one for his "girlfriend" which were never charged.

Colonel Julia Grimes determined that

The record clearly indicates a serious and concentrated pattern of unacceptable, and at times, illegal activity occurring over a lengthy period, which establishes a course of conduct totally at odds with the ethics of our profession.

Note that Wooten was found guilty of these activities, including illegal activities. (Can you say "rogue cop"?)

Let's take a moment and look at a local case, that of Ivory J. Webb Jr.. He was booted out of the Sheriff's Department - even though he was eventually acquitted of the charges against him.

So you'd expect a "rogue cop" who was found guilty of several questionable and illegal activities to meet a similar fate, wouldn't you?

Mike Wooten received a whopping ten day suspension. The troopers' union got the suspension cut to five days. As Investor's Business Daily stated:

If there's abuse of power in this story, it lies on the side of bureaucrats and unions protecting officers whose behavior makes them a danger to the public.

Heck, if I were Sarah Palin, I'd be mad too. And when more people investigate the story, they'll admire her rather than criticize her.

Don't expect Obama to make a joint appearance with Mike Wooten any time soon.