Probe turns to workers' compensation claim

by Jason Moore
Monday, September 22, 2008

ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- The investigation into Gov. Sarah Palin's firing of Walt Monegan is looking into whether Palin influenced a workers' compensation claim from her former brother in-law.

Alaska State Trooper Mike Wooten had his benefits denied three months after an injury forced him out of work. It became part of the probe after the adjuster who handled Wooten's case tipped off the Legislature's investigator.

Back in January of 2007, at a car accident scene, Wooten slipped and injured his back. He applied for and received workers' compensation.

But in April, the state ended the benefits.

"(They) said that he was not entitled to any further benefits at that time, because their doctor said he could go back to unrestricted work," said Wooten's attorney, Chancy Croft. "His doctor was still telling him, 'No, you can't.'"

The form announcing the denial of benefits was signed by Johanna Grasso of Harbor Adjustment Service, which handles the state workers' comp claims.

Grasso is also the person who testified to the Legislature's investigator, Stephen Branchflower, that she was told by the owner of the company that the governor or governor's office wanted Wooten's claim denied.

The governor's spokesman, Bill McAllister, said Wooten's workers' compensation file is confidential, but if it wasn't they could show how Grasso is not telling the truth.

"We can show you the whole chronology including documents with the name of this employee, former employee, of the firm who apparently gave some sort of a statement to Mr. Branchflower indicating that her recollection of events is false," McAllister said.

"The person is a governor, not the queen," Croft said. "She can't go around dispensing out workers' compensation."

Croft said he knows of no interference by the governor's office in Wooten's case.

"This was a pretty normal workers' compensation case," he said.

Wooten returned to light duty shortly after his benefits were denied, and full duty in December of last year.

Meanwhile, the state Personnel Board has also hired an investigator to look into the issue, after Palin filed a complaint against herself and said that was the proper body to do the investigation.

The board hired Anchorage attorney Tim Petumenos, and while fighting the Legislature's inquiry, the McCain-Palin campaign says the governor will cooperate only with the Personnel Board investigation.

Read and Hear More

Palin lying about Bailey's phone call

In a taped interview with Anchorage Daily News Reporter Kyle Hopkins yesterday, Governor Sarah Palin stated unequivocably that Frank Bailey acted completely on his own.

"No one ever directed him to make any calls, he never disclosed he made any calls," Palin said.

This is a lie.

On February 29, an email was sent from Frank Bailey to Ivy Frye just after Bailey's recorded phone call to Alaska State Trooper Rodney Dial.

"Leaving pretty quick for the airport...call me though I need to give you a heads up. Spoke to Rodney and he doesn't get that kind of stuff since he's a Lieutenant, but he'd definitely pass it on."

Not only that, but Palin also told Hopkins that "Todd never told Frank Bailey or suggest he take on this mission to call a trooper."

However according to phone logs, Todd Palin called Ivy Frye three times between 1:45pm and 3:50pm on the afternoon of February 28, the day before Bailey's call to Dial.

But there is more. The Palin administration has refused to release over 1100 additional emails citing "Executive privilege" and "Deliberative Process".

According to the privilege log of those emails that weren't released, there are eleven different emails between 7pm on February 28 and 11:41am on February 29 with the subject line "re: PSEA" sent between Ivy Frye, Annette Kreitzer, Sarah Palin, Frank Bailey, Todd Palin and Kris Perry.

Given the fact that Bailey's recorded phone call that was placed around 9:30am on Feb 29 and was prefaced about the PSEA (Public Safety Employees Association); who wants to bet the reason Palin doesn't want to release these emails is because they have to do with Wooten?

I have attached both the email and the phone log which were released as part of an unrelated information request.

To hear Governor's Palin's interview with Kyle Hopkins:

http:adn.com/adn/node/129087//community.

To see the privilage log of emails that haven't been released:

http://www.andrewhalcro.com/a_test_post

More Links of Interest


Raw feed: Palin (Updated) - 8/13/2008 10:00 pm


"Alaska Troopergate" - 8/14/2008 2:00 pm


Palin interview - 8/15/2008 11:04 am


The Bailey phone call - 8/13/2008 4:28 pm