Sarah Palin's Attorney General resigns

[WhoAmI]

JUNEAU, Alaska — Alaska Attorney General Talis Colberg, a major figure in the abuse-of-power investigation of Gov. Sarah Palin, has resigned, the governor's office said Tuesday.

Colberg, who was appointed to the post in 2006 after Palin was elected, represented seven of nine state employees who initially refused to testify before a legislative panel investigating Palin's firing of her public safety commissioner in what became known as Troopergate. Colberg said he advised the seven of their options, and he unsuccessfully challenged the subpoenas in court.

"I determined that it was in the best interest of the State of Alaska to move on and pursue other opportunities," Colberg said in a statement issued Tuesday by Palin's office.

Palin's spokesman, Bill McAllister, said the resignation was a personal decision for Colberg, and Palin neither fired nor pressured him to quit.

Palin wondered whether the current political climate factored in Colberg's decision.

"In not wanting to speculate on his personal decision, I would hope this harsh political climate we are in right now won't deter others who want to help this great state," Palin told The Associated Press.

While lawmakers continue to blame John McCain and Palin's campaign operatives for lingering hard feelings in Alaska, Palin blamed the climate on lawmakers positioning themselves for the upcoming campaign season.

"Those are the issues that created the harsh political environment that Talis was thrust into," Palin said.

The Troopergate investigation looked into whether Palin, assisted by aides and her husband, who was also subpoenaed, pressured public safety commissioner Walt Monegan to fire a state trooper involved in a contentious divorce with Palin's sister and then fired Monegan when he wouldn't dismiss the trooper. Palin said Monegan was ousted over budget disagreements.

The House Judiciary Committee criticized Colberg over his role in the employees' initial decision not to honor the subpoenas.

Rick Svobodny, head of the state's criminal division, was named acting attorney general.

Colberg did not immediately return a phone message left Tuesday at his home.

Alaska Attorney General Resigns: Palin

[Grimmlok]

abandon bitch! abandon bitch!

[greysfang]

Like rats off a sinking ship...

[WhoAmI]

The big black cloud that has been following Talis Colberg has finally chased him out of the Attorney General’s office.

Which excuse from the “Big Three Excuses” did he choose?

A) Need to spend more time with family.

B) I’m becoming a “distraction”

C) I’m going to pursue other opportunities

Let’s listen….

“I determined that it was in the best interest of the state of Alaska to move on and pursue other opportunities. It was an honor to serve for the past two years,” Colberg said in a statement issued this morning by the governor’s office.

If you guessed C, you were correct.

Colberg has been residing in a firestorm of controversy starting back in September. That’s when ten witnesses, including seven state employees, who were called forth to testify via legislative subpoenas in the ethics investigation known as “Troopergate” decided not to show up. These witnesses and the governor herself had been more than willing to cooperate with the investigation until Palin became the VP nominee. After McCain’s lawyers descended on the Alaska Department of Law, suddenly everyone, mysteriously had a change of heart. The Alaskan people, not being stupid, understood what had happened and had an enormous rally on the Park Strip, organized by the group Alaskans for Truth, where 1500 signatures were collected, demanding the ouster of the Attorney General. An additional 500 were collected after the fact and the whole enormous pile was delivered to Palin spokesman Bill McAllister in the Governor’s office.

According to Colberg, during a recent grilling from the House Judiciary Committee, he explained that he hadn’t told witnesses to ignore the subpoenas….he just told them they had a “choice” about whether to ignore them.

>>>>Hockey Buzzer Noise<<<<

Nobody bought that one, and the witnesses, including the Governor’s husband Todd Palin were found in contempt, but with no punishment. Rumors were running rampant that the legislature was not finished with Colberg yet.

“Talis is a highly intelligent, thoughtful and reserved scholar who brought considerable legal knowledge and great personal integrity to the position,” Governor Palin said. “I appreciate his willingness to serve, and as the search for a new attorney general begins, I will look for someone with the same strong moral character as Talis. I wish him well in his future endeavors.”

So it sounds like we can look forward to another Attorney General with “the same strong moral character” as the one who is resigning in disgrace because of his lack of … moral character. Nice.

Troopergate is not dead, despite what the Palin administration would like to believe. There are many loose threads yet to be tied up, and many subplots yet to be concluded. Will the Alaskan people vote to have the Attorney General become an elected position? Will the Legislature pay closer attention when they confirm the next Attorney General? Will the Alaskan people pay closer attention to this process? Do penalties for criminal witness tampering only apply to sitting Attorney Generals? What happened with the multiple complaints filed with the Alaska Bar Association against Talis Colberg? Have we heard the last of Trooper Mike Wooten who, last we heard, is working a desk job? We may need to wait for these answers, but today, we recognize that public pressure has played a large part in forcing the Attorney General of Alaska to step down. And that’s pretty big.

Those of you who are familiar with the oddly Shakespearean State of Alaska Department of Law 2008 Annual Report post will know that I asked “When will this play be over?” The anwer for Talis Colberg is today.

In searching for the perfect Shakespearean sendoff, for our embattled AG, whom I will forever picture in my mind’s eye in a velvet tunic, metal pants and a codpiece, Ithought of Hamlet:

“Goodnight, sweet prince.”

Or Romeo & Juliet:

“Farewell! God knows when we shall meet again.”

Perhaps The Merchant of Venice:

“Adieu! I have too grieved a heart to take a tedious leave.”

But somehow, I ended up with something from Ogden Nash. My apologies to the Bard.

Farewell, farewell, you old rhinoceros,
I’ll stare at something less prepoceros.

(Colberg exits stage right, fade to black)

The Mudflats » Alaska Attorney General Talis Colberg Resigns.

[kingcap72]

The 1,115th Palin scandal must be brewing.

[McJag]

Ok-bring on the rest! We know there is much more to this.

[cmmdee]

Palin's spokesman, Bill McAllister, said the resignation was a personal decision for Colberg, and Palin neither fired nor pressured him to quit.

Unlike what she did to that other guy...