Former Alaskan Public Safety Commissioner Walt Monegan. He was fired by Governor Sarah Palin for insubordination earlier this year. New media reports reveal he also beat his wife. Democrats say Palin "abused her power" in terminating Monegan.
Democrats pushing "Troopergate" are getting closer and closer to defending the records of two abusive men who have threatened family members and on occasion taken violent action towards them.
Alaska's former Public Safety Commisioner Walt Monegan and state trooper Mike Wooten both have a distrubing history of abuse. Monegan, of course, is the man who Democrats believe GOP vice presidential contender Sarah Palin improperly fired as Alaskan Governor and who is at the center of their controversial "Troopergate" inquiry. Wooten is Palin's former brother-in-law who Democrats think Palin unethically pressured Monegan to terminate.
Via the San Francisco Chronicle Monegan admitted dislocating his wife's shoulder "by accident" by "wrestling and tickling" her. His estranged wife, Georgene Moldovan, tells another story.
Moldovan sought a restraining order against him in 1994 after he threatened to kill her, waved a gun at her and knocked her shoulder out of socket, according to court papers. The court papers say: "he pulled out his gun and waved it at me outside my home and yelled he would kill me if I stopped him."
Moldovan told the SF Chronicle that Monegan "would show up unannounced and break into my apartment and do threatening things. I was forced to get a restraining order because I was really fearful he was going to harm me." She said he also threatened to throw her body into a cold, Alaskan river.
Monegan, for his part, said his ex-wife was telling "either half-truths or pure fabrications."
Governor Palin fired Monegan earlier this year for insubordination. Democrats have accused Palin of "abusing her power" in firing Monegan, who was a political appointee. The Alaskan legislature is now leading an ethics investigation to determine if Palin improperly fired Monegan.
Palin's foes say Palin really fired Monegan over his refusal to terminate trooper Wooten, not for his insubordination. Wooten recently ended a bitter marriage with Palin's sister, Molly.
Like Monegan, Wooten has a violent history with family members. He's admitted to “tasering” his stepson and has been accused of threatening to kill his former father-in-law, Palin's dad.
