So for all of you low-information PUMA types out there, you know, those of you for whom McCain's, um, shall we say the UNDERWHELMING choice of Governor Sarah Palin was designed to flatter, entice, and cajole, I've got a little bad news. It would seem, according to news sources in Alaska, that Gov. Palin knowingly picked an alleged sexual predator, Charles Kopp, as her choice for Alaska's Commissioner of Public Safety. Yes, that Gov. Palin, the one who supposedly cares so damn much about American women everywhere. That one. The dirt is over the jump.
Here's where I found this less-than-inspiring story of cronyism in the frozen North.
Kopp has since resigned, but what's damning, in my view, is how much Palin is said to have known about his alleged sexual misconduct. To quote:
Governor Palin has made it clear from the beginning that she was aware of the allegation of sexual harassment levied against Kopp while he was Kenai Police Chief, but she hired him anyway under the apparent belief that it was an anomaly. Her decision was fueled by Kopp's repeated assertion that nothing came of it, that no suits were filed and that no formal disciplinary action against him was taken. He made it sound like a one or two-time deal. So it is possible that Governor Palin was misled by Kopp.
OK, so she's admitted that she hired Kopp while in full knowledge of allegations of sexual misconduct. Yikes! That's like hiring a sexual predator as your babysitter, you know, while giving them the benefit of the doubt that, well, maybe those nasty namecallers in the community got it wrong somehow. It's the Christian thing to do!
Here are the details of Kopp's misconduct:
the female victim, who worked for him as an administrative assistant, reported that the harassment was frequent and extended. In general, Kopp would come in and want hugs from her - almost on a daily basis. The situation became so protracted the city of Kenai was forced to remove Kopp as her supervisor and place her under the supervision of a Sgt. Sandahl. . . . This goes beyond sexual harassment - this is sexual predation. Kopp literally preyed on this woman for an extensive period of time. No threats or violence were necessary - the supervisory-subordinate relationship alone made it implicitly coercive.
Hmmm, it seems like "Snow White" Sarah's got more than a little trouble with abuse of power and privilege, and that she's more than a little dirtied with the muck of Alaskan corruption and asshattery.
But what absolutely SLAYS me is that this is the Republicans' Hillary replacement, the gaudy bauble they hope will distract low-information PUMA Obama-haters because, well, we all know he's a sexist, that he "unfairly" beat Hillary, that he doesn't get women's issues. . . . And this only some forty-eight hours after Hillary wonderfully, stunningly destroyed that meme FOREVER with her bold, resounding (and, yes, gracious: good on 'ya Hillary!) endorsement of our next President, Barack Obama. Are they even fucking paying attention?
That's right: the shining white knight of disaffected women Democrats and Independents everywhere -- all five or six of you -- is a corrupt, venal pol who raised an alleged sexual predator to one of the highest law-enforcement offices in Alaska.
You know, because she cares so incredibly fucking much about women.
What a day! Thanks John McCain. Hugs to you, but only the friendly kind, of course. :D