Like a ripple in a pond, the troopergate scandal gave birth to the sexual harassment scandal, which was just a blip on the megamedia radar screen. Troopergate looks at whether Palin fired a state commissioner for not firing a state trooper, who coincidentally was divorcing her sister. Palin replaced the fired state commissioner with a fellow fundie who was officially reprimanded for sexual harassment. While the national media went on vacation, Alaska media wanted to know why she appointed a known sexual harasser. A local "media firestorm" culminated 2 weeks later in his resignation, which may have been "encouraged" by a $10,000 exit "bonus" from Palin. The chronology of this scandal shows how not even Palin, a graduate of the Bush/Cheney school of executive spin, can defeat a media firestorm and also illustrates how Palin is the right-wing's "feminist" darling by gender only. Remember the Tweety Effect last January? With a little organization, why couldn't we get a blog swarm started on priority Palin and McBush issues to impact megamedia coverage, which in turn may have "enormous impact" on the general election.
When news broke that Palin would replace the fired state commissioner with city police chief Chuck Kopp, a woman sent an email to Palin to warn her that the city had validated her sexual harassment complaint against him. The complainant offered to show her files, but no one from Palin's office contacted her before announcing Kopp's appointment the following day. The governor's office confirmed that Palin did receive the email.
Flashing back a few years to when the sexual harassment occurred, Kopp was a city police chief and acting city manager and the complainant was his assistant. After an investigation by the city, Kopp was officially reprimanded for hugging her frequently, massaging her neck and shoulder, kissing her on the cheek (which may have been witnessed by another officer) and grabbing her leg in a car ride. (video of complainant interview at this link)
The complainant objected, and told Kopp that she would not have an "unprofessional relationship." Kopp assured her that it would be a professional relationship and that the "close relationship" that he had with his "previous assistant" would not happen again because it was a "mistake." However, Kopp continued with his sexual harassment and so she filed a complaint with the city. According to the complainant, Kopp admitted (video interview at link) to another city manager that he had hugged and kissed her and how he was "sorry about that."
The city attorney informed the complainant by letter that the city "immediately launched an investigation" into Kopp's conduct. As a result of its investigation, Kopp was "removed immediately from his supervisory role" over the complainant, but confidentiality precluded the city from telling her what other action had been taken against Kopp. Media reports revealed that the "other action" taken against Kopp included the issuance in his personnel file of an official letter of reprimand, which mandated that he should never hug or touch employees. Kopp then worked out a deal with the city that his reprimand would be removed from his personnel file if no other complaints were filed in a two-year period. Palin would later use the absence of this reprimand in his file today as an excuse for not knowing that she had appointed a sexual harasser.
Moving forward to July 2008, Palin spent two weeks brushing off media inquiries as to why she appointed a sexual harasser as a state commissioner, showing her true "feminist" colors.
Around July 17th, Palin initially dismissed the sexual harassment by saying that it was quite common for people who had been arrested to "bad mouth" the police, but did not explain WTF this has to do with this case. Palin's initial remarks trivializing the sexual harassment are revisited when Kopp resigns as Palin continues to suggest that it is Kopp who got a bum deal.
On July 18th, Palin "explained" that she knew about the sexual harassment complaint against Kopp when she appointed him as state commissioner, but "looking at the investigation" conducted by the city, "we have been shown that he was cleared of the allegations." While the reprimand had been expunged from his personnel file, what about the city attorney's letter which validated the complaint or any witness statements or other evidence which led the city to conclude that an official reprimand was necessary?
On July 21st, Kopp tried to end media questions (video at link) by stating that no "sexual harassment allegation" ever "resulted in a lawsuit or a settlement" and "no job action was ever taken against him – if there was, he would not be here today" as the state commissioner holding his first press conference. This is important. Even Kopp admitted that it would not be appropriate for Palin to appoint him as commissioner if the city took some job action against him. Hello? After the investigation, the city removed Kopp as the complainant's supervisor and issued the official reprimand.
On July 22, Palin tried to quell the media firestorm by stating that the sexual harassment charges were never "substantiated," which she should know because she had reviewed the sexual harassment complaint. LOL, that same day, Kopp held another press conference where he admitted that the city officially issued a letter of reprimand which told him to never hug or touch employees.
A couple days later, Palin states that she did not learn about the reprimand letter until Kopp's press conference. However, Kopp stated that Palin's office knew of this harassment complaint since 2006 when he was named to her transition team, but that this case and the letter of reprimand was not raised with him when he was interviewed for the commissioner position.
On July 25th, Kopp announced his resignation at a press conference with Palin and both indicated that he had been smeared. Kopp stated that while he has been "portrayed in a negative light," his "personal worth was found in the person of Jesus Christ."
Kopp indicated that his resignation was due to the "media firestorm" which interfered with his ability to perform his job. The day before, Palin stated that she was very concerned when she learned that Kopp had been officially reprimanded. But, Palin's concern disappeared at this press conference where she suggested that the unfounded media firestorm had tainted this good man to the point that his resignation was now in the best interest of all concerned: "Is it any wonder that not too many people choose to enter the political and public arena. This has been brutal on a good family" and Kopp must now "protect his family from further stress."
Thus, Palin decided Kopp's resignation was politically expedient because it was now public that he had been reprimanded for sexual harassment. Palin then rewarded Kopp with a $10,000 severance package for his two weeks as commissioner. However, the money does not constitute wages but rather a settlement against future claims against the state related to his two weeks as commissioner.
Palin has refused to discuss her vetting of Kopp or why she concluded that the sexual harassment complaint was "unsubstantiated." But, we can rest assured that she will be a great VP for McBush because she conducted a "thorough investigation" of Kopp before he was appointed.
It only took 2 weeks to move from smirking arrogance about an issue to resignation, which Kopp opposed the day before he resigned. We have a progressive netroots infrastructure in place and dozens of bloggers writing about Palin and McBush. Conservative bloggers are embedded with Faux News. But, we have access to LTEs, online independent media and political organizations as well as Keith and Rachel Maddow. Instead of waiting or hoping for a viral blogging campaign, why not organize it?
noweasels set up digg for us to spread word. Thanks.
TIMELINE BY SarahLee
March 1, 2006..........Letter from Col. Julia Grimes suspending Wooten, 3/1/06.......... http://media.adn.com/...
July 11, 2008..........Palin Fires Walt Monegan.......... http://www.adn.com/...
July 11, 2008..........Kopp, appointed to replace former Commissioner Walt Monegan.......... http://www.adn.com/...
July 13, 2008..........The complainant in the Kenai sexual harassment case, a former assistant to Kopp, e-mailed the governor's office; No one from the governor's office contacted the woman, though, and Palin announced Kopp got the job the next day. Several days later, the woman called the governor's office asking officials again to look into it, she said...........
July 14, 2008..........Palin's office sent out announcement saying the Kenai Police Department Chief Charles "Chuck" Kopp is the new commissioner of Public Safety...........
July 15, 2008..........Kopp's first press conference; he said: "There's no job action ever taken against me. If there was, I wouldn't be here with you today." but woman who filed complaint talked to press on condition of anonymity and said that what Koop said wasn't true...........
July 17, 2008..........Blogger Andrew Halcro claims the Palin family ties to Mike Wooten played a role in Monegan's firing - Wooten is Palin's former brother-in-law........... http://community.adn.com/...
July 18, 2008..........Palin denies accusation over firing of Monegan ..........
July 18, 2008..........Palin explains that she knew about the sexual harassment compoant when she appointed him, but thought he had been cleared of the allegations..........
July 21, 2008..........Koop says no "sexual harassment allegation" ever "resulted in a lawsuit or a settlement" and "no job action was ever taken against him – if there was, he would not be here today"..........
July 22, 2008..........Public Safety Commissioner Charles Kopp press Conference; denies sexual harassment charges; .......... http://community.adn.com/...
July 22, 2008..........Kopp acknowledges harassment complaint and that he was reprimanded for it by the City of Kenai but says he appealed the reprimand it and was pulled from his personnel file 2 years after the 2005 complaint........... http://www.adn.com/...
July 22, 2008..........Palin tried to quell the media firestorm by stating that the sexual harassment charges were never "substantiated," which she should know because she had reviewed the sexual harassment complaint...........
July 24, 2008..........Palin spokeswoman: Kopp never told governor about reprimand; ..........
July 24, 2008..........Kopp says Palin's office learned of the harassment complaint when he was named to her transition team in 2006..........
July 25, 2008..........Public Safety Commissioner Chuck Kopp resigns; Note that Palin says she first learned the truth about the sexual harassment charges during the 07-22-08 press conference Koop held. She had thought the complaint was found unsubstantiated.......... http://www.adn.com/...
July 25, 2008..........Palin spokesperson says she did not know about Kopp's sexual harassment reprimand letter; says that the complaintant's email did go to the Gov.'s office the day Koop was hired........... http://www.youtube.com/...
July 29, 2008..........Severance Agreement gives Koop $10,000 in exchange for rlease of all clames he could assert aginast the state...........