It’s a little harsher than a sternly-worded letter, but not much.
JUNEAU — The Alaska Senate voted Friday to find Gov. Sarah Palin’s husband, Todd, and nine Palin aides in contempt for failing to show up when ordered by subpoena to testify in the Legislature’s “Troopergate” investigation of the governor.
But the Senate resolution also said there should be no punishment because Todd Palin and the others did eventually submit written statements to the investigator, Steve Branchflower.
The resolution passed on a vote of 16 to 1 — with six Republicans and 10 Democrats voting for it.
“I thought it was important to resolve it. People kept saying ‘you need to do something about the subpoenas — what are you going to do about the subpoenas?” said Anchorage Democratic Sen. Hollis French, who sponsored the resolution. “And while there was practically no support for doing anything further about the findings regarding the governor, a lot of people were upset that the subpoenas were ignored.”
“It memorializes their contempt and it balances that wrongdoing against their compliance once the suit was resolved,” French said in an interview after the vote.
It’s gotten to the point that I don’t think people even feel shame at being held in contempt by a legislative body.
Who does he mean by “a lot of people”? Is he speaking here of “The People of Alaska”, and if so does he have polling data telling him that they cared that the subpoenas were ignored?
Or is he speaking of “people in the legislature”? I suspect that’s the case – people are mad that the governor told them “go fuck yourselves” rather than having her people show up when summoned and saying “go fuck yourselves” in a more circuitous and polite manner.
Which just about sums up the problems with our Republic in decline at the moment. More politicians are concerned about the appearance of democratic process than they are about actual democratic process. Paralleling the concerns about the appearance of corruption rather than the actual corruption. And the current clusterfuck in the Capitol appears to be about the appearance of good economic stewardship rather than actual good economic stewardship (someone explain to me WTF Nelson and Collins are doing that they think is actual good stewardship rather than just mucking with things to “look good”).
I suspect these problems are inherent in democracy, but you’d think a legislature would at least be concerned with their actual power rather than their appearance of power. Crazy times.
“More politicians are concerned about the appearance of democratic process than they are about actual democratic process…the appearance of corruption rather than the actual corruption…the appearance of good economic stewardship rather than actual good economic stewardship…“
This deep concern for appearance over reality is exactly what we saw in the reaction to items like Abu Ghraib. The expressions of concern, even in liberal and “progressive” quarters, were far more about the “scandal”, and what it would do to America’s image than about the reality that this was American government policy, and that regular all-American boys and girls willingly, and even eagerly carried out these policies on a daily basis.
America will begin to heal itself when the majority of Americans are more concerned about their country’s soul than they are about its image.
Shame – what’s that?
I’m pretty sure it was banned a generation ago…
Todd Palin will accept that resolution as a matter of pride– he’ll flaunt it.
the palin’s are so 2008…but you’ll have to admit, it’s more than the us congress has done.
at least it distracts attention from this debacle, as she keeps praying she gets a big advance for her book, cause she’s going to be a one hit wonder as gov. her 15min is running out.
Coincidence?
When it comes to stupidity and disrespect of the people’s representatives, the Palins have a huge lead. I doubt if any ignoramus, even of Republican ilk, can surpass them.
“It’s gotten to the point that I don’t think people even feel shame at being held in contempt by a legislative body.”
No they don’t, because they hold the legislative body in contempt. It shouldn’t be a question of whether they feel shame. It should be a question of suffering consequences.
Well said.
Personally, I wouldn’t pay much attention to, much less feel any shame over, being held in contempt by a legislative body that didn’t intend to do anything about it. It’s an empty gesture, and therefore of no consequence. Why should Todd Palin care?
The shame here belongs to the legislature. How much shame depends on what additional options the Alaska state legislature does or does not have. If they are truly toothless, then this may really be the best they can do. If they have any enforcement power and yet choose not to use it, they shouldn’t have bothered with the contempt motion in the first place because it sends the message that defiance of the law is a trivial affair.