Walt Monegan

Walter Carleton "Walt" Monegan, III (born May 1951) is a former Police Chief of Anchorage, Alaska. He subsequently served as the state's Public Safety Commissioner, until the Alaska Public Safety Commissioner dismissal of July 2008. His dismissal by Alaska Governor Sarah Palin drew attention after Palin's nomination to be Vice-president of the United States in August 2008, with Monegan accusing Palin of not telling the truth about the reasons for his dismissal.

Early life

Walt Monegan was born in Seattle, Washington during May 1951. His mother was Elizabeth Clark Monegan, and his father was Walter C. Monegan, Jr., who died in the Korean War on September 20, 1950. [Billington, Linda. "It's Small World for Ex-Marines Who Remember", "Anchorage Daily News" (1991-06-22).]

Monegan grew up in the small village of Nyac, Alaska in the care of his maternal grandparents. [http://www.muni.org/apd1/chiefmoneganbio.cfm "Chief Of Police Biography, Walt Monegan"] , Anchorage Police Department.] Nyac is in western Alaska, about 50 miles east of Bethel. Monegan has described himself as part Irish, and part Alaska Native. He attended Alaska Methodist University for a year, and then joined the Marine Corps in 1970. The Anchorage Police Department hired him as a patrolman in January of 1974.

Highlights of police career

Monegan worked in every division of the Anchorage Police Department, including Internal Affairs, Crime Prevention, Communications, and Detectives. He also attended the Traffic Institute at Northwestern University, as well as the National Crime Prevention Institute at the University of Louisville, and he obtained a Bachelor of Arts in organizational administration from Alaska Pacific University.

In February 2001, Monegan was appointed Chief of Police by Anchorage Mayor George Wuerch. He served in that position until 2006. Later that year, Governor Sarah Palin appointed him Public Safety Commissioner. He held the latter position until his dismissal on July 11, 2008.cite news | first=Kyle | last=Hopkins | title=State's top cop, Walt Monegan, is fired | date=2008-07-12 | publisher=The McClatchy Company | url =http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/story/463204.html | work =Anchorage Daily News | accessdate = 2008-08-21]

Personal life

During the 1980s, Monegan was married to Georgene Moldovan, an emergency room doctor and professor at Stanford University, and they had two daughters. He requested a divorce in 1993, after more than ten years of marriage.Matier, Phillip and Ross, Andrew. [http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/09/14/BALE12T2N3.DTL "Official fired by Palin bears no grudge"] , "San Francisco Chronicle" (2008-09-15).]

Monegan remarried in 1995, to Terryene "Akie" Mihara. ["Marriage Licenses", "Anchorage Daily News" (1995-06-12).] He and Terry Mihara-Monegan have four children, and she worked with him at the Anchorage Police Department, in information systems.Demer, Lisa. "Mayor taps 27-year police department veteran", "Anchorage Daily News" (2001-01-31).] They reside in Chugiak, Alaska.

Tenure as chief of Anchorage police department

Monegan served a total of 33 years with the Anchorage Police Department, the last five of those years as chief. When Mayor Wuerch appointed him chief in 2001, he was promoted above the deputy chief and also above the department's captains; Mayor Wuerch explained that he "wanted to take a little risk."

Many welcomed his promotion to chief. The head of the police union stated: "He's earned the respect of the rank and file, the officer on the street, the detectives." Detective Linda Branchflower said that, in her experience, Monegan had listened to his employees and changed course if something was not working.

Monegan's tenure as Police Chief was not free of criticism, such as a "lack of communication between police chief Walt Monegan and his staff." [Savino, John et al. [http://books.google.com/books?id=EtdMobTttnwC&pg=PP15&dq=%22Walt+Monegan%22&ei=05DRSLvCD6W0zATz3eiUBw&sig=ACfU3U1RpMSEV3Y4YlasUou4RQZCpJq23g "Rape Investigation Handbook"] (Academic Press 2005).] Incoming mayor Mark Begich asked Monegan to retire as Chief in 2006, while praising his service. [ [http://community.adn.com/node/127466 “Begich Re: Monegan, circa 2006”] , ‘’Anchorage Daily News’’ (2008-07-21).]

Public Safety Commissioner dismissal

On July 11, 2008, Alaska Governor Sarah Palin dismissed Monegan as Public Safety Commissioner, citing performance-related issues, such as not being "a team player on budgeting issues."cite web| last = Simon| first = Matthew| title = Monegan says Palin administration and first gentleman used governor's office to pressure firing first family's former brother-in-law| publisher = KTVA| date = July 19, 2008| url = http://www.ktva.com/ci_9929780?source=most_viewed| accessdate = 2008-09-01] Palin offered him a position as executive director of the state Alcoholic Beverage Control Board, which he turned down.cite news | first=Kyle | last=Hopkins | title=State's top cop, Walt Monegan, is fired | date=2008-07-12 | publisher=The McClatchy Company | url =http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/story/463204.html | work =Anchorage Daily News | accessdate = 2008-08-21]

Monegan said that he had resisted subtle but persistent pressure from the Governor, her husband, and her staff to fire Palin’s ex-brother-in-law, Trooper Mike Wooten; Trooper Wooten was involved in a child custody battle with Palin’s sister that included an alleged death threat against Palin's father.cite news|last=Demer|first=Lisa|url=http://www.adn.com/sarahpalin/story/510080.html|title='Troopergate' inquiry hangs over campaign|publisher=Anchorage Daily News|date=2008-08-30|accessdate=2008-09-05: "For the record, no one ever said fire Wooten. Not the governor. Not Todd. Not any of the other staff. What they said directly was more along the lines of 'This isn't a person that we would want to be representing our state troopers.'"] cite news | first=Megan | last=Holland | title=Monegan says he was pressured to fire cop | date=2008-07-19 | publisher=The McClatchy Company | url =http://www.adn.com/politics/story/469135.html | work =Anchorage Daily News | accessdate = 2008-07-22: "Monegan said phone calls and questions from the Palin administration and the governor's husband, Todd Palin, about trooper Mike Wooten started shortly after Monegan was hired and continued up to one or two months ago."] Monegan told the Palins that there was nothing he could do because the matter was closed. Monegan said that although he was not sure why he was dismissed, his not firing Wooten could be connected;cite news | first=Megan | last=Holland | title=Monegan says he was pressured to fire cop | date=2008-07-19 | publisher=The McClatchy Company | url =http://www.adn.com/politics/story/469135.html | work =Anchorage Daily News | accessdate = 2008-07-22: "Monegan said he still isn't sure why he was fired but thought that Wooten could be part of it." ] he later said he believed it was a major reason for his firing.cite news|last=Demer|first=Lisa|url=http://www.adn.com/sarahpalin/story/510080.html|title='Troopergate' inquiry hangs over campaign|publisher=Anchorage Daily News|date=2008-08-30|accessdate=2008-09-05: "Monegan said he believes his firing was directly related to the fact Wooten stayed on the job. 'It was a significant factor if not the factor,' Monegan said."] Palin stated on July 17 that Monegan was not pressured to fire Wooten, or dismissed for not doing so.cite news |first=Sean |last=Cockerham |title=Palin staff pushed to have trooper fired |url=http://www.adn.com/monegan/story/492964.html |work=Anchorage Daily News |publisher= |date=2008-08-14 |accessdate=2008-09-01 ] cite news|title=Long-Standing Feud in Alaska Embroils Palin|work=The Washington Post|first= James V.|last=Grimaldi|coauthors= Kimberly Kindy|date=2008-08-31
url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/30/AR2008083002366.html?hpid=topnews|accessdate=2008-08-31] Meanwhile, Monegan's successor resigned on July 25, accused of sexual harassment in his previous job. [cite web|url=http://community.adn.com/adn/node/127679 |title=adn.com Alaska Politics : Palin spokeswoman: Kopp never told governor about reprimand (Updated with comments from lawmakers) |publisher=Community.adn.com |author=Posted by Alaska_Politics |date= |accessdate=2008-09-02] [Holland, Megan. [http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/story/524569.html “Palin names Doyon security exec to lead Public Safety”] , Anchorage Daily News (2008-09-13).]

On August 1, the atmosphere was bipartisan and Palin cooperated openly, as the Alaska Legislature hired an investigator to review the Monegan dismissal.cite news | title=Palin probe has parallels to 2000 recount fight|author=Espo, David|date=September 19, 2008|publisher=Associated Press| url=http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5h1QK-1MBqB0z5YmCqDwmYzaotibwD93A1II00 ] cite news|url=http://www.adn.com/monegan/story/478090.html | title=Hired help will probe Monegan dismissal | author=Loy, Wesley | publisher=Anchorage Daily News | date=2008-07-29 | accessdate=2008-08-29] After ordering her own internal investigation, Palin acknowledged on August 13 that "pressure could have been perceived to exist, although I have only now become aware of it."cite news |title=Palin E-Mails Show Intense Interest in Trooper's Penalty |first=James V. |last=Grimaldi |coauthors=Karl Vick |date=2008-09-04 |url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/03/AR2008090303210_pf.html |accessdate=2008-09-03] She also apologized to Alaskans for the distraction. [ [http://community.adn.com/node/128984 “Raw feed: Palin (Updated)”] , Anchorage Daily News ((2008-08-13).] [ [http://community.adn.com/adn/node/128981 "Namely, specifically, most disturbing, is a telephone recording apparently made and preserved by the troopers..."] , Anchorage Daily News (2008-08-13).] Palin announced that officials from her administration had contacted Monegan or his staff about two dozen times regarding Wooten, that she had only known about some of those contacts, that many of those contacts were appropriate, and that she had not fired Monegan because of Wooten,cite web|url=http://www.mcclatchydc.com/homepage/story/48172.html |title=Alaska's governor admits her staff tried to have trooper fired |author=Sean Cockerham |publisher=Anchorage Daily News |date=2008-08-14 |accessdate=2008-08-29] who remained employed as a state trooper.cite news|url=http://www.adn.com/politics/story/476430.html | title=Is Wooten a good trooper? | author=Demer, Lisa| publisher=Anchorage Daily News | date=2008-07-27 ] She placed an aide on paid leave as a result of one tape-recorded contact.

After Palin was chosen as McCain's running mate, there was talk in the legislature of damage to her administration,Ross, Brian and Tepper, Len. [http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/Story?id=5702697&page=1 “'October Surprise' Over Palin Investigation?”] ABC News (2008-09-02): "'It's likely to be damaging to the Governor's administration,' said Senator Hollis French, a Democrat… 'She has a credibility problem,' he said…. 'Now they may have to deal with an October surprise,' he said…."] subpoenas were issued, and Palin stopped cooperating. On September 1, Palin asked the legislature to drop its investigation, saying that the state Personnel Board had jurisdiction over ethics issues. [cite news |first= |last= |title=Palin seeks review of Monegan firing case: Governor makes ethics complaint against herself to force action. |url=http://www.adn.com/monegan/story/514163.html |work=Anchorage Daily News |publisher= |date=2008-09-03 |accessdate=2008-09-05 ] Palin also asked the Board to review the matter.cite news | first=Lisa | last=Demer| title=Attorney challenges Monegan firing inquiry | date=2008-09-02 | publisher=Anchorage Daily News | url =http://www.adn.com/monegan/story/513137.html | accessdate = 2008-09-02] On September 5, legislators expedited their investigation, setting an October 10 completion date.cite news
title=Subpoenas to be issued for Troopergate probe
first=Steve
last=Quinn
work = Associated Press
date=2008-09-05
url=http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5h7VIY5GfDmjy-A5HsGLuHvA0SHtgD930S0OG0
accessdate=2008-09-05] On September 12, legislators voted to subpoena the Governor's husband, which he subsequently deemed "illegitimate". [cite web|url=http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jOTk11gvqDAgD0cY3i4WjI_2YOxwD935J8100 | title=Alaska lawmakers vote to subpoena Todd Palin | author= Johnson, Gene| publisher=Associated Press | date=2008-10-12 ] [cite news| url=http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2008/09/19/palins_husband_refuses_to_testify_in_investigation/ | newspaper = Boston Globe | date = September 18, 2008] On September 15, Palin filed arguments before the Personnel Board. [Van Flein, Thomas. [http://sayanythingblog.s3.amazonaws.com/09-08/palin-response.pdf "Motion for determination of no probable cause"] (2008-09-15).] cite news
first = Wesley
last=Loy
title=Palin accuses Monegan of insubordination
work=Anchorage Daily News
url=http://www.adn.com/front/story/527346.html
date=2008-09-15
accessdate=2008-09-16] Monegan accused the Governor of "not telling the truth" on national television about why he was fired.cite web| last = Schwartz| first = Rhonda| coauthors = Justin Rood| title = Fired Official: Governor Sarah Palin Did Not Tell the Truth to ABC| publisher = ABC News| date = September 15, 2008| url = http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/story?id=5804703&page=1 | accessdate = 2008-09-15] On September 16, the state's Attorney General announced that state employees would disobey subpoenas, unless they are reconfirmed by a full vote of the legislature. [Citation| last = Quinn| first = Steve | title = Alaska AG: State employees won't honor subpoenas| newspaper = The Guardian| year = 2008| date = September 17, 2008| url = http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/feedarticle/7803852]

Footnotes