Sarah Palin’s Grudge Factory
Posted on September 9, 2008 by andrew
We have the makings of a clear pattern: Sarah Palin thinks her role as an executive allows her to hire and fire any employee for any reason.
The Wall Street Journal writes about an incident when Palin fired someone who was having an affair with the wife of a friend of hers. “Palin’s spokesmen have given conflicting explanations for Mr. Bitney’s dismissal. At the time, the governor’s office cited ‘personal reasons’ for Mr. Bitney’s ‘amicable’ departure, according to contemporaneous news reports. Last week, Sharon Leighow, a spokeswoman for the governor’s office, said ‘John Bitney was dismissed because of his poor job performance.’ She declined to provide further details.”
“Mr. Bitney said he was shocked to learn that the governor had had any complaints about his performance as her liaison to the legislature. ‘That’s the first time I’ve heard that,’ he said when told of Ms. Leighow’s statement.”
“In May 2007, less than two months before she fired him, Gov. Palin had publicly declared the legislative session — Mr. Bitney’s major responsibility – ‘wildly successful.’ After he was fired, Mr. Bitney landed a job as chief of staff to Alaska House Speaker John Harris, another Republican. ‘I don’t think it was fair, but that’s just my personal opinion,’ Mr. Harris said of Mr. Bitney’s dismissal.”
Here we have yet another Republican politician with little interest in actually governing. It’s one of the basic problems with modern conservatism as a movement, and it’s one of the reasons our country has been driven into a ditch.
Sarah Palin was probably a big fan of Monica Goodling’s efforts to control personnel at the Department of Justice. The firing of anyone suspected of being not sufficiently loyal will surely continue under VP Palin. I’m sure she won’t mind continuing to axe the occasional accused lesbian, either. This is not how good government works, and it is certainly not how ethical government works. However, it’s exactly what we’ll see to an even greater extent under four more years of the Bush-McCain Republicans.
Sphere: Related Content» Filed Under 2008 presidential election, Sarah Palin, government ethics
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