In campaign news, a bipartisan Alaskan ethics inquiry has found Republican vice-presidential candidate Governor Sarah Palin abused the power of her office by pressuring subordinates to fire her former brother-in-law from his job as an Alaskan state trooper. The report also found that Palin allowed her husband to use the governor’s office and resources to meet and speak to state employees in an effort to find some way to get Michael Wooten fired. Republican Alaska State Senator Lyda Green defended the investigation’s findings.

Lyda Green: “I just think we always have to be very, very, very careful when we’re in a position of power, because that separating ourselves from our personal lives and bringing it into the office is always a temptation. And we need to be very careful that we do not do that.”

The McCain campaign said Palin feels vindicated by the report.

Meghan Stapleton, McCain-Palin campaign spokesperson: “We did take a look at the findings, and the first finding, the original authorization for the hundred thousand bucks, was to see whether this governor abused any power in reassigning Walt Monegan. They said absolutely not, that there is not conclusive that she did not exert unlawful power, that she acted within her authority and within her lawful power to reassign him, and so she feels absolutely vindicated by this report today.”