Interrogatories for Dianne Keisel, Annette Kreitzer, Janice Mason, Nicki Neal,

Michael Nizich, Kris Per!")', and Brad Thompson

The purpose of this investigation is to look into the events and circumstances surrounding
the termination of fi)Tmer Public Safety Commissioner Walt Monegan.
You have indicated that you wish to cooperate with the investigation. You are being
asked to answer a series of questions. Your answers must be in \\Titing. Your answers
must be accompanied by a cenification that your answers have been given under oath,
and under penalty of perjury.
You may be asked to answer follow-up questions.
'The questions ask for information about your actions and communications, as well as the
actions and communications of others.
1. What positions have you held in the Palin administration? Describe the date
your employment began and the dates of each position.

Deputy Chief of Staff effedive 12/4/06 until Chief of Staff effective 8127/08 to
present.

The next series of questions ask about 'communications,' which is defined here in its
normal sense: the exchange of thoughts, messages, or information, as by speech, signals,
or writing. Communications include, but are not limited to, information either sent by
you or received by you, whether in person, by telephone, or via e-mail or other electronic
means such as texting. The term also includes any written document. The term also
includes communication through or from third parties. For example, "Tell the Governor
that Walt Monegan is doing a good job," is a communication both to the person to whom
you were speaking, or e-mailing, or texting, etc., and it is also a communication to the
Governor.

For each communication, describe the content of the communication, and the context,
i.e .. the date, time and place of the communication. Also, describe others who may have
been present or included in the communication. For example, describe whether the
communication was delivered or received in a meeting, or through an e-mail sent to
several recipients.

I. What communications have you had with Governor Sarah Palin regarding Walt
Monegan'?

I had several discussions with Governor Palin at her offices in Juneau and Anchorage
regarding rv10negan from January 2008 to July 2008.

Several of these conversations took place late February, March, and April 2008 at the
Governor's office in Juneau when COS Mike Tibbles was stiIl with the administration.
We met with the Governor probably three times concerning the budget for DPS and
discussions about M(megan requesting more resources for OPS than what the Governor
was approving for the operating budget for FY 09. During one of these conversations
with the Governor, the Governor raised the issue and concern of why Monegan could not
assist her in being able to use the King Air more often for her rural Alaska travel. In a
meeting between the Governor, and myself approximately late February or March 2008, I
initiated a discussion with the Governor regarding Monegan's troopers providing security
services for the Governor when we needed additional protection. The Governor and I
had two or three discussions regarding Monegan after Tibbles departure approximately
May 2008. It related to Monegan, stafting, and his actions in ignoring the Governor's
approved budget for FY 09 and about Monegan pursuing his own budget externally
contrary to communication sent by Ruaro and Rehfeld. For instance, Monegan was
requesting the Governor to approve funding for an expensive sexual abuse unit consisting
of 30 new positions and a budget of millions of dollars as well as a 5/1 0 year plan to add
25 troopers per year for five years. We discussed that Monegan was seeking a
constituency to put external pressure on the Administration to fund his ideas. We
discussed that Monegan did not respond well to management and that Monegan himself
stated to me that he does not follow directions well. We further discussed that Monegan
did not manage his personnel well with respect to the management of King Air or
emphasizing that the numerous existing vacancies needed to be filled. The Governor and
I discussed why the trooper vacancies had not been filled and we discussed the troop-to-
trooper initiative that did not receive the attention she requested. In the several months
prior to Monegan's departure, between approximately March through June 2008, the
Governor and I had several discussions contemplating replacing Monegan. These
discussions between the Governor and myself led to the Governor deciding we should
offer Monegan the Executive Director of the ABC Board as we felt he would be more
suited to this position because of his network in rural Alaska and Monegan's interest in
the drug and alcohol problems in the bush. The Governor directed me on July 11, 2008
to offer Monegan that position.

2. What communications have you had with Governor Sarah Palin regarding Mike
Wooten?

Approximately February - March 2008, at the meeting described above when 1 engaged
in a discussion with the GovernQr regarding how DPS could provide security at larger
venues when additional protection was needed, I expressed that we did not want to
reduce executive office security too drastically because she is the governor and she is a
popular governor generating more public interest. At that time, she disclosed to me that
the only person she was concerned about was a State Trooper and that was Mike Wooten.
She then said that Mike Wooten used to be her brother-in-law and that was the only
person she knew as a known threat to her and her family. Later in this conversation,
Todd Palin came into the office and he elaborated on the actions of Mr. Wooten, such as
taking a moose out of season, drinking while in a trooper car, tasering Wooten's stepson,
and that Wooten might be taking advantage of a Worker's Compensation claim.

3. \Vhat communications have you had with Todd Palin regarding Walt
Monegan?
I do not believe I ever spoke with Todd Palin about Walt Monegan.

4. What communications have you had with Todd Palin regarding Mike
Wooten?

See # 2. In addition, maybe one other time prior to February~March 2008, Mr. Palin
briefly mentioned bad cops giving DPS a bad name. He may have mentioned Wooten
and referred to illegal moose~taking. This took place in my office in Juneau.

5. What communications have you had with Mike Tibbles regarding Walt
Moncgan?

Approximately latc January 2008, Mike TibbJes and I met with Monegan in Mike's office
in Juneau. We talked to Monegan about the Troopers assisting the executive branch with
security if Governor Palin reduced the Governor's Office security staff. In that meeting,
Monegan inserted into the discussion something about that he couldn't do anything about
Wooten. Tibbles and I had several communications regarding Monegan relating to
Governor staff assistants' frustration in dealing with Monegan on budget issues and
legislation and Rehfeld being frustrated in her dealings with Monegan relating to budget
issues. Tibbles had asked me in frustration how to get Monegan to adhere to the
Governor's approved bUdget and keep him and his staff from pursuing more than what
was approved in the Governor's budget. Tibbles referenced a letter he received from
Monegan dated approximately September 2007 telling Tibbles his budget plan is
intended for the Legislature and the public. Approximately March 2008, Tibbles asked
me to attend a meeting with Monegan and his staff to reinforce that they could not
introduce additional funding requests outside what was approved in the Governor's
budget to the finance committees.

6. What communications have you had with Mike Tibbles regarding Mike
Wooten?

In late 2007, Tibbles and I had a meeting in his office in Juneau on various topics and at
least one time during the meeting, Tibbles expressed a verbal thought about this Trooper
Wooten taking advantage of a worker's compensation claim. At that particular time, I
did not know who Trooper Wooten was or if there was an issue. In another conversation
with Tibbles, approximately December 2007 or January 2008, Tibbles mentioned that
Wooten was a family member of the Palins at one time.

7. What communications have you had with Annette Kreitzer regarding Walt
Monegan?

I do not believe f ever spoke with Kreitzer about Walt Monegan.

8. What communications have you had with Annette Kreitzer regarding Mike
\Vooten?
I do not believe I ever spoke with Annette Kreitzer about Mike Wooten.

9. What communications have you had \''lith Brad Thompson regarding Walt
Monegan?

I do not believe I ever spoke with Brad Thompson about Walt Monegan.

10. What communications have you had \\<ith Brad Thompson regarding Mike
Wooten?

I do not believe I ever spoke with Brad Thompson about Mike Wooten.

il. What communications have you had with Mike Nizich regarding Walt
Monegan?
N/A
12. What communications have you had with Mike Nizich regarding Mike
Wooten?
N.A.

13. What communications have you had with Ivy Frye regarding Walt Monegan?

None until after Monegan's departure and the investigation started. At that time, in the
Anchorage Governor's office, Frye asked about the process and expressed her concern
about being included in the Monegan investigation when she was not involved in this
matter.

14. What communications have you had with Ivy Frye regarding Mike Wooten?

I do not believe I ever spoke with Ivy Frye about Mike Wooten.

15. What communications have you had with Frank Bailey regarding Walt
Monegan?

Before Monegan's departure, perhaps March 2008, 1 had several conversations with
Frank Bailey in my office in Juneau, mainly to listen to him express fmstration with how
Monegan could still be employing the likes of Wooten, Spitzer and Osborn. After
Monegan's departure and after the investigation started, Bailey mentioned to me
something about Wooten taking his kids to school in a squad car. Baily said that he
talked to John Glass about this. Bailey mentioned he talked to a trooper at church about
this and to airport security personnel.

16. What communications have you had with Frank Bailey regarding Mike
Wooten?

See # 15. In addition, after the investigation on Monegan's departure began. I discussed
at length with Frank Bailey in the Anchorage Governor's office, the recorded tape that
was brought to our attention by the Department of Law through their conversations with
DPS staff regarding the information·gathering as it pertained to this investigation.

17. \Vhat communications have you had with Randy Ruaro regarding Walt
Monegan?

Between January 2008 and May 2008, r had multiple conversations with Ruaro in the
Juneau Governor's office, concerning budget, legislation, and about DPS seeking
additional funding beyond what was approved in the Governor's budget. We discussed
Audie Holloway being on the television news KTVU TV making a pitch for additional
troopers for the public's safety just three days before the Governor was to introduce the
FY 09 budget to the Legislature.

18. What communications have you had with Randy Ruaro regarding Mike
Wooten?

I do not believe I ever spoke with Randy Ruaro regarding Mike Wooten.

19. What communications have you had with John Glass regarding Walt
Monegan?

On two occasions. we discussed Monegan. On approximately July 14,2008, r called Mr.

Glass to tell him Monegan was no longer the commissioner and that we needed him to be
the acting commissioner. The other time was July 30, 2008, after a cabinet lunch at the
mansion. He came up to my office to tell me he was loyal to the Governor and her
direction for DPS. He mentioned briefly that the management of the department under
Monegan had not gone smoothly or something along those lines.

20. What communications have you had \vith John Glass regarding Mike
Wooten?

I do not believe I ever spoke with John Glass about Mike Wooten.

21. What communications have you had with Audie Holloway regarding Walt
Moncgan?

r do not believe I ever spoke with Audie Holloway about Walt Monegan.
22. What communications have you had with Audie Holloway regarding Mike
Wooten?

I do not believe I ever spoke with Audie Holloway about Mike Wooten.

23. What communications have you had v.lith other members of the Department of
Public Safety regarding Walt Monegan?
r do not believe I ever spoke to other members of the Department of Public Safety about
Walt Monegan.

24. What communications have you had with other members ofthe Department of
Public Safety regarding Mike Wooten?

During the Governor's Mat-Su picnic on July 18,2008, Sharon Leighow, our Deputy
Press Secretary, received a call from a Channel 2 reporter indicating that he (the reporter)
was not aware that Mike Wooten was part of the Governor's security detail because
Wooten was in uniform and on the picnic grounds. r called our head of security, Bob
Cockrell, to ask if he had seen Wooten on the picnic grounds, which he had not. I then
called our DPS Commissioner (at the time it was Chuck Kopp) to ask if Wooten was
assigned to the Mat-Su picnic grounds because it was reported that he was there. Kopp
thought that would be very poor judgment on Wooten's part ifhe were on the premises
waiting for the Governor's arrival. I asked if Wooten was there, to have him removed.

25. What communications have you had with Kris Perry regarding \Valt
Monegan?

In both the Juneau and Anchorage Governor's office between May and June 2008, Kris
Perry and I discussed several times the frustration the Governor had with Monegan, his
apparent lack of knowing what was going on in his department as it related to the King
Air and the amount of maintenance the aircraft required and the lack of availability to the
Governor when she needed it to travel to rural Alaska.

26. What communications have you had with Kris Perry regarding Mike Wooten?

After Monegan's departure, we had brief conversations in the Anchorage Governor's

office regarding the media reports on Wooten.

27. What communications have you had with Nicki Neal regarding Walt
Monegan?

I do not believe I ever spoke to Nicki 1\eal about Walt Monegan.

28. What communications have you had with Nicki Neal regarding Mike
Wooten?

I do not believe I ever spoke to Nicki Neal about Mike Wooten.

29. What communications have you had with Janice Mason regarding Walt
Monegan?

In the Juneau Governor's office between January 2007 and July 2008, we had informal
discllssions. mainly pertaining to trips the Governor would be going on with Monegan to
rural Alaska. We also had brief discussions when I was asked to call Monegan regarding
the Governor's usc of the King Air.

30. What communications have you had with Janice Ma'ion regarding Mike
Wooten?

I do not believe I ever spoke to Janice Mason about Mike Wooten.

31. What communications have you had wi th any other member of the Palin
Administration regarding Walt Monegan?

In the Juneau Governor's office, approximately January 2008 and again February 2008, I
had conversations with Karen Rehfeld regarding a capital budget item Monegan wrote
the Governor about in which Rehfeld had no knowledge. Rehfeld was frustrated with
Monegan's unwillingness to adhere to the Governor's approved budget and his attempts
to seek additional unauthorized funding for his department including funding for ideas he
had not vetted through OMB or the Governor's office. Approximately April or May
2008, I had a conversation with Rehfeld about the need for DPS to do a better job at
defining a budget need or project with estimates and to coordinate through OMB prior to
going public without the Governor's approval.

32. What communications have you had with any other member of the Palin
Administration regarding Mike Wooten?

I do not believe I ever spoke to any other member of the Palin Administration regarding
Mike Wooten.

33. What actions did you take involving Walt Monegan or Mike Wooten?

On July 11,2008, at the Governor's direction, I released him as DPS commissioner and
offered Monegan a transfer to the Executive Director of the ABC Board, a position she
felt he was more suited for.

In the Juneau Governor's office, approximately January 2008 through April 2008, prior
to Monegan's departure, on at least two occasions, J discussed with Monegan the
problems he has had in filling the trooper positions. We also discussed the troop·to-
trooper initiative informally and that his staff needs to adhere to the approved budget.
Monegan indicated his staff needed to hear that from me. He said he had a difficult time
managing the employees that were his friends. We also had a formal discussion in the
Office of the Governor's conference room about presenting the Governor's approved
budget to the Finance Committee. To my recollection, John Glass, Audie Holloway,
Randy Ruaro and Walt Monegan were present. Also approximately March 2008, I spoke
\vith Monegan regarding the unavailability of the King Air for the Governor's bush trips.
As for Wooten, see the response to Question #24.
 34. Are you in possession of any other information, including the actions and
communications of others, regarding the events and circumstances
surrounding the termination of Walt Monegan? If so, describe that
information in detail.

Approximately mid July, Chuck Kopp the new commissioner of DPS called indicating
that he was writing a letter to Trooper Wooten laying out specific parameters of his job
regarding what he could officially do and not do on the job. He was laying out for a lack
of better words the scope of his job duties and specifics on keeping his distance from the
Governor, I am not able to recall all that was in that letter that Mr. Kopp prepared. Mr.
Kopp read the letter to me over the phone and I had asked him not to issue that letter to
Trooper Wooten. Mr. Kopp having been on the job only a few days it seemed somewhat
inappropriate to be sending a letter to an individual trooper specifying the scope and
parameters of his duties. Additionally because of the sensitivity of issues relating to the
Governor and Trooper Wooten I did not think this was a wise action to take.

All of these answers are based on the best recollection I have today.

I certify under penalty of perjury that the foregoing is true.

Dated at ,!h1C.'£i ~~laska, October IJ 2008.