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Just moments before Thursday night's 10 p.m. newscast, CBS 11 News spoke with Governor Palin. In the exclusive interview with CBS 11's Matthew Simon, Palin says it is incorrect to report this event as though she and her family filed complaints against Wooten. She says in 2005, before she was running for governor, Valley residents contacted her in her official capacity as Wasilla's former mayor. Palin says, in turn, she made their concerns known to troopers. We also exclusively learned why the governor says Wooten is making these claims:
    "So suspect of the timing. Will come to find out it was on Sunday that Trooper Wooten refused to obey a court order after visitation with his children, he doesn't have full custody of the kids. He had visitation. He refused to turn the kids over. One of his sergeants had to call him and tell him, 'Trooper Wooten you have to follow the court order. You have to give the kids back.' He did that with this threat. He said 'get ready for the show. I'm going to bring you down.' Here he's talking to his ex-wife. The mother of these children. And 'I'm going to bring your family down.' And now what is it three days later, four days later? Starts to show. So it makes sense to me now, why he riled people up. Riled the union up, and they came forward today. Because we know, I know without a doubt the dismissal of Walk Monegan, the replacement of him as commissioner of Department of Public Safety has absolutely nothing to do with Trooper Wooten."

CBS 11 News also talked to Walt Monegan and, referring to Wooten, he says it is against the law for him to talk about personnel actions. He also says he still has not been given a clear reason for his dismissal.

When Governor Palin was asked what she would tell Monegan she said, "It was time for a change," but added the administration will now actively pursue new recruits.

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