From the beginning, Governor Sarah Palin has maintained Trooper Wooten has nothing to do with the firing of Commissioner Walt Monegan. In fact, she says she has kept the relationship between Wooten and her sister separate from any official duties as both mayor and as governor. But a letter that has surfaced seems to suggest otherwise.

In a reference letter written back in 2000, then Mayor Palin offers a rave review of Mike Wooten, writing, "I wish America had more people with the grace and sincerity that mirrors the character of Mike Wooten."

At a press conference Monday night, Palin confirms she wrote it.

"I sure did. That was eight years ago when he was applying for a job as a Trooper. I wrote that, yes."

Fast-forward five years

Sarah Palin's Character Reference for Mike Wooten
and eight months, and she had this to say in a letter to Colonel Julia Grimes at the Department of Public Safety:
    "Wooten is a loose cannon. He's a ticking time bomb."

Instead of a man who Palin is sure will "Grow in character and internal strength as he moves through life," Wooten is now a man whose "actions do not merely reflect poorly on the state, but his actions may cause someone terrible harm"

When asked about her change of opinion, the Governor said, "Well obviously a lot has happened in those eight years, including those indiscretions, those illegal activities he conducted, including illegally killing a moose. And those other things you have documented that would have caused me now, in hindsight now, not to have written that letter."

What also happened is Wooten and Palin's sister, Molly, got divorced and are now in the middle of fighting for custody of their children. Now, everyone is trying to figure out whether Governor Palin's change of opinion of Trooper Wooten has anything to do with the events that led up to Walt Monegan being fired.

Sarah Palin and her family have filed 36 allegations against Trooper Wooten. Eleven of those were sustained, including Wooten tasering his 10-year-old stepson, illegally killing a cow moose and drinking alcohol before driving a trooper's vehicle.

Former Commissioner Walt Monegan said during his two years as commissioner, he let six troopers go, and if there were cause, he would have fired Wooten as well.

Wooten is out of the country on a scheduled vacation, and could not be reached for comment.

To contact Andrea, call 907-273-3186.