News-Miner Editorial
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Kopp mess shows a problem in the process
Published Saturday, July 26, 2008
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Stumble It!Who is in charge in Juneau?
People could be excused for asking that question as the story of former Public Safety Commissioner Chuck Kopp emerges. Kopp had his job for only days before news surfaced of a reprimand he received for a sexual harassment complaint filed against him when he served as police chief in the city of Kenai.
The question of “Who’s in charge?” is an over-reaching, simplistic and unfair indictment of Gov. Sarah Palin and her staff. But it comes from a very legitimate concern: How could the governor and her staff not know about the reprimand before naming Kopp the head of the Department of Public Safety?
The vetting process doesn’t seem to have worked in this case.
The governor says the commissioner never mentioned the letter during his meeting with her prior to his selection. She says she knew of the harassment complaint but believed it was determined to be unfounded. The commissioner, however, said this week that the governor’s office knew of the complaint when he was placed on her transition team in 2006.
So the governor is now saddled with yet another “he said, she said” account involving the head of the Department of Public Safety. She has herself in a similar situation with Commissioner Kopp’s predecessor, Walt Monegan, who was fired earlier this month. The full story of Monegan’s departure has yet to be told.
This isn’t good for the governor or the Department of Public Safety.
In the situation surrounding former Commissioner Kopp, why didn’t the governor’s people uncover the letter before he was named to the top spot — if it’s correct that they didn’t know of the complaint back in 2006? That’s the question Gov. Palin needs to answer for herself.
The governor has a good track record so far with her cabinet appointments. Most of her original cabinet members remain in place, though there has been some turnover in her own staff. And even if there were to be more turnover, that wouldn’t be uncommon at the midpoint of a term.
The problems at the head office of the Department of Public Safety shouldn’t be seen as an absolute failing of the general vetting process employed by the governor. But something didn’t go right with the appointment of Commissioner Kopp. The governor obviously needs to find out what the missteps were to avoid another embarrassment.
Community Discussion
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It wouldn't be nearly the embarrassment it has been if the media would back off for more than 5 minutes, and stop feeding the public's demand for instant information. By constantly updating the articles published online the ADN did more harm than good by feeding the rumors and making it a lot harder to figure out what the truth actually is.
Which update to we believe? The one at noon? or the one at 2pm? or the one at 5pm? I think the public would be a lot better served by the media if the media backs off and gets their stories straight before publishing them. It's been hard enough to try and figure out what is going on here without every major news source in Alaska adding to the situation by putting 20 different versions of the story out there.
Who is in charge in Juneau? She is not the governor of All Alaska, just Wasilla. She doesn't even go to Juneau unless she must. Anchorage/Wasilla is the new center of power for this state. The "star" will be on maps as Juneau for only a few more years. This shift in location may seem a great idea for some but it will only further pull jobs and money away from the rest of Alaska and towards South central. The gravity of more people moving there will continue to isolate the rest of the state.
MarieBarr - no one is holding your eyes to the computer and forcing you to read news articles. Go read them once a day if you so desire.
Some of us have a vested interest in DPS and like the constant updates. Ive been checking ADN all week, since the news miner has been so slow post anything new.
And the medias job in the US is to provide checks on the government. That function has been sorely neglected the last few years. You dont have to believe everything that is put out there, but its nice that someone is finally making an effort to give us important news.
The gov is not "saddled with...another 'he said, she said' account." The News-Miner is saying that. The gov is consistent. What has changed is that she now realizes Kopp would not make a good DPS commissioner.
There are lessons to be learned from this. Important ones: sexual harassment is serious to those who are harassed; we have to listen to the women who are harassed if we are all to enjoy well-founded credibility; harassers will basically do whatever they can get away with. And no, don't bother replying on this blog to say this comment sounds hostile. Predators are predators, and we all have enough information to be able to take responsibility for that fact these days. The only thing that's not simple about sexual harassment problems is that usually the woman is defamed.
We sure as heck don't want our cops practicing this stuff (along with a long list of other professions we don't want practicing this stuff). It's been my experience that everyone involved knows quite clearly what appropriate behaviors are and that there are folks on numerous sides who still think they can get away with exploiting these miserable harassing situations - but as I said, we all have enuf info these days to be able to easily understand what's predatory and what isn't. People that 'get off' on these situations pretty much stand out, these days. Good call to get rid of Kopp. Obviously the gov realized that this was serious. It makes me have more faith in her governing, not less. Sometimes those who try to make something of these harassing situations, instead of solving them, are those who are part of the problem, not the solution. Hope they find a good commissioner soon.
As a supervisor in the Federal govt., I do not view what I have read about this case to be a case of sexual harrassment. If she had told him from the start NOT TO DO THAT, then possibly, but from the accounts I have read, it did not rise to the level to prosecute. Even then, the letter has expired/dropped after the appeal or whatever. I think the Governor probably made a bad choice, but it did not upset/offend me as it appearantly has so many Alaskans. I do not make these comments lightly, we are trained and attend MANY classes on sexual harrassment/hostile workplace, and it is a very serious crime. Its just that this does not seem to be that serious of an issue.
What a "fish wrapper" we have for a news paper. Extra! Extra! Read all about it!
I might have missed something but according to other published articles on this (ADN, etc), the governor knew of the complaint but didn't know of the reprimand letter. It's kind of an apples & oranges thing but this IS an editorial and facts shouldn't be sensationalized. Whether I do or don't agree with the editorials, I don't think it's too much to ask for a bit of objective journalism.
Good Editorial!
Unlike anywhere else, we're dealing with politics here. And, in politics, boo boos aren't allowed. And, even though the screening process is never perfect, nothing less than perfect is allowed. There is no forgiveness.
Now, Mr. Kopp probably believed this matter was long behind him. But, full and repeated disclosure of undeniable events in one's life is necessary in situations like this. "I told them two years ago" just doesn't hack it. The "them" of the vetting team probably changed more than once in the two year time span. And, just because someone was on the transition team two years ago doesn't mean there are no discloseable embarassments in his or her life. With as much time in grade as he has, Mr. Kopp should have known better. The higher the position, the bigger the target. He should have known that somebody would take the "harassment" shot shortly after the first headline of his appointment was printed. These things never die.
Now, speaking of "he said, she said" situations
First, if I do get a job, I'm not hugging or giving a neck rub to any of my fellow employees - guys or gals. Too dangerous! I could be accused of sexual harassment, get a letter of repremand, never hug anybody again, do a good job, have the letter purged from my file and, years later, have it used to destroy my chances for an important position in state government. (Probably nobody would hire me anyway - age discrimination you know)
But then, because of my senior position, I've seen charges of sexual harassment that were real and some that had no basis in fact whatsoever. I've actually seen enough of what I considered false claims or retribution claims that I constantly remind myself that our American system assumes innocence until proven guilty. So often, in cases of alleged sexual harassment, it seems that one is guilty until proven innocent and not even innocent whan proven so. The mere charge can ruin a career, a family, a reputation. A letter of repremand with a good behavior purge date smacks of a pretty weak case - if any at all. Sounds like someone said: "No real case here but to cover our fanny and limit any liability to the City, we need to show we investigated the charge and took some action."
Charged. Addressed. Expired. No more record in the file. But a black mark that will follow to the end of time.
The Governor learned a lesson. Mr. Kopp learned a lesson. And we all learned a lesson. And some people are saying: "There, but for the grace of God, go I."
aktreefrog - I think you completely missed my point. While the media does provide a balance to the Government, it does no one a service when it can't get the story straight from one hour to the next. Many people do not seem able to process the fact that media writers are writing from what they know at the time. They expect the media to have the exact true story, and any time something changes they jump on it like sharks.
I think the people would be much better served if the media stops adding fuel to the fire and allowing so much mass speculation to arise.
I know an elderly lady who while working for the state was reprimand for giving a young male employee a finger toink in the side above the belt as a way to clear him from a doorway she was going through. She did not think anything more about it till she was called in. She got a sexual harassment reprimand.
Anyway what got the Daily News going I am sure was the scent of " they tried to fly something that weren't quite right" after a WHOLE LOTTA holier than thou.
Give us our in state gas line and do it right and quit the games Sarah.
It seems like Governor Frank's chief of staff is serving time for what he did when he was in charge. This is nothing compared to what Frank's group did while in office. At least it isn't being hidden.
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