Fired Alaskan Official Says Palin Hasn't Been Truthful

Sept. 4, 2008— -- The fired Alaskan official, whose dismissal has become the subject of a state senate committee's investigation of Gov. Sarah Palin, has told ABC News that she has not been entirely truthful on the matter.

In a telephone interview Wednesday, Walt Monegan, the former Alaskan Public Safety Commissioner, said he was dismissed because he refused to fire the Governor's former brother-in-law, a state trooper.

"I believe I was fired because of, primarily the reason of her former brother-in-law," Monegan said. "I think that my unwillingness to take special action against her former brother-in-law was not well received."

Monegan says he believes that the Governor has not told the truth about what happened.

"I think there are some questions now that, coming to light about how transparent and how honest she wants to be," Monegan said.

The allegation against the Governor, which she denies, is that she wanted her former brother-in-law fired and pushed the Monegan to do it.

Palin has said she did nothing wrong and that she fired Monegan over a disagreement with him on budget priorities.

But the head of the state senate committee, a Democrat, now investigating the allegations says it smacks of abuse of power.

"You should never use your public office to settle a private score," said Sen. Hollis French. "And that's what the legislature is looking into, to what degree did the Governor's personal family relationship inject or get introduced into her work as Governor."

Palin has denied that Monegan's dismissal has anything to do with a family feud.

"It has absolutely nothing to do with replacing the Commissioner as we are trying to move forward with more energy in a new department," the Governor said in July.

But Palin's denials began to be challenged with the release of an audio tape of a telephone call between a member of her staff, Frank Bailey, and a state police official.

Bailey asks the officials why there's been reluctance to fire the brother in law.