Palin says he called for trooper's firing

ANCHORAGE, Alaska, Oct. 9 (UPI) -- Todd Palin, Gov. Sarah Palin's husband, told an investigator he has spoken to several state officials in his quest to have an Alaska state trooper fired.

He made the admission in a statement given to the investigator probing an abuse-of-power allegation against his wife, a report says.

The 25-page statement by Todd Palin says his efforts to get his ex-brother-in-law fired even before his wife became governor, but became more aggressive after she won election, the Anchorage Daily News reported Wednesday.

Sarah Palin, the Republican vice presidential nominee, is being investigated for her firing of the state public safety commissioner. Former Commissioner Walt Monegan says he was fired because he would not fire the governor's ex-brother-in-law, Trooper Mike Wooten.

In his statement, Palin said he never told Monegan to fire Wooten.

"I had hundreds of conversations and communications about Trooper Wooten over the last several years with my family, with friends, with colleagues and with just about everyone I could -- including government officials," Palin said, the newspaper reported.

An investigator's report on the matter is due to be released Friday.