The Alaska State Trooper at the center of Sarah Palin's so-called
"Troopergate Scandal"--which impeded her run for the vice-presidency
and stained her record as Alaska governor--has broken his more than
year-long silence since his embattled divorce with Palin's sister,
Molly, became a cause celebre during last year's presidential
campaign.

After reading passages from Palin's memoirs Going Rogue that deal with
his marriage and subsequent divorce, a "fed up" Mike Wooten, 37, who
still serves as an Alaska State Trooper in Anchorage, called the book
"a pack of lies."

According to Wooten, Palin and her father, Chuck Heath Sr., have
"interfered with my life--and my children's lives--for at least the
last five years. And it is still going on. I'm done with it."

A native of California whose father immigrated to the United States
from Honduras, Wooten served 10 years in the Air Force and three more
in the Air National Guard Reserves. He participated in a trio of U.S.
military operations in the Persian Gulf War--Desert Storm, Desert
Shield and Restore Hope--before returning stateside to Alaska at
Elmendorf Air Force Base, about 45 minutes from Wasilla.

Partially disabled from his military service, Wooten pointed out that
neither Todd nor Sarah Palin, or Chuck Heath for that metter, served
in the armed forces. Wooten said he was particularly "disgusted and
incensed" by Palin's "insincere" dedication in Going Rogue to "our men
and women in uniform."

Wooten further noted with irony that many of those who have been
victimized by Palin during her political career--including former
Wasilla police chief Irl Stambaugh; Monegan and himself--were all
veterans. "Sarah is only about Sarah," Wooten said. "She doesn't care
about the 'men and women in uniform.' It's all about advancing Sarah's
career."

Public records from Alaska--some of which have been revealed for the
first time--chronicle a half-decade long obsession with Wooten by
Palin, her father and, later, by Palin's husband Todd.

"They're like poisonous snakes in the grass who spew nothing but
venom," Wooten said. "They just lay in wait and they attack you until
you're dead."

In Going Rogue, Palin mentions none of Wooten's military record, but
cites many charges that were brought against Wooten that were
subsequently dismissed. She contends that there were "ten different"
citizen complaints field against Wooten--without acknowledging that
all of them were filed by members of her family or close friends.
"They filed every stinking one of the charges," Wooten contends. "But
it's been more like two dozen."



Titular leader of the Republican Party, Sarah Patriot Palin.