"Sarah said to Mary Ellen, 'What would your response be if I asked you to remove some books from the collection?" Kilkenny said.
"I was shocked. Mary Ellen sat up straight and said something along the line of, 'The books in the Wasilla Library collection were selected on the basis of national selection criteria for libraries of this size, and I would absolutely resist all efforts to ban books."
The Frontiersman reported that Palin, when questioned on the matter told them her inquiries were "rhetorical" and part of a policy discussion with a department head "about understanding and following administration agendas."
Anne Kilkenny goes on to give those of us living in the Lower 48 a bit of insight into the mindset of a woman who, for whatever reason, apparently feels the need to control what others read or even say:
"While Sarah was Mayor of Wasilla she tried to fire our highly respected City Librarian because the Librarian refused to consider removing from the library some books that Sarah wanted removed. City residents rallied to the defense of the City Librarian and against Palin's attempt at out-and-out censorship, so Palin backed down and withdrew her termination letter. People who fought her attempt to oust the Librarian are on her enemies list to this day."
"During her mayoral administration most of the actual work of running this small city was turned over to an administrator. She had been pushed to hire this administrator by party power-brokers after she had gotten herself into some trouble over precipitous firings which had given rise to a recall campaign."
"She’s not very tolerant of divergent opinions or open to outside ideas or compromise. As Mayor, she fought ideas that weren’t generated by her or her staff. Ideas weren’t evaluated on their merits, but on the basis of who proposed them."
"Sarah complained about the “old boy’s club” when she first ran for Mayor, so what did she bring Wasilla? A new set of "old boys". Palin fired most of the experienced staff she inherited. At the City and as Governor she hired or elevated new, inexperienced, obscure people, creating a staff totally dependent on her for their jobs and eternally grateful and fiercely loyal--loyal to the point of abusing their power to further her personal agenda."
National news media journalists are presently scheduling interviews with Ms. Kilkenny. There is no information at this time as to whether John McCain's team of vice-presidential investigative staff have spoken with Ms. Kilkenny or will be speaking with her in the near future.
White places Palin's letter terminating Emmons as being sent four days before the exchange at the above referenced City Council meeting. Palin also sent letters during this time frame "requesting" the resignation of three other Wasilla officials informing them ''I do not feel I have your full support in my efforts to govern the city of Wasilla. Therefore I intend to terminate your employment.''
Recipients of these letters of resignation were Police Chief Irl Stambaugh, public works director Jack Felton and finance director Duane Dvorak. Palin didn't bother to fire John Cooper, director for the city museum, it is reported his position was simply eliminated.
Palin refused to let the local press in on the reasons for the mass dismissal telling them "You know in your heart when someone is supportive of you'' and gave reporters no answer as to whether the public support for Palin's political opponent, Mayor John Stein, by Emmons and Stambaugh during a hard fought election had anything to do with their termination other than telling the Daily News the letters calling for their resignation were simply a "test of loyalty."
Within days of Palin's polarizing administrative style and her abrupt removal of these well respected city officials, the residents of Wasilla protested and threatened to recall Mayor Palin. Under pressure, Palin backed off from firing Emmons, but the other city officials remained terminated, some of whom have since filed suit against the City of Wasilla and Mayor Sarah Palin.
There are many missing dates and even more questions left in this breaking news story about John McCain's pick for Office of Vice-President of the United States. I have sent an information request to Mayor Keller in order to construct a time frame of events and will update this article as the story unfolds.
Mary Ellen Emmons, who had been the town's Library Director for seven years before Mayor Palin first took office, went on to survive yet another 'loyalty' test by Palin.
Emmons, now Mary Ellen Baker, left Wasilla and Sarah Palin by resigning from her position with the Wasilla Public Library in August of 1999, two months before Palin's election to her second mayoral term, and moving to Fairbanks. Rindi White, Anchorage Daily News, is currently in the process of contacting Mrs. Baker who may possibly be on vacation at this time.
No matter where Mrs. Baker is at the moment, I am confident she is pleased that J. D. Salinger is still sitting there, alive and well, on the shelves of the free public library in the big little town of Wasilla, Alaska.
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