Trooper in Palin probe tells his side
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (CNN) -- The Alaska state trooper at the center of a probe into whether Gov. Sarah Palin abused her power says he has "made mistakes, and I've learned from those mistakes."
Alaska state trooper Mike Wooten tells CNN he never drank while driving his patrol car.
But in an exclusive interview with CNN, Mike Wooten, Palin's former brother-in-law, also denies some of the biggest allegations against him, including drinking while driving.
"I made mistakes. I fessed up to them. I was punished appropriately, and I'm moving on," said Wooten, 36, who went through a long, messy divorce and custody battle with Palin's sister.
In the past week, Wooten's troubles have suddenly taken on national prominence as Palin stepped into the limelight as Sen. John McCain's running mate. Watch Wooten talk about what matters to him ยป
An investigation is under way into whether Palin used her office to push for Wooten's firing and whether she ultimately fired Public Safety Commissioner Walt Monegan for refusing to sack Wooten.
Palin has denied any wrongdoing, saying her decision to fire Monegan involved budgetary concerns and moving the department in a new direction. She has acknowledged that aides and members of her family repeatedly discussed Wooten with Monegan or members of his department, but she said at no time did she or anyone else acting at her request use her office to press for Wooten's firing.
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