Americans never elected Todd Palin to do anything. Nobody would even have heard of Todd Palin south of Anchorage if he wasn't shacked up with the governor of Alaska. However much like Rasputin in the palace of Tsar Nicholas, mere proximity to the seat power can give permission to take liberties ... and Todd it seems used his relationship with the guv to pretty much run his own little show.

An article in the Toronto Star describes Todd's unusual influence:

When Alaska's former public safety commissioner was summoned to a sensitive personnel meeting in the governor's office here, he sat down to discuss the matter not with Governor Sarah Palin, but with Todd Palin, her husband.

When the contract terms between the state and the Public Safety Employees Association were reached, an internal government email was copied to Todd Palin.

And when a visiting official sought an urgent meeting regarding the state's native corporations to discuss their priorities and voter perceptions, he got the meeting – with Todd Palin.

These are just some examples of Alaska's "first dude" meddling in state affairs.

Coverage of Troopergate includes allegations that Todd Palin was way out of line, acting more like an enforcer. He put pressure on public safety commissioner Walt Monegan to fire the governor's former brother-in-law, state trooper Mike Wooten:

Todd Palin has been subpoenaed by the investigation into whether Sarah Palin, the Republican vice-presidential nominee, abused her power in the firing of the former public safety commissioner Walter Monegan.

Monegan says he was fired because he would not dismiss Alaska state trooper Mike Wooten, who was involved in a messy divorce with the governor's sister.

The retired state prosecutor hired to probe the circumstances surrounding the firing of Monegan said there is evidence someone in the governor's office may have pushed to deny workers' compensation benefits to Wooten.

If Palin makes it into the White House will Todd be fielding calls from Putin ... helping to run Homeland Security? This guy seems to have knack of insinuating himself into positions of authority without the nuisance of actually getting elected to anything ... so stay tuned.