Prometheus 6

Lying seems to be central to the Palin-McCain last ditch effort.

Attorney general says seven will now testify
TROOPERGATE: State employees will honor legislative subpoenas.
By WESLEY LOY

(10/06/08 01:38:54) Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's attorney general announced Sunday that seven state employees will now honor subpoenas to testify in the legislative investigation of the Troopergate affair.

Attorney General Talis Colberg said the decision comes in light of Superior Court Judge Peter Michalski's ruling last week rejecting an attempt to kill the subpoenas.

The state Department of Law "consulted with the seven state employees and advised them of their options," a statement from Colberg's office said.

All seven have decided to cooperate with the investigation, the statement said.

"Despite my initial concerns about the subpoenas, we respect the court's decision to defer to the Legislature," Colberg said. "We are working with Senator Hollis French to arrange for the testimony of the seven state employee plaintiffs."

The seven employees, with Colberg's office acting as their attorney, sued the Senate Judiciary Committee on Sept. 25, arguing that legislators on the committee lacked authority to issue the subpoenas.

Michalski disagreed, ruling the investigation "is a proper subject for the Legislature" and any allegation that the committee overstepped its bounds is "an issue for the legislative branch, not the judicial branch."

A different, bipartisan panel of legislators known as the Legislative Council voted July 28 to hire a retired state prosecutor, Steve Branchflower, to investigate whether Palin abused her power in firing former Public Safety Commissioner Walt Monegan.