GOP lawmakers file appeal to halt Troopergate case

[cal04]

Source: Associated Press

Five Republican lawmakers have filed an emergency appeal to Alaska's Supreme Court in an attempt to halt an investigation into abuse of power allegations by Gov. Sarah Palin before the findings are released next week.

An independent investigator is conducting the probe into whether Palin acted improperly in firing former Public Safety Commissioner Walt Monegan. The investigator, Steven Branchflower, plans to turn over his findings to the Legislative Council by next Friday.

An Anchorage judge on Thursday dismissed the lawsuit by the five Republican lawmakers. They claim the investigation is being manipulated to damage Palin before Election Day.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081003/ap_on_el_ge/palin_troopergate

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http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/P/PALIN_TROOPERGATE?SITE=ALANN&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

[intheflow]

1. k&r n/t

[barbtries]

2. their claim is bullshit

they're obstructing justice in the interest of politics. i hope the appeals court slaps them hard.

[pleah]

3. That is their strategy, delay, delay delay. They just want to

delay it long enough that it doesn't come out before the election. Not that the mass media is covering any of this anyway.

[The Wielding Truth]

4. This was started before she was chosen and should be allowed

to continue to get the truth. If she is guilty she should not be allowed to continue with the campaign.

[defendandprotect]

5. Luckily they control DOJ ...!!

[uppityperson]

6. k&r, ADN article with names and more info... and another article, just for fun.

http://www.adn.com/palin/story/545140.html

...Texas-based Liberty Legal Institute and Anchorage attorney Kevin Clarkson, representing the group of anti-investigation legislators, filed the emergency appeal.

"The plaintiffs and Alaskans will suffer irreparable harm if the investigation at issue continues and if the resulting investigative report issues as planned on Oct. 10, 2008," they wrote in their appeal.

The lawyers argued that allowing the investigation to proceed would threaten the right under the Alaska Constitution to a "fair and just" investigation by the Legislature. They also argued the Legislative Council overstepped its authority in investigating.

The state legislators whose names appear on the appeal are Wes Keller, Mike Kelly, Fred Dyson, Tom Wagoner, Carl Gatto and Bob Lynn....

BONUS article link... http://www.adn.com/news/politics/story/510249.html

Off to search where those guys are from.

[uppityperson]

7. Here is where those legislators are from...

All the web links are about their districts, except for Keller who didn't have info on that page but I found him on others.

Wes Keller Wasilla
http://house.legis.state.ak.us/kee.php
http://housemajority.org/keller/index.php

Mike Kelly Chatanika, Fairbanks(Steese Hwy), Fox, Two Rivers
http://www.akrepublicans.org/kelly/dis-kelly.php

Fred Dyson Eagle River, Eagle River(Military), Elmendorf AFB, Fort Richardson, Peters Creek
http://www.akrepublicans.org/dyson/dis-dyson.php

Tom Wagoner Bernice Lake, Clam Gulch, Happy Valley, Island Lake, Kalifornsky Beach, Kasilof, Kenai, Macky Lake, Nikishka, Nikiski, Nikolaevsk, Ninilchik, Salamatof, Skilak Lake, Soldotna, Sterling
http://www.akrepublicans.org/wagoner/dis-wagoner.php

Carl Gatto Hatcher Pass, Mat-Su(Palmer), Palmer
http://www.akrepublicans.org/gatto/dis-gatto.php

Bob Lynn Anchorage(Huffman)
http://www.akrepublicans.org/lynn/dis-lynn.php

[Sub Atomic]

8. OH NOEZ!!!

What are the Grumpy Old Man and his sidekick Moose Patty going to do?

[cal04]

9. Supreme Court to hear Troopergate appeal

The Alaska Supreme Court has agreed to hear an emergency appeal from lawyers seeking to shut down the Legislature's Troopergate investigation of Gov. Sarah Palin.
http://www.adn.com/palin/story/545140.html

(snip)
In a written order issued about 4:30 p.m. today, the Supreme Court said it would hear oral arguments on the appeal at 3 p.m. Wednesday, and agreed to rule by the end of the next Thursday.

(snip)
Texas-based Liberty Legal Institute and Anchorage attorney Kevin Clarkson, representing the group of anti-investigation legislators, filed the emergency appeal.

"The plaintiffs and Alaskans will suffer irreparable harm if the investigation at issue continues and if the resulting investigative report issues as planned on Oct. 10, 2008," they wrote in their appeal.

The lawyers argued that allowing the investigation to proceed would threaten the right under the Alaska Constitution to a "fair and just" investigation by the Legislature. They also argued the Legislative Council overstepped its authority in investigating.

The state legislators whose names appear on the appeal are Wes Keller, Mike Kelly, Fred Dyson, Tom Wagoner, Carl Gatto and Bob Lynn.

Mudflats
And who are these lawyers warning us of the “irreparable harm” that the state of Alaska will suffer?

Liberty Legal Institute is a far right-wing legal firm based in Texas.

http://mudflats.wordpress.com/2008/10/03/there-they-go-again-emergency-motion-filed-with-supreme-court-to-stop-troopergate-investigation/

GOP Legislators Enlist Right-Wing Lawyers to Stymie Trooper-Gate Probe
http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/09/gop_legislators_enlist_rightwi.php

[struggle4progress]

10. "The court scheduled oral arguments in the case for Wednesday"

http://www.pubrecord.org/politics/371-alaska-high-court-agrees-to-hear-appeal-in-palin-probe.html

[tanyev]

11. Gosh, it almost sounds like they're trying to hide something.