JUNEAU, Alaska (AFP) — A senior Alaska state senator kept an abuse-of-power investigation of Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin on track Monday, rejecting Republican calls to remove the Democratic overseer of the probe.
The move made it possible that staff of Palin, the Alaska governor, could soon be subpoenaed to testify in the brewing "Troopergate" case, in which Palin is accused of sacking a senior state official for refusing to fire her sister's ex-husband from the state trooper force.
The case could cast a shadow over Palin, whose choice 10 days ago to be Senator John McCain's White House running mate shocked the country but also has fired up his poll numbers, drawing him even with Democrat Barack Obama in the race.
On Monday Alaska Democratic state senator Kim Elton, chairman of the state legislative council, rejected a call by state Republican representative John Coghill to replace the Democrat director of the Troopergate probe.
"The decisions made by the project director, Senator (Hollis) French, have been appropriate, bipartisan, in line with the charge by the council and unchallenged by any of the principals," Elton said.
He also noted that the inquiry is being conducted by an independently contracted investigator and not by French himself.
Earlier Coghill had complained in a letter that public remarks made by French made the investigation appear "to be lacking in fairness, neutrality and process," and he called for a meeting to replace French.
Elton's reply kept on track the investigation into Palin's July 11 firing of Public Safety Commissioner Walter Monegan.
Monegan has alleged that he was removed because of his resistance to pressure to dismiss Alaska state trooper Mike Wooten, the ex-husband of Palin's sister Molly McCann.
Palin rejected the charge, but the legislature launched an investigation of the case in late July, well before Palin was chosen by McCain to join his presidential ticket.
At the time Palin said she and her staff would cooperate fully with the probe. But since she was made the Republican vice presidential nominee last week, seven Alaskan agency heads and members of Palin's executive staff have canceled or refused to voluntarily schedule interviews with the investigator.
Because of that, French is convening a meeting of the state senate and house Judiciary Committees on September 12 to consider issuing subpoenas to compel them to testify.
To "de-politicize" the matter, French has said that Palin would not be subpoenaed, and that the investigator would be sent wherever necessary to make an interview as convenient as possible during her busy campaign schedule.
In television interviews on September 5, though, French said Palin would have a "credibility problem" if her staff continues to refuse to be interviewed.
He also said if Palin was involved in accessing confidential personnel file information, it would be a violation of state law.
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