by Rebecca Palsha
Friday, Sept. 5, 2008

ANCHORAGE, Alaska-- At least seven members of the Palin administration could be subpoenaed by the state Legislature in the ongoing, so-called "Troopergate" affair.

Sen.Hollis French says the governor is not facing a subpoena.

Meanwhile Attorney General Talis Colberg wrote to Steve Branchflower Thursday, telling him until further notice all depositions of department of administration employees are cancelled because among other reasons the focus of the investigation has now apparently expanded beyond the governor's termination of former commissioner Walt Monegan.

State lawmakers insisted Friday that Gov. Palin herself would not be among those compelled to testify.

Lawmakers issued a press release Friday morning, signaling their intent to subpoena the administration officials, who have been uncooperative with the independent legislative investigation into former Public Safety Commissioner Walt Monegan's termination.

Members of the House and Senate judiciary committees said they will vote next Friday, Sept. 12, on whether or not to subpoena the officials.

Anchorage Democratic Sen. Hollis French says he's had a rough week.

"The comments I made, I probably shouldn't have made," said French.

Those comments were made to national media regarding the ongoing "Troopergate" investigation.

French told CNN that special counsel Steve Branchflower's investigation may net "an October surprise."

"I made some remarks I should not have made. The point to remember is I'm not doing the investigation, Steven Branchflower is. He is independently gathering the facts and he will issue the report, which he will have to defend," said French.

But lawmakers indicated Friday that the investigation will be completed on an expedited schedule, with a new deadline of Oct. 10, a full three weeks ahead of the prior timeline.

"We've moved the date as far away from the election as possible in order to be fair to everybody," said French.

However, others say this move is politically motivated.

"I know the timing of this, just saying we want this done before the election, tells me this is politically motivated. Where else do you get a government investigation (that) says we have to do it before the election? Or else what? You turn into Cinderella?" said Palin's Attorney Thomas Van Flein.

Van Flein represents Palin in the ongoing controversy. He says lawmakers have no right to investigate the governor about firing Monegan; he says that's up to the state Personnel Board.

"These subpoenas or even the threat of subpoenas, in my opinion, are completely unnecessary," said Van Flein. "We have always maintained full co-operation. There is no reason for anybody here not to tell what their involvement was with any of this. There is no wrong doing."

But thus far Branchflower has been unable to acquire depositions from members of Palin's team.

"The recent cancellation of seven depositions has caused us to call for a hearing next week and let the two committees decide to issue subpoenas," said French.

Next week those staff members find out if they have to talk or not.

They include:

-- Annette Kreitzer, Palin's Administration Commissioner
-- Dianne Kiesel, a State Human Resources Manager
-- Brad Thompson, State Risk Management Director
-- Kris Perry, Manager of Palin's Anchorage office
-- Nicki Neal, State Personnel and Labor Relations Director
-- Karen Rehfeld, the governor's Budget Director, and
-- Frank Bailey, the Director of Boards and Commissions

Some lawmakers feel French is out of line and has made this investigation about politics.

Rep. John Coghill from North Pole sent out press releases Friday asking for French to step down from his role, saying his comments about the October surprise sound as if the report has been pre-written before the investigation is finished.

Sen. Kim Elton agreed and issued his own release but he does not agree with Coghill's statement.

Contact Rebecca Palsha at rpalsha@ktuu.com