Wes Keller calls for halt to probe

ANCHORAGE — Wasilla Republican Rep. Wes Keller is one of five GOP legislators suing to put a halt to the “Troopergate” investigation.

The investigation, commissioned in July, came about after accusations Gov. Sarah Palin fired former Public Safety Commissioner Walt Monegan because he refused to terminate a Valley-based state trooper involved in a messy divorce with Palin’s sister.

Keller, along with Rep. Mike Kelly, Rep. Bob Lynn, Sen. Tom Wagoner and Sen. Fred Dyson, are taking issue with three central figures in the investigation.

Keller said Troopergate independent investigator Stephen Branchflower, Sen. Kim Elton, chair of the Legislative Council Committee, and Sen. Hollis French, a Democrat who’s heading up the investigation, all have political axes to grind.

“The goal is to either bring an end to the investigation, which I think is very improper, or stop it until Branchflower and Elton and French are disqualified,” Keller said.

He added that new information concerning Branchflower’s friendship with Monegan, Elton’s donations to the Barack Obama campaign and French’s support of Obama and statements in the media worry him.

“They should step aside,” said Keller, who Palin appointed to his House seat following disgraced Rep. Vic Kohring’s resignation. “The intent is to avoid the cloud that’s over it.”

Keller made it clear the McCain campaign did not tell him to participate in the lawsuit.

The investigation into whether Palin abused her office by putting pressure on Monegan to fire her ex-brother-in-law has become more heated since Palin was named the Republican vice presidential candidate.

The Legislative Council, made up of four Democrats and eight Republicans, voted unanimously to investigate the circumstances of Monegan’s dismissal. Although Monegan was an at-will employee who could be fired for almost any reason, lawmakers wanted to see whether Palin tried to use her office to settle a personal score with ex-brother-in-law Mike Wooten.

Before Aug. 29, Palin told reporters she welcomed an investigation because she has nothing to hide. Since being named to the Republican ticket, however, Palin has a lawyer defending her during the investigation and representatives of the John McCain presidential campaign are involved.

Keller said he believes the governor has nothing to hide, but still maintains the investigation has become tainted by partisan politics.

“The initial intent was to get the information out for the Alaskan people,” Keller said. “Again, it’s a matter of truth and fairness.”

Keller conceded the investigation changed the day Palin was named vice presidential candidate.

French, the Democrat heading up the investigation, caught heat recently after he was quoted saying Troopergate results could become an “October surprise.”

That statement caused many Republicans to say French has already made up his mind over the results of the investigation.

French, for his part, apologized for the remark and maintains he has no bias.

The state’s Democratic party is calling the GOP’s latest move a McCain campaign tactic.

“Rather than cooperating with the investigation, the Republican presidential campaign is doing everything it can to stall and smear,” Patti Higgins, chairwoman of the Alaska Democratic Party, told the Associated Press.

State Senate President Lyda Green, a Republican from Wasilla who has sparred with Palin recently, said on 650 KENI the lawsuit is troubling.

“I find it so inappropriate,” Green said.

Green alluded to the McCain campaign putting influence behind Palin.

“I can honestly say she’s been emboldened by the national campaign,” Green said.

District 13 Rep. Carl Gatto, R-Palmer, said Tuesday he agrees with what his GOP colleagues are trying to do.

Gatto said Branchflower, Elton and French definitely are biased.

“The Democratic party is a beneficiary if we can embarrass the governor,” Gatto said. “They would love to say ‘you think this vice-presidential candidate is really great and supported by the state and nation and what not,’” Gatto said, predicting what Democrats might say if Palin is found to have pressured Monegan.

He added Democrats are worried about the McCain-Palin ticket, saying there is no way to discredit McCain so Democrats are targeting Palin.

“I don’t know what you can do to discredit McCain,” Gatto said. “So they went for second best.”

Contact Michael Rovito at michael.rovito@frontiersman.com or 352-2252. The Associated Press contributed to this article.