Subpoenas to be issued for Troopergate probe

ANCHORAGE, Alaska - The Alaska Legislature will work to complete its ethics investigation into Gov. Sarah Palin's firing of her public safety commissioner earlier than expected, weeks before the national election.

State Sen. Hollis French says seven witnesses told the Legislature's investigator they will not provide depositions and canceled their meetings. French, who is overseeing the investigation into whether Palin abused her power, said the Legislature will subpoena witnesses.

Lawmakers say they have put the investigation on a fast track now that Palin is Republican John McCain's running mate. The investigation previously was expected to end on Oct. 31. French says the probe will be completed three weeks earlier than that.

In July, a state oversight committee approved $100,000 for an investigation into whether Palin fired public safety commissioner Walt Monegan because he would not dismiss a trooper who went through a messy divorce with her sister before Palin ran for governor.

NBC's Savannah Guthrie reports a state representative is Alaksa is now asking for state Sen. Hollis French (D), who is the "project manager" for the trooper investigation, to be dismissed.

The state Rep. John Coghill (R), thinks French has prejudged the case and has made inflammatory remarks to the media.

Coghill's letter was sent to Sen Kim Elton (D), the chair of the bipartisan legislative panel that hired the independent investigator to look into the firing of public safety commissioner, Walter Monegan.

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