Quite a large distraction too: the Anchorage Daily News says a judge probably will rule today on the fate of the state legislature’s investigation into “Troopergate.”
Anchorage Superior Court Judge Peter Michalski will hear arguments this morning and likely rule on the request by five Republican state legislators to halt the Legislature’s investigation into what’s known as Troopergate. The legislators’ lawyers plan to call to the witness stand the state senators overseeing the investigation, as well as the investigator they hired, saying in a press release “it’s about time some of these rogue ‘investigators’ have to face the law.’ “
Peter Maassen, the lawyer representing the Legislative Council, which ordered the investigation, said he doubts the judge will allow such testimony. He said the facts aren’t really in dispute and the argument is over the law.
“I think the plaintiffs would like to have some political theater instead of the law, since the law isn’t very good for them,” Maassen said. …
How’s this for an interesting angle?
The legislators suing to stop the investigation are also being represented by the Liberty Legal Institute, the Texas-based legal arm of the Free Market Foundation, which is associated with evangelical leader James Dobson’s Focus on the Family and lists its guiding principles as limited government and promotion of Judeo-Christian values.
Like the Palins, they especially like to limit government when it’s looking at them.
The ADN’s reporter blogging this case has updates, including the arguments both sides made before the judge took the case under advisement. They think he’ll rule today or tomorrow (4-5 timezones behind us).