Sarah Palin Investigators Set Up ‘Tip-Line’

From the Associated Press via Sarah Palin Investigators Set Up ‘Tip-Line’ Sweetness & Light

Sen. Hollis French, the man heading the Palin investigation appears fifth from the right along with two other of the panel’s Democrat “investigators” in this photo taken at Obama’s headquarters in Alaska.

Palin’s attorney: Investigator ‘biased’

By GENE JOHNSON, Associated Press Writer Thu Sep 11

ANCHORAGE, Alaska - A lawyer for Gov. Sarah Palin ...Thomas Van Flein called the investigation “unlawful and unconstitutional” and said the man hired to run it, former prosecutor Stephen Branchflower, has a conflict of interest because he’s a friend of the fired commissioner. Citing “your seemingly biased conduct of the investigation in recent weeks,” he urged Branchflower to stop interviewing witnesses — the second time this month that he’s asked Branchflower to stand down.

...The investigation has included setting up a secret tip line to “accept and investigate anonymous rumors and complaints outside the scope” of the inquiry, Van Flein alleged. He also said Branchflower has deposed witnesses without proper notice other attorneys.

Branchflower did not immediately return an e-mail seeking comment.

Van Flein sent one of the letters to Branchflower and the other to Democratic Sen. Kim Elton, who heads the Legislative Council, the body that unanimously approved the investigation in July. Both letters were dated Tuesday.

Elton this week rebuffed a Republican attempt to have Sen. Hollis French, an Anchorage Democrat, replaced as head of the investigation.

Van Flein wrote that both French and Branchflower are friends of Monegan but apparently failed to disclose those relationships to the Legislature.

...The Palin family repeatedly complained to Alaska State Troopers about Wooten, and he was eventually suspended for five days. Wooten admitted that he Tasered his 10-year-old stepson and that he illegally shot a moose, but he denied other accusations, including that he drove with an open container of alcohol in his patrol car.

Maybe it's just me but it doesn't seem quite right to allow one campaign to conduct an official investigation of the other and claim there's no bias...