McCain Ally Moves to Curb Probe of Palin

Michael Isikoff and Mark Hosenball (Newsweek) report:

"Key Alaska allies of John McCain are trying to derail a politically charged investigation into Gov. Sarah Palin's firing of her public safety commissioner in order to prevent a so-called 'October surprise' that would produce embarrassing information about the vice presidential candidate on the eve of the election.

In a move endorsed by the McCain campaign Friday, John Coghill, the GOP chairman of the state House Rules Committee, wrote a letter seeking a meeting of Alaska's bipartisan Legislative Council in order to remove the Democratic state senator in charge of the so-called 'troopergate' investigation.

Coghill charged that the senator, Hollis French, had 'politicized' the probe by making a number of public comments in recent days, including telling ABC News that Palin had a 'credibility problem' and that the investigation into the firing of public safety commissioner Walter Monegan was "likely to be damaging to the administration" and could be an 'October surprise'....""

Technorati tags: Michael Isikoff, Mark Hosenball, Sarah Palin, Republicans, Alaska, Politicians, Investigation, Probe, Troopergate