An Alaska Democratic state lawmaker has written a letter to a state trooper official calling for an investigation into possible witness tampering related to the state's ethics probe of Gov. Sarah Palin by people working for or close to Sen. John McCain's presidential campaign.
In a letter Wednesday to Alaska state trooper director Audie Holloway, Democratic Rep. Les Gara accused the campaign of Republican presidential candidate John McCain of intimidating witnesses and/or pressuring people close to Palin, McCain’s vice presidential running mate, not to comply with subpoenas seeking testimony about whether Palin improperly fired her public safety commissioner.
"Starting after August 29, certain staff for the McCain campaign came to Alaska in an effort to block this investigation," Gara wrote in his letter to Holloway. Gara also issued a press release titled "Legislator Asks Troopers to Look at Possible Witness Tampering."
"There are rumors that upwards of 30 staffers have come to the state since that date," Gara added in his letter to Holloway. "I do not know the roles of the various staff members. Campaign representatives Ed O'Callaghan and Meghan Stapleton have held numerous press conferences in Anchorage to block the investigation. Since then three witnesses have failed to comply with legislative subpoenas, and up to seven more may do the same this coming Friday."
"Something has caused, or in the words of the statute, may have "induced" these witnesses to change their position," Gara wrote. "I do not know whether it is advice from staff for the McCain campaign, state counsel, private counsel, or from others, or whether these individuals have done this independently of advice or suggestions from third persons. But it seems a witness would not risk possible jail time that comes with the violations of a subpoena without advice of others."
Read on from The Public Record.
In a letter Wednesday to Alaska state trooper director Audie Holloway, Democratic Rep. Les Gara accused the campaign of Republican presidential candidate John McCain of intimidating witnesses and/or pressuring people close to Palin, McCain’s vice presidential running mate, not to comply with subpoenas seeking testimony about whether Palin improperly fired her public safety commissioner.
"Starting after August 29, certain staff for the McCain campaign came to Alaska in an effort to block this investigation," Gara wrote in his letter to Holloway. Gara also issued a press release titled "Legislator Asks Troopers to Look at Possible Witness Tampering."
"There are rumors that upwards of 30 staffers have come to the state since that date," Gara added in his letter to Holloway. "I do not know the roles of the various staff members. Campaign representatives Ed O'Callaghan and Meghan Stapleton have held numerous press conferences in Anchorage to block the investigation. Since then three witnesses have failed to comply with legislative subpoenas, and up to seven more may do the same this coming Friday."
"Something has caused, or in the words of the statute, may have "induced" these witnesses to change their position," Gara wrote. "I do not know whether it is advice from staff for the McCain campaign, state counsel, private counsel, or from others, or whether these individuals have done this independently of advice or suggestions from third persons. But it seems a witness would not risk possible jail time that comes with the violations of a subpoena without advice of others."
Read on from The Public Record.
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