9.26.2008

Lawyer: 'Serious Damage' to McCain if Palin probe report out before election

An attorney representing Alaska’s Legislative Council said John McCain’s presidential campaign fears a statewide ethics investigation into Gov. Sarah Palin, McCain’s vice presidential running mate, “would cause serious damage to the Republican ticket” if details of the probe were “publicly known before the national election.”

Anchorage attorney Peter Maassen made those comments in a 17-page court filing Wednesday where he asked a judge to dismiss a lawsuit filed last week by five Republican lawmakers who are trying to stop the Palin investigation. Maassen accused the McCain campaign of trying to derail a two-month old investigation to determine whether Gov. Sarah Palin improperly fired Public Safety Commissioner Walt Monegan.

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