For Alaskans who have been enjoying the blood sport that Sarah Palin's weaving and bobbing to avoid accountability in the Troopergate investigation has generated, last week there were two noteworthy new developments.
The first new development was the decision by the McCain presidential campaign to fly New York City attorney Edward O'Callaghan into Anchorage to elbow Palin attorney Tom Van Flein aside and assume command of the governor's effort to run out the clock on the investigation until after the November election.
O'Callaghan told Newsweek that "he and another McCain campaign lawyer (whom he declined to identify) are serving as legal 'consultants' to Thomas Van Flein, the Anchorage lawyer who at state expense is representing Palin and her office in the [Troopergate] inquiry. 'We are advising Thomas Van Flein on this matter to the extent that it impacts on the national campaign. I'm helping out on legal strategy.'"
The pickle O'Callaghan's wagging tongue has gotten its owner into is that, pursuant to Alaska Statute 8.08.230, a person who is not a member of the Alaska Bar who while physically present in Alaska "engages in the practice of law" is guilty of a class A misdemeanor. And in Alaska the "practice of law" includes "rendering legal consultation or advice."
It would be interesting to know what John McCain thinks about having a criminal serving on his legal team. It also would be interesting to know whether Talis Colberg, Sarah Palin's attorney general, intends to prosecute O'Callaghan. And if he doesn't, why not?
Which brings me to the second new development: Attorney General Talis Colberg.
Again, it would be interesting to know the extent to which Edward O'Callaghan and Tom Van Flein (who has now left the employ of the Alaska Department of Law to serve as Sarah and Todd Palin's personal attorney for the duration of the Troopergate investigation) participated in writing the letter that appeared over Colberg's signature encouraging witnesses in the case to ignore their subpoenas. A related interesting development is that after he signed that letter, Colberg reportedly flew into hiding somewhere in the Midwest. Since his departure, the Anchorage attorney rumor mill tom-toms have been pounding out speculation that, in so deep over his head that he's drowning, the vastly inexperienced Attorney General Colberg may soon resign from his ill-fated experiment with public service.
Read the entire article at AlaskaDispatch.