Governor Palin is telling lawmakers to bring on an investigation into how former Public Safety Commissioner Walt Monegan left her administration. The legislators who have the investigative power, say they will continue working toward doing just that.

Judiciary Committee members have powers like issuing subpoenas and calling people to testify under oath. Ranking Committee Member Max Gruenberg says he will call for this investigation to include subpoenas.

Gruenberg said, "I think while we're down here, I would hope there would be a joint meeting where we would establish a procedure. And then if they're going to issue subpoenas, that sort of thing, that they do that."

It appears Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Hollis French will be part of the team heading up this investigation. French tells CBS 11 News he spoke with Senate President Lyda Green over the weekend, and right now lawmakers are looking to hire an investigator. Whoever the investigator is, French says they must be independent. That person will apparently help answer one of the big questions in Alaska right now:

    Was any abuse of the governor's office involved in Monegan's firing?

While Governor Palin attempted to talk about the impending AGIA vote, during a Monday night news conference, she says will help produce a gas pipeline, it was the elephant in the room stealing the gasline's spotlight.

An Anchorage Daily News reporter's question was just one of many on the same topic:

    "Can you say right now that (Trooper Wooten) did not have anything to do with Monegan's (firing)?"

Palin responded over the reporter's question:

    "I sought new direction." Later saying, "If it takes an investigation to prove that (no pressure was applied to Monegan) to Alaskans then so be it, certainly."

Gruenberg says, "It's appropriate for the Legislature to exercise its investigative powers," because he says many lawmakers feel a strong need to take a close look at Monegan's allegations, "whether the governor has overstepped her authority in trying to influence personnel procedures."

Monegan says first gentleman Todd Palin, and members of the governor's staff pressured him to fire the Palins' former bother-in-law, Trooper Michael Wooten, currently involved in a bitter child custody battle with Palin's younger sister.

The Governor said, "My sister's been divorced for some time now from him. The judge sided with her in a custody battle that's closed. That's a done deal."

Palin says her Trooper Wooten concerns were voiced in her first administration days, and were only about a death threat she says Wooten made toward her family.

"I left it in the commissioner's lap from there. Never pressured him, never told him to fire anybody."

House Speaker John Harris says, despite many high emotions surrounding the allegations, an AGIA vote will still take place Wednesday.

Harris said, "And so I think what we're doing is we're just moving along at a steady course. And if people want to delay the process. Until they get their thoughts together, we can do that. But I haven't, as I told you earlier, I have not had Democrat or Republican say they want to do that at this point."

House Judiciary Committee Chair Jay Ramras says despite the Wooten cloud now sitting over them lawmakers need to move forward with an AGIA vote. "I think the concern is then folks who are advocates of AGIA are going to say we're using the 'Wooten Gate' issue in order to stall the vote on AGIA."

While TransCanada's Alaska Vice President Tony Palmer had no comment on the allegations or pending investigation surrounding Governor Palin, Palmer says, "I mean my issue, our TransCanada's issue, is the AGIA license. And we remain focused on that."

Governor Palin echoed Palmer saying, "Lawmakers need at this point also, as administrators do too, to be statesmen, and to make sure any political distraction that some are trying to stir up to become a greater distraction does not get in the way of again this life changing, monumental, paramount decision they must make on finally getting that gasline built for Alaskans."

Meantime, many lawmakers are also expressing concern surrounding Palin's choice to replace Monegan with DPS Commissioner Chuck Kopp. From the moment Governor Palin named Kopp commissioner, he has refused to give details surrounding past sexual harassment allegations. Now, as confirmation hearings move forward, lawmakers say Kopp may be forced to make us much more aware of what exactly happened.

Speaker Harris said, "It wouldn't be through the hearing process. It would be on the floor in a joint session he wouldn't be confirmed. I think if the hearings went bad enough, I would suggest if the hearings show there are problems with the person being confirmed, the governor remove him. And put someone else in."

To contact Matthew, call 907-273-3186.