Many question Colberg's involvement in Troopergate investigation

Hundreds of Alaskans are calling for State Attorney General Talis Colberg to resign. They say he's crossing the line by trying to stop Troopergate.

It all started over the weekend at the anti-Palin rally.

"Our attorney general must step down and we are here today to ask for your signature if you agree with that," said protest organizers, who have since taken the petitions online.

Steve Van Goor with the Alaska Bar Association says he cannot say whether the association is investigating Colberg but says, "Obviously any grievance against a lawyer will be investigated, and if misconduct has occurred we'll take appropriate action."

Last week, Colberg filed a lawsuit to kill subpoenas issued by the Senate Judiciary Committee.

But is there a conflict of interest with Colberg's role in Troopergate? Colberg sought advice for that very issue from the bar association in August.

"The question I was asked was whether or not the attorney general had a conflict of interest in contacting Commissioner Monegan, and it was my opinion he did not have a conflict of interest in doing that," said Van Goor.

Much of the conflict boils down to this - who is the attorney general's client - the governor or the people of Alaska?

Van Goor says Colberg's role is as legal counsel to the state of Alaska.

But in a news conference last week, Colberg says he is the governor's legal adviser. But he also said, "I have several clients. It's clear the statute's quite lengthy - consumers, legal advisor to the governor, people of Alaska, criminal justice."

All in all, a messy situation that hundreds of Alaskans are demanding be cleaned up.

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