Steven Branchflower

Independent prosecutor Steven Branchflower led the legislative inquiry into former Public Safety Commissioner Walt Monegan's dismissal. Palin's lawyer submitted that Branchflower was friends with Monegan, and was therefore incapable of conducting an unbiased investigation.

On September 12, the Alaska legislature granted Branchflower subpoenas, which Colberg later tried to block.
A judge overruled Colberg's requests to block the subpoenas and on October 5, the seven subpoenaed state employees agreed to testify as part of branchflowers investigation.
But the ruling came too late. Brachflower was already in the final stages of his report, released just five days later, which found that Palin had violated an Alaska ethics law in firing Monegan. Branchflower suggested that the testimony by the state employees be submitted to the legislature in a separate report.

Written and researched by Natalie Sherman