The state House and Senate judiciary committees will meet next Friday in Anchorage to issue subpoenas to key witnesses in the "Troopergate" investigation, but Gov. Sarah Palin will not be among those getting one, committee members just announced.

Committee members also said the Legislature's independent investigator, Steve Branchflower, will finish his report on Palin's firing of her former public safety commissioner by Oct. 10 rather than the end of October, which would be right on top of the Nov. 4 election.

Palin is running for vice president on the Republican ticket of John McCain.

The idea of the earlier completion date for Branchflower's report is to avoid the appearance of a last-minute "October surprise," said Rep. Jay Ramras, a Fairbanks Republican and chairman of the House Judiciary Committee.

The Palin administration in recent days has shown resistance to the legitimacy of the legislative investigation.

A press release today from Ramras and Sen. Hollis French, the Anchorage Democrat who is managing the Branchflower investigation, says subpoenas are necessary to compel cooperation with Branchflower.

Says the press release:

"This week, seven key witnesses informed Mr. Branchflower through their attorneys that they would not provide depositions. Their depositions, which had been agreed to and scheduled earlier with Mr. Branchflower, were cancelled within the last 72 hours.

"Additionally, the governor's lawyer has stated that he represents the governor and the governor's office, and has forbidden any contact by Mr. Branchflower with any member of that office.

"Mr. Branchflower wishes to depose some of those employees. The issuance of the subpoenas is intended to get at the truth and to expedite the completion of his report to the public."

Another member of the House Judiciary Committee, Eagle River Republican Rep. Nancy Dahlstrom, said lawmakers talked and agreed not to issue a subpoena to Palin.

"She has told the public that she intends to cooperate with the investigation. Indeed, she has told the public that she welcomes the investigation, and I have every faith that she means it," Dahlstrom said. "If necessary we can send Mr. Branchflower to wherever the governor is, or she can give her statement to him over the telephone, whatever is most convenient for her. We recognize that her schedule is extremely busy, and we want to accommodate that."

Find Wesley Loy online at adn.com/contact/wloy or call 257-4590.