Today on the presidential campaign trail

Republican lawmakers appeal to Alaska Supreme Court to block Palin Troopergate investigation ... Bush pivots quickly from bailout to fundraising for GOP candidates ... TV audience for Biden-Palin debate bests ratings for all but Carter-Reagan showdown

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GOP lawmakers file appeal to halt Troopergate case

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP)--Six Alaska lawmakers filed an emergency appeal Friday asking the state's Supreme Court to halt an investigation into abuse-of-power allegations against Gov. Sarah Palin before the findings are released next week.

The independent investigator conducting the probe plans to turn over his conclusions by next Friday to the Legislative Council, the body that authorized it. The six Republican lawmakers, who are not on the Legislative Council, claim the investigation is being manipulated to damage Palin before Election Day on Nov. 4.

Late Friday, the Supreme Court accepted the appeal and scheduled oral arguments for Wednesday in Anchorage.

The probe is looking into whether Palin, who is the Republican vice presidential candidate, and others pressured Public Safety Commissioner Walt Monegan to fire a state trooper who was involved in a contentious divorce from Palin's sister and then fired Monegan when he wouldn't dismiss the trooper. Palin says Monegan was ousted over budget disagreements.

Five Republican lawmakers sued to block the investigation or remove its overseers and were later joined in their lawsuit by a sixth legislator. But the lawsuit was dismissed on Thursday by an Anchorage judge.

Superior Court Judge Peter Michalski said the Legislature has the ability to investigate the circumstances surrounding the firing of a public officer the lawmakers had confirmed.