Republicans in Montgomery have an intra-party struggle for power that threatens their we-are-better-than-Democrats airs.

The incident involving slash-and burn Secretary of State Beth Chapman and Attorney General Troy King and their campaign funds is intriguing, if only for its creativity.

Party gadfly Mark Montiel decided if he couldn’t get Ms. Chapman to investigate Attorney General Troy King he would try to get the attorney general to investigate the secretary of state. All are Republicans.

He wanted Mr. King’s 2006 fundraising investigated. Her office declined. He then wanted Mr. King and the State Ethics Commission to look at the more than $40,000 she paid her company and family from campaign funds received after she won the 2006 election.

The attorney general’s office gave her a quick all’s clear Tuesday.

Mr. Montiel is a former circuit judge, criminal appeals judge and unsuccessful candidate for the state Supreme Court and attorney general. He lost the primary election in 2006 to Mr. King.

Known as “Maximum Montiel” as a circuit judge, he has Ms. Chapman miffed about having to defend those expenditures. He also is trying to raise questions about her integrity and the unwillingness of her office to investigate a fellow Republican.