Trooper Union backs off allegations re timing of Johnston arrest.

The union representing state troopers has backed off allegations that a drug investigation of Sherry Johnston was slowed down last fall to shield the national candidacy of Gov. Sarah Palin.

An inquiry Monday by officials for the Public Safety Employees Association concluded that investigators did not delay a search warrant for political reasons, said union president Rob Cox. Charges of political meddling erupted last week because of misunderstandings between investigators working on the case and senior state public safety officials, Cox said.

The drug-selling case against Johnston -- whose son, Levi, is the father of Palin's new grandson, Tripp -- did draw unusual scrutiny from top public safety officials, Cox said. He said union and state officials hope to meet Tuesday to sort out any misunderstandings and determine whether political considerations had any effect at all.

"At this point, it really is a non-issue," Cox said.

<snip>

"Hopefully we're willing to take egg on our faces together rather than cover up, as so often happens in political cases," Cox said.

Masters said in his statement Monday the administration hopes to work with the union to resolve such disputes. He ended on a frosty note: "We certainly would have been open to communications with the union regarding its perceptions of this case if it had come forward with its concerns."