Alaska public safety representatives were scheduled to meet over allegations ultimately shot down that authorities delayed the arrest of a woman tied to Gov. Sarah Palin's family until after the November presidential election.

Sherry Johnston -- who was arrested in December on six felony drug counts -- is the mother of 18-year-old son Levi Johnston, who is engaged to Bristol Palin, the daughter of the former Republican vice presidential candidate.

A drug investigator had claimed in an internal e-mail to public safety union members that there was a delay in the investigation into Sherry Johnston because of political reasons -- a claim initially backed by the investigator's public safety union. The union has since backed off the allegations.

John Cyr, director of the Public Safety Employees Association, said union leaders were set to meet with Public Safety Commissioner Joe Masters Tuesday afternoon to discuss the issue, which "has taken on a life of its own." Cyr could not be reached for comment after the meeting, however, and a public safety spokeswoman said she had no update from the commissioner.

Sherry Johnston is accused of dealing Oxycontin, a strong prescription painkiller. She pleaded not guilty Monday.

Johnston's Dec. 18 arrest followed an investigation that took place after Palin was named John McCain's running mate. Authorities say Johnston sent text messages to two police informants discussing drug transactions before she was served a search warrant at her Wasilla home.

In his e-mail last week to union members, Investigator Kyle Young said the search warrant was delayed for political reasons.

The union backed Young's assertion at first, but now says Young played a secondary role in the case and was wrong about the warrant. Cyr said Young meant for the e-mail to remain private and not be leaked to the Anchorage Daily News, which first reported the story.

"He never intended it to be made public," Cyr said. "He was shocked when his e-mail made it on the front page of the Daily News."

Masters also denied politics played a role in the Johnston case. The governor's office was not notified about the investigation until after the arrest and main aspects of the investigation were concluded, Masters said in a statement.

"There was absolutely no influence from the Governor's Office on any aspect of the investigation," he said. "The reason for contacting the Governor's Office was to make it aware of the inevitable media frenzy that would ensue due to the loose connection between Governor Palin and Ms. Johnston."