Alaska Governor and Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin was cleared late yesterday of wrongdoing in an abuse-of-power investigation into the firing of the state's public safety commissioner.
The Alaska Personnel Board report, issued on the eve of the US presidential election, ran contrary to findings from a legislative inquiry that concluded in October that Ms Palin had abused the power of her office by pressuring subordinates to fire a state trooper involved in a feud with her family.
Ms Palin brought the issue to the personnel board herself after complaining the legislative probe was a partisan effort led by Democrats.
The board, a three-member panel under Ms Palin's authority, was responsible for determining if she had broken any laws.
The investigation concluded there was no "probable cause" that Ms Palin violated the state's executive ethics act in dismissing Walt Monegan as public safety commissioner.
It also cleared her of ethics violations in respect to her dealings regarding Michael Wooten, the trooper involved in a contentious divorce and custody battle with the governor's sister.
Thomas Van Flein, attorney for Ms Palin and her husband, Todd Palin, said they were pleased by the personnel board's findings.
"Mr. Petumenos determined that the Branchflower report's findings that Governor Palin abused her power had no legal basis and that Governor Palin did not violate the Ethics Act as Mr. Branchflower incorrectly asserted," Mr Van Flein said in a statement.
Reuters