DOJ issues new subpoenas in Alaska Senate race probe
The Justice Department escalated its criminal investigation into the 'spoiler' candidate controversy, while candidate Mary Peltola denied knowledge of the effort.
By Dominic Foster ·
The U.S. Department of Justice issued new grand jury subpoenas in its investigation of the Alaska Senate race on Thursday. The move escalates a probe into whether a candidate with the same name as the incumbent was recruited to confuse voters. The race is viewed as a key contest for control of the U.S. Senate.
A person familiar with the matter stated that subpoenas seeking grand jury testimony, documents, and records preservation demands were issued. The subpoenas followed a report by The New York Times suggesting the campaign of Democratic candidate Mary Peltola was involved in recruiting Dan J. Sullivan Jr. More subpoenas are expected, according to the source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. Neither the specific recipients nor the total number of subpoenas was immediately confirmed.
Peltola addressed the controversy at a speech in a downtown bar in Juneau. She stated she wanted to clear the air regarding her knowledge of the ballot. “I knew nothing about any other candidate on the ballot except for me and the incumbent,” Peltola said. “That is all I have ever known about. I am not interested in tricking voters.”
The Justice Department has investigated allegations that Dan J. Sullivan Jr., a retired schoolteacher from Petersburg, entered the race to siphon votes from incumbent Sen. Dan S. Sullivan. Attorney General Todd Blanche accused Democrats of cheating in a Fox News interview on Wednesday. Blanche said they are trying to take votes from the incumbent by putting up a person with the same name.
President Donald Trump called for the criminal prosecution of Peltola and her campaign earlier this week. On Thursday, Trump told reporters in South Carolina that it is hard to believe Peltola could even be allowed to run. He later said at a rally for Sen. Darline Graham that Peltola should be removed from the ballot and prosecuted.
Vice President JD Vance supported the probe, calling Peltola’s actions disgraceful. He said she has pretended for months to have nothing to do with placing a fraudulent person on the ballot. “She is trying to steal a Senate seat from the voters of Alaska,” Vance said.
Republican Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy ordered a separate state investigation. He said the reporting reveals disturbing new evidence of an organized effort to manipulate Alaska’s elections. Dunleavy noted that the findings substantially support earlier conclusions by the state elections board.
The Alaska Supreme Court previously ruled that Dan J. Sullivan Jr. was qualified to run after a lower official deemed him ineligible. On the ballot, the incumbent will be identified as a registered Republican, while the other candidate will have no party affiliation. Peltola’s team reportedly aimed to split support for the GOP senator, according to documents and texts reviewed by The New York Times.
