Blanche defends lawsuit to block Alaska Senate certification

Peltola and Murkowski criticize Justice Department lawsuit

Attorney General Todd Blanche on Sunday defended the Trump administration’s lawsuit to block certification of Alaska’s Senate results if Republican incumbent Dan Sullivan loses the race, arguing that the legal challenge was a necessary step to avoid confusing voters in the closely watched midterm race. Appearing on CNN’s “State of the Union,” Blanche said President Donald Trump is not trying to overturn state election results “in any way, shape or form” on the cusp of the Nov. 3 election.

“We wish that we didn’t have to do this. We hope for a resolution that works,” Blanche said.

The Justice Department filed the lawsuit Thursday in a race featuring two candidates named Dan Sullivan. Republicans fear that the second candidate on the ballot — a retired teacher and school administrator from the tiny fishing community of Petersburg — could siphon away votes from the senator and tip the outcome in favor of Democrat Mary Peltola, a former congresswoman.

Alaskan voters will see “Dan S. Sullivan” identified as a “registered Republican” and “incumbent” on their ballots, while “Daniel J. Sullivan Jr.” will not have a party affiliation.

A day after the lawsuit was filed, Peltola called it “just flagrant, flagrant corruption in my opinion” and a diversion tactic by Republicans. Alaska’s other Republican senator, Lisa Murkowski, also criticized the lawsuit in a social media post.

Blanche represented Trump as a personal attorney before the Republican president appointed him to lead the Department of Justice, which filed the lawsuit in Alaska. He defended Trump in the president’s election interference case before voters elected Trump to a second White House term, effectively ending the criminal prosecution.

Trump, who said Friday that he was “the one that said do it,” is not trying to take over a state election, Blanche said. Asked by CNN host Dana Bash whether Trump was trying to lay the groundwork for the same sort of election challenges that occurred before a mob of his supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, Blanche said it was “crazy” for her to ask.

“We are not doing anything improper … we have to let the process play out,” Blanche said. “But I do think it’s important for the American people to understand that we are not — (and) President Trump is not — trying to take over a state election in any way shape or form.”