Justice Department subpoenas Democratic officials; no charges filed
Mary Peltola, the Democratic candidate in Alaska’s Senate race, said on Thursday that she knew nothing about an alleged scheme that put two men named Dan Sullivan on the ballot, as the Trump administration escalated a criminal investigation into the matter, according to U.S. media.
“I just want to clear the air,” Peltola said while speaking to voters on Thursday. “I knew nothing about any other candidate on the ballot except for me and the incumbent. That is all I have ever known about. I am not interested in tricking voters.”
The controversy erupted earlier this week when the New York Times reported that Peltola’s team worked with people who tried to recruit spoiler candidates in the Senate race. The newspaper’s report alleged that people connected to Peltola’s campaign, as well as senior aides at the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, worked to try to recruit Dan J Sullivan, a retired teacher who lives in a remote fishing village, to stand in the Senate race.
The Times said it had seen text messages and interviewed 12 people who participated in or were told of the plan, or were would-be candidates whom the team tried to recruit. The BBC has not independently verified the reporting.
Both Dan Sullivans have been running for the Senate seat for some time. The Peltola campaign has denied those reports, and Dan J Sullivan has denied any links to the campaign. Those denials have not stopped the Justice Department and Republicans from attacking Peltola.
Dan S Sullivan, the incumbent Republican senator running for re-election, and allies have accused Democrats of trying to confuse voters.
The Justice Department has begun issuing subpoenas targeting Democratic officials allegedly connected to the effort to recruit Dan J Sullivan to be on the Alaska ballot, according to CBS News, the BBC’s U.S. news partner. No charges have been filed as of Friday morning.
Governor Mike Dunleavy, a Republican, ordered an official inquiry into the matter earlier this week.
The Trump administration filed a federal lawsuit last week aimed at preventing the certification of the result if the Trump-backed Sullivan loses, arguing that the presence of both of them on the ballot could confuse voters. On Wednesday, the Justice Department amended its lawsuit to include the reporting by the Times, citing significant sections of the story as well as Dunleavy’s announcement of an investigation.
The legal action comes days before voters across the U.S. head to the polls. This race in Alaska is among the closest-watched in the country, as it could be the deciding factor in who controls the Senate. The nonpartisan Cook Political Report currently classifies the race as a toss-up.
As the final weekend of campaigning approaches, President Donald Trump will appear at back-to-back rallies in Kansas and Iowa on Sunday. The in-person appearances were previously cancelled, but a source familiar with planning told the BBC that they were rescheduled to accommodate remote appearances by Trump at tele-rallies.