Peltola denies knowing of the effort as prosecutors issue dozens of subpoenas
The top federal prosecutor in Alaska confirmed Friday that a criminal investigation is underway into an alleged scheme to confuse voters by putting a Senate candidate on the ballot under the same name as the Republican incumbent.
U.S. Attorney Michael Heyman told reporters the investigation has been ongoing for several months. He said it accelerated after revelations this week from The New York Times that Democratic Senate candidate Mary Peltola’s campaign appeared to be involved in recruiting Dan J. Sullivan Jr., resulting in what he called “a significant surge of law enforcement assets to Alaska.”
Heyman said authorities are committed to pursuing credible information as it emerges. “We are acting on it intensely and swiftly,” he said. He would not identify the potential crimes under examination or the targets of the probe, but encouraged the public to come forward with tips that could help investigators.
Peltola, a Democrat, is challenging Republican Sen. Daniel Sullivan in one of a handful of Senate contests this year expected to determine control of the chamber.
Federal prosecutors this week issued dozens of grand jury subpoenas and requests to preserve records, a person familiar with the matter told The Associated Press.
Peltola denied Thursday that she knew anything about the effort to put Dan J. Sullivan Jr. on the ballot, addressing the issue at the top of a speech in a downtown bar in Juneau, Alaska’s capital.
“I just want to clear the air,” she said. “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.”
Dan J. Sullivan has long denied that he was running at Democrats’ behest and has said he had no contact with Peltola’s campaign. “Zero, none, zilch,” he said in June after announcing his run.