FBI Questions Donors as Alaska Senate Inquiry Expands
Federal agents have contacted donors to Dan J. Sullivan, a retired teacher and musician running for the U.S. Senate in Alaska under the same name as Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan. An agent visited a Petersburg boat dealership and left a card for donor Charles Flint, who had contributed $500. Flint said he understood which candidate he backed and planned to rank Democrat Mary Peltola first, followed by Dan J. Sullivan. Agents also briefly interviewed a donor in Sitka, and two agents visited a donor’s home in Massachusetts. Those donors likewise said they knew whom they had supported; the Sitka donor described the interview as voluntary and polite.
Alaska U.S. Attorney Michael Heyman said the criminal investigation had been under way for months. He said recent information about Peltola’s campaign appearing to have helped recruit Dan J. Sullivan led to a substantial increase in law enforcement personnel in Alaska. The Justice Department also sought a court order to separate certain ballots while it investigates possible voter confusion.
Peltola denied involvement in a plan to put candidates on the ballot to draw votes away from the Republican incumbent. At a Friday rally in Anchorage, she said the allegations were meant to suppress turnout and said she could win without assistance. The investigation and court request come days before the ranked-choice general election.
FBI Probe Shouldn’t Become an Election-Eve Smear
An FBI inquiry into donors to Dan J. Sullivan has intensified just days before Alaska voters choose between Democratic former congresswoman Mary Peltola and Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan. The candidate shares the incumbent’s name, but donors contacted by agents said they understood which man they were supporting. Charles Flint, who gave the challenger $500, said he planned to rank Peltola first and Dan J. Sullivan second.
Federal officials say the criminal investigation has been open for months. Alaska U.S. Attorney Michael Heyman said recent information about Peltola’s campaign appearing to have played a role in recruiting the challenger brought a substantial increase in law enforcement personnel to the state. The Justice Department is also seeking a court order to isolate certain ballots as it examines possible voter confusion.
Peltola has denied involvement in a scheme to detract from the incumbent and says the allegations are an effort to suppress turnout. With donors describing the FBI contacts as voluntary and saying they knew whom they backed, the public deserves a careful investigation—not an election-eve narrative that treats disputed allegations as proof. The ranked-choice election is scheduled for November 3.
Name-Confusion Probe Reaches Donors Before Alaska Vote
The FBI’s widening inquiry is asking whether donors understood they were backing Dan J. Sullivan, a challenger whose name matches that of Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan. Agents have contacted donors in Alaska and Massachusetts, while the Justice Department seeks to separate certain ballots for review of possible voter confusion. The investigation comes days before a consequential ranked-choice Senate election.
Alaska U.S. Attorney Michael Heyman said the criminal probe had been under way for months. He said recent information indicating that Mary Peltola’s campaign appeared involved in recruiting the challenger triggered a major deployment of law enforcement personnel to Alaska. Peltola denies taking part in any effort to place candidates on the ballot to weaken the incumbent.
Some donors told agents they knew which candidate they supported. Charles Flint, who contributed $500, said he intends to rank Peltola first and Dan J. Sullivan second. Those accounts matter, but they do not resolve the wider question federal authorities are investigating. Voters deserve clarity about whether a same-name candidacy and any campaign involvement created confusion before they cast ballots on November 3.
Reported by KPRC 2 Click2Houston, WTOP, New York Post, MSNBC.
