Peltola Says She Knows Little About Alleged Ballot Scheme
On November 2, Alaska Democrat Mary Peltola said she had no knowledge of any campaign staff involvement in an alleged effort to recruit another candidate named Dan Sullivan for the Senate ballot. Asked in a local interview whether someone on her team could have been involved, she said she did not know and objected to the idea of Alaskans trying to deceive one another.
Peltola also said the allegations and information about them were new to her. Asked what the government should do if it found wrongdoing by a former campaign member, she said that would have to be considered if the situation arose.
The allegations concern a ballot effort that has drawn state and federal investigations. A former Peltola campaign manager has said she was aware of the effort, though the reports describe her as not having made the recruitment calls herself. Peltola has denied knowing about the scheme. Alaska election officials flagged the second candidate as potentially confusing to voters, but the Alaska Supreme Court restored him to the ballot. Election Day was approaching as Peltola addressed the issue.
Investigations Should Establish Who Organized the Sullivan Ballot Effort
On November 2, Alaska Democrat Mary Peltola said she did not know whether anyone on her campaign was involved in recruiting a second Dan Sullivan for the Senate ballot. The allegation is serious, but the responsibility of investigators is to establish what happened rather than treat suspicion as proof.
A former campaign manager has said Peltola was aware of the effort, while the reports say she did not personally make recruitment calls. Peltola has denied knowing about the scheme and said the information was new to her. Asked what should happen if the government found misconduct by a former campaign member, she said the response would have to be considered if that occurred.
State and federal investigations are underway. Alaska election officials had flagged the candidacy as potentially confusing to voters, but the state Supreme Court restored the candidate to the ballot. The allegations raise concerns about efforts to manipulate an election; they also demand a fact-based inquiry, not a presumption of guilt before investigators reach conclusions.
Peltola’s Campaign Must Answer for the Second Sullivan Candidacy
On November 2, Mary Peltola said she had no idea whether anyone on her campaign was involved in recruiting a second Dan Sullivan for the Senate ballot. That answer leaves a basic question hanging: how could a candidate’s operation pursue a ballot strategy in her favor without her knowing about it?
A former campaign manager has said Peltola was aware of the effort, though the reports say she did not personally make recruitment calls. Peltola denies knowing about the scheme and says the information is new to her. She also said the government’s response should be considered if wrongdoing by a former campaign member is established.
State and federal investigations are now underway. Election officials had flagged the candidacy as potentially confusing to voters, while the Alaska Supreme Court restored the candidate to the ballot. Voters deserve clear answers about whether a campaign tried to affect their choices. Peltola’s denial does not resolve the allegations, and investigators must determine who was involved and what they knew.
Reported by Twitchy, Townhall.
