DOJ Issues Subpoenas in Alaska Senate Election Probe

Mary Peltola said she knew nothing about an effort to recruit a candidate with the same name as Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan, her opponent in Alaska’s closely watched Senate race. The Justice Department has issued new grand jury subpoenas and records-preservation demands as it investigates whether Dan J. Sullivan Jr. joined the contest in an effort to draw votes from the incumbent. The recipients and number of subpoenas were not immediately clear, and more were expected.

Peltola told supporters in Juneau that she had known only of herself and the incumbent as candidates and was not trying to mislead voters. She later described the controversy as a distraction and accused Republicans of trying to intimidate her.

President Donald Trump called for Peltola and her campaign to be prosecuted and questioned whether she should be allowed to run. Vice President JD Vance backed an investigation, accusing Peltola of trying to take a Senate seat from Alaska voters. Attorney General Todd Blanche also accused Democrats of cheating.

Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy, a Republican, separately ordered an investigation into Peltola, saying the allegations raised concerns about election integrity. Dan J. Sullivan Jr. has denied working with Peltola’s campaign, saying he had no contact with it.

The Senate contest is among several expected to determine control of the chamber. The Justice Department’s investigation is ongoing, and the available information does not identify its potential targets.

Trump’s DOJ Escalates Probe as Peltola Denies Election Scheme

The Justice Department’s new subpoenas intensify scrutiny of Democratic Senate candidate Mary Peltola in a race where President Donald Trump has already called for her prosecution. Peltola says she knew nothing about recruiting a candidate who shares Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan’s name and insists she was not trying to confuse voters.

The probe concerns whether Dan J. Sullivan Jr. joined the contest in an effort to pull votes from the incumbent. The government has issued grand jury subpoenas and records-preservation demands, with more expected, but the recipients and number were not immediately clear. Sullivan Jr. has denied any contact with Peltola’s campaign.

Trump questioned whether Peltola should be allowed to run. Vice President JD Vance accused her of trying to take a Senate seat from Alaska voters, while Attorney General Todd Blanche accused Democrats of cheating. Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy has also ordered a state investigation.

Peltola called the controversy an effort to intimidate her and a distraction from issues she says Republicans should answer for. The case raises serious stakes for a Senate election that could determine control of the chamber: allegations are being amplified by top Republicans while the Justice Department investigation continues, without publicly identified targets.

Alaska Election Probe Tests Peltola’s Denials as DOJ Issues Subpoenas

The Justice Department is escalating its investigation into an alleged effort to confuse Alaska voters by placing a second Dan Sullivan on the Senate ballot. Democratic candidate Mary Peltola denies knowing anything about the effort, but new grand jury subpoenas and records demands are now part of the criminal probe.

The investigation focuses on whether Dan J. Sullivan Jr. entered the contest to siphon support from Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan. The number and recipients of the subpoenas were not immediately clear, and more were expected. Sullivan Jr. says he had no contact with Peltola’s campaign.

President Donald Trump has called for Peltola and her campaign to be prosecuted and questioned whether she should be allowed to run. Vice President JD Vance backed a probe into possible election fraud, accusing Peltola of trying to take a Senate seat from Alaska voters. Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy has separately ordered an investigation, citing concerns about election integrity.

Peltola calls the controversy an effort to intimidate her and a distraction. But a Senate race that could determine control of the chamber deserves scrutiny when allegations involve a candidate with the incumbent’s name. The Justice Department investigation remains underway, with its potential targets unclear.