Justice Department Issues Subpoenas in Alaska Senate Spoiler Candidate Probe

The Justice Department escalated its criminal probe into the Alaska Senate race on Thursday by issuing new grand jury subpoenas. The move targets the recruitment of Dan J. Sullivan Jr., a retired schoolteacher from Petersburg, who is running as a spoiler candidate against incumbent Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan. A person familiar with the matter stated that the subpoenas seek testimony and documents, along with records preservation demands. The recipients and total number of subpoenas were not immediately clear.

Democratic candidate Mary Peltola addressed the controversy directly during a speech at a downtown bar in Juneau. She denied having prior knowledge of the other candidate’s presence on the ballot. “I knew nothing about any other candidate on the ballot except for me and the incumbent,” Peltola said. She added that she is not interested in tricking voters. The race is considered key to determining control of the U.S. Senate.

The investigation has been underway for months following a New York Times report. That report alleged Peltola’s campaign sought to recruit Dan J. Sullivan Jr. to siphon votes from the incumbent. President Donald Trump called for the criminal prosecution of Peltola and her campaign earlier this week. Attorney General Todd Blanche accused Democrats of cheating in a Wednesday interview with Fox News. Blanche stated the effort was designed to take votes away from the incumbent rather than by running on issues.

Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy has also ordered an investigation into Peltola. He described the reporting as disturbing new evidence of an organized effort to manipulate Alaska’s elections. Dunleavy noted that the state’s elections board had previously found that the retired teacher’s candidacy was intended to confuse voters. The Alaska Supreme Court ultimately ruled that Dan J. Sullivan Jr. was qualified to run after a top state elections official initially declared him ineligible. Voters will see the incumbent listed with party affiliation and incumbent status, while the challenger will have no party affiliation.

Vice President JD Vance said on Thursday that he supported a probe into possible election fraud. He called Peltola’s actions disgraceful and said she has pretended for months that she had nothing to do with placing a fraudulent person on the ballot. Peltola dismissed the claims as a distraction in a fundraising post. She argued that her opponents are trying to intimidate her into backing down while avoiding answers about the cost of living.

Local voters expressed mixed reactions to the developing story. Carter Bancroft, an independent in Juneau, said he voted for Peltola but worries the claims give ammunition to political opponents. John Delgado, an independent who leans Republican, said he has warmed up to Sen. Sullivan in light of the recent allegations. He agreed that Peltola should drop out of the race.

The Alaska Senate contest is one of a handful of races expected to determine control of the chamber. Trump directed his Justice Department to sue to block certification of the race if Peltola defeats Sen. Sullivan. On Thursday, Trump cast doubt on whether Peltola would be seated even if she won, telling reporters it is hard to believe she could be allowed to run.