Justice Department issues subpoenas in Alaska Senate probe

Alaska voters face a criminal probe that could alter the outcome of their Senate race. The Justice Department issued new grand jury subpoenas and records preservation demands on Thursday. These legal moves target the campaign of Democratic candidate Mary Peltola.

The investigation centers on the inclusion of a second candidate named Dan J. Sullivan Jr. on the ballot. This candidate shares the first and last name of incumbent Republican Senator Dan S. Sullivan. The New York Times reported that Peltola's team recruited the challenger to split the Republican vote.

The timeline of the dispute began earlier this year. A state elections official initially ruled Dan J. Sullivan Jr. ineligible for the primary ballot. The official argued the candidacy was filed to confuse voters. The Alaska Supreme Court later reversed that decision. It allowed the retired schoolteacher from Petersburg to remain on the ballot. Voters will now see the incumbent identified as a registered Republican and the challenger listed without a party affiliation.

Peltola addressed the situation on Thursday in Juneau. She denied knowledge of the effort to recruit the second Sullivan. "I knew nothing about any other candidate on the ballot except for me and the incumbent," she said. She told a crowd in a downtown bar that she was not interested in tricking voters.

President Donald Trump called for criminal prosecution of Peltola earlier this week. Attorney General Todd Blanche accused Democrats of cheating during a Fox News interview. "They are trying to take votes away from the incumbent," Blanche said. He described the strategy as putting up a person with the same name rather than competing on issues.

Republican Governor Mike Dunleavy ordered a separate state investigation. He stated that the recent reporting reveals an organized effort to manipulate elections. Dunleavy said the findings support earlier conclusions by the state elections board.

Vice President JD Vance criticized Peltola on Thursday. He said she pretended to have no connection to the candidate designed to confuse Alaska voters. Vance called the situation disgraceful and supported a probe into possible election fraud.

Peltola described the claims as a distraction from economic issues. She posted on social media that opponents are trying to intimidate her. The Justice Department expects to issue more subpoenas in the coming days. The race is considered key to determining which party controls the U.S. Senate.