Trump DOJ seeks Peltola documents as Alaska vote nears

The U.S. Justice Department submitted a motion to a federal judge on Wednesday, asking to obtain evidence and answers from the campaign of Democratic Senate candidate Mary Peltola. The request follows a report in The New York Times detailing efforts by Democrats to recruit a candidate named Daniel J. Sullivan, the same first and last name as the Republican incumbent, Sen. Dan S. Sullivan.

The department labeled the situation a conspiracy. Attorney General Todd Blanche discussed the report on Fox News, calling it proof that the Justice Department was correct in bringing a federal lawsuit. Blanche noted that the suit seeks to delay the certification of the election results. He did not specify what illegal act occurred that granted the federal government the authority to intervene in a state-run process.

Alaska election officials rejected the idea that the new reporting changes their position. Sam Curtis, a spokesperson for the Alaska Department of Law, told CNN in an email that the story confirms initial concerns about the candidacy of Daniel J. Sullivan, a retired teacher. Curtis stated the report has no impact on the current litigation. She emphasized that placing candidates on the ballot is a matter of state law, not federal law.

The Alaska Supreme Court has already ruled that Daniel J. Sullivan belongs on the ballot. Curtis noted that the federal law cited by the Justice Department does not dictate which candidates can run. She added that the law does not authorize the specific relief the department is seeking. The state division is bound by the Supreme Court order and remains committed to running a fair election.

The Times story published Wednesday rattled one of the country’s most competitive Senate races with less than a week until Election Day. Peltola, a former at-large House member, is considered a top recruit for Senate Democrats. Her campaign continues to deny any involvement in Daniel J. Sullivan’s campaign. Republicans have focused heavily on the race, with President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance making recent trips to Alaska.

Trump posted multiple messages on Truth Social slamming Peltola following the report. One post said she should be removed from the ballot and prosecuted. Trump also wrote that the fake Dan Sullivan should face the same fate. Nate Adams, a spokesman for Sen. Dan S. Sullivan, said the campaign has known about the effort to deceive Alaskans for months. He claimed Peltola hoped the issue would stay covered up until after the election.

Legal experts offered mixed assessments of the situation. Dean Franita Tolson, a professor at the University of Southern California Gould School of Law, said the federal government should not block certification because it dislikes the outcome. Derek Muller, a law professor at the University of Notre Dame Law School, added that the reporting makes the Peltola campaign look bad to some voters. He argued that from a litigation perspective, the development will not significantly affect things at this stage.

Some Democrats pointed to past actions by Republicans to boost spoiler candidates. A group of GOP organizations contributed to a super PAC that attacked Peltola in the primary. The group promoted a lesser-known Democratic candidate and a Green Party candidate. Rick Hasen, an election law specialist, told CNN that parties frequently try to find candidates on the other side who can siphon votes away from the major party competitor. He noted that one cannot hold a candidate responsible for impure motives.