Peltola denies knowledge of same-name Alaska ballot candidate
Alaska Democrat Mary Peltola says she knew of no other Senate candidates besides herself and Sen. Dan Sullivan, as DOJ escalates its probe.
The story in focus
Alaska Democratic Senate candidate Mary Peltola said she knew of no candidates on the ballot besides herself and incumbent Sen. Dan Sullivan, responding to a New York Times report that her campaign and DSCC aides helped recruit a same-named candidate. Alaska's U.S. Attorney said the Justice Department is escalating its probe.
- Peltola told a Juneau rally she knew nothing about any other candidates on the ballot except herself and the incumbent.
- The New York Times reported Wednesday that her campaign and senior DSCC aides helped recruit Dan J. Sullivan.
- Alaska U.S. Attorney Michael Heyman said the DOJ is acting intensely and swiftly but has not identified a specific crime.
- Subpoenas were issued this week in the criminal probe, according to ABC News sources.
Peltola's denial
Speaking at a rally in Juneau on Thursday, Alaska Democratic Senate candidate Mary Peltola said she was unaware of any effort to recruit a candidate sharing the incumbent's name. She said she knew of no other candidates on the ballot besides herself and Sen. Dan Sullivan, and added that she was not interested in tricking voters.
At a separate event the same day, Peltola described the New York Times report as a distraction. ABC News said it asked her campaign to clarify whether the denial covered the reported recruitment effort.
Federal probe escalates
Alaska U.S. Attorney Michael Heyman said Friday that the Justice Department is acting intensely and swiftly on information it recently learned, which he called deeply troubling. He said the office has received new information in the past 24 hours and that law enforcement around the country is taking investigative steps.
Heyman declined to specify which crime is under investigation, saying the department investigates under several theories and is not assuming a crime occurred. ABC News reported that subpoenas were issued this week in the criminal probe. A former Peltola staffer told the Times that Peltola was not directly involved but was definitely aware, a characterization her denial may not resolve.
Ballot and legal backdrop
The New York Times reported Wednesday that Peltola's campaign and senior DSCC aides played a role in recruiting Dan J. Sullivan. Alaska courts found nothing illegal about his candidacy, even if it was not in good faith. On the ballot, the incumbent appears as Dan S. Sullivan, a Republican marked as incumbent; the other is Daniel J. Sullivan Jr. with no party affiliation.
What did Peltola say about the other candidates on the Alaska Senate ballot?
She said she knew nothing about any candidates on the ballot besides herself and the incumbent, Sen. Dan Sullivan, and denied interest in tricking voters.
Sources & further reading
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