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Alaska governor orders probe of Democratic campaign over alleged recruiting of senator's namesake

Mary Peltola, the Democratic Senate candidate, denies knowing of any such effort, and an AP source says the Justice Department issued grand jury subpoenas.

44 news outlets reported this
Liberal15 outletsCenter14 outletsConservative15 outlets
UpdatedFirst published 4 min read
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— Alaska's governor ordered a state investigation, and an AP source says the Justice Department issued grand jury subpoenas. Deseret News reports the House Oversight Committee announced a probe. Peltola personally denied knowing of the effort, Vance backed an investigation, and Trump said people will have to see whether she is seated if she wins.

Overview

The New York Times reported Oct. 28 that people tied to Democrat Mary Peltola's Alaska campaign and Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee () aides helped recruit a second candidate named Dan Sullivan. The incumbent Republican senator shares that name. Dan J. Sullivan Jr., a retired teacher, is on the ballot with no party label.

Elisa Rios, Peltola's former campaign manager, told the Times Peltola was not directly involved but was "definitely aware." Rios later tried to retract her interviews, the Times said. Peltola's campaign and the DSCC deny involvement, and Sullivan says he ran on his own.

Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy ordered the state Department of Public Safety to examine whether Alaska laws were broken. A person familiar with the matter told the AP that the issued , with more expected. Trump has called for Peltola to be prosecuted and removed from the ballot.

Election law experts told the BBC it is unclear whether any state laws were broken, and one said convincing someone to run is not a crime. The Justice Department separately sued to block certification if the incumbent loses. Straight Arrow News says a federal court has already ruled on that suit, while others describe it as pending.

Three sides of the story

Liberal15 outlets

An Associated Press report, published by ABC News and The Independent, leads with Peltola's Thursday denial that she knew of any effort to put a same-name candidate on the ballot, and with reported new grand jury subpoenas from the Justice Department. It quotes Peltola saying she is "not interested in tricking voters." It also gives space to Trump, Vance, Dunleavy and two independent voters in Juneau who reacted differently.

It adds that parties often back extra candidates, and that legal experts it cites say the federal government has no role in challenging results if state courts permit a candidacy. Time presents Dunleavy's order as following Trump's calls for prosecution, summarizes the Times account, and includes denials from Peltola's campaign and the DSCC. It notes the Times said ballot-stacking is generally seen as legal, and quotes Peltola calling the story a diversion meant to sell newspapers.

CBS explains Alaska's system and the state elections director's earlier attempt to disqualify the second Sullivan. It also quotes a Sullivan campaign spokesperson accusing Peltola's campaign of "gaslighting Alaskans."

Center14 outlets

BBC News reports Dunleavy's order, noting that his post did not name specific laws, and says it has not independently verified the Times' reporting. It quotes election law experts. Justin Levitt, a Loyola Law School expert and former Justice Department official, says convincing someone to run is not a crime, and Rick Pildes of New York University calls the Justice Department's argument a "frivolous theory."

Deseret News adds that Oversight Committee announced its own inquiry. It also reports Trump's answer on seating Peltola, "You're going to have to see what happens," and Vance saying she committed "a great moral failing." UPI quotes Sen. Lisa Murkowski condemning ballot-stacking after earlier objecting to the DOJ lawsuit, includes Democratic voices saying such tactics are not new, and notes it is unclear whether any laws were broken.

Axios reports Trump accused Democrats of perjury, says he offered no evidence for his fraud claims, and notes the ACLU and other groups want to join the lawsuit.

Conservative15 outlets

The Washington Examiner reports that national Democrats have mostly stayed quiet as Peltola faces scrutiny. It says that after a rally Wednesday she gave no explicit denial and called the coverage a distraction. It quotes Sen. Chris Murphy saying he trusts her, strategist Mike Nellis calling spoiler candidates a "normal form of goofing around" by both parties, former Lt. Gov. Fran Ulmer pointing to Republican tactics, and Senate Majority Leader John Thune calling it "totally dirty pool."

The Daily Caller details the Times' account, including an operative who used a fake name on trips around Alaska, and quotes a Sullivan campaign spokesperson accusing Peltola of gaslighting Alaskans. The Daily Wire argues the scheme should be illegal and cites Peltola's earlier remark that misleading the electorate should be a criminal offense. A Reason opinion piece says the effort deserves condemnation but is legal, that the DOJ lawsuit should fail, and that name confusion is a small problem next to policy lies.

Where outlets disagree
  • Whether a federal court has already ruled in the Justice Department's Alaska certification lawsuit
    • Straight Arrow News: Says a federal court has already found that the Justice Department lacks standing to bring the case.
    • ABC News: Says state attorneys asked a court to rule on the lawsuit by Monday, which indicates the case is still pending.
    • New York Post: Says Judge Sharon Gleason has fast-tracked the case and may decide the dismissal requests as soon as Friday evening.
All sources: 212 articles from 44 outlets

Liberal (86)

Center (56)

Conservative (70)

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