The second Dan Sullivan story just became a criminal matter on two fronts. The Justice Department has issued a raft of new grand jury subpoenas in its probe of the Peltola campaign spoiler controversy, a person familiar with the matter told the Associated Press on Thursday. Meanwhile, Alaska’s governor has ordered a state investigation of his own.
Election Day is five days away. So the question is no longer whether this story matters. Instead, it is whether Alaskans get the facts before they vote.
Key Takeaways
- The DOJ issued new grand jury subpoenas for testimony or documents, plus records preservation demands, AP reports.
- The subpoenas followed a New York Times report tying the Peltola campaign to the recruitment of Dan J. Sullivan.
- Gov. Mike Dunleavy ordered Alaska’s Department of Public Safety to investigate.
- President Trump says Peltola should be removed from the ballot and prosecuted.
- The Peltola campaign has spent months denying any such collaboration.
What the Subpoenas in the Peltola Campaign Probe Mean
According to AP, the subpoenas seek grand jury testimony or documents. The department also issued records preservation demands. AP did not say who received them, and more subpoenas are expected.
This probe did not start this week. A grand jury already issued subpoenas in August for information from witnesses linked to Dan J. Sullivan’s campaign, NBC News reports. What changed is the evidence. The Times cited interviews with 12 people and dozens of text messages, NBC notes.
Dan J. Sullivan is a retired Petersburg teacher. The Times reports that the Peltola campaign and Democratic Party officials recruited him, the Juneau Independent reports. That runs directly against months of denials from everyone involved.
Alaska Opens Its Own Investigation
Dunleavy did not wait for Washington. He directed the Department of Public Safety to determine “whether this scheme violated Alaska’s laws and whether criminal charges or civil action are warranted.” He added, “The evidence will determine what happens next.”
That is the right tone. Furthermore, Alaska elections director Carol Beecher removed Dan J. Sullivan from the ballot earlier this year as a sham candidate. However, the Alaska Supreme Court overruled that decision, the Juneau Independent reports. The court said the state can only check basics like age and residency, not a candidate’s intentions.
Trump Wants Charges. Let the Evidence Lead.
Speaking in South Carolina, President Trump called it “voter fraud at the highest level,” the Guardian reports. He said Peltola “should be removed from the ballot and prosecuted, and so should the fake Dan Sullivan.”
His frustration is fair. If the Times has it right, this was not a campaign. It was a plan to win by tricking voters into marking the wrong name. Every Alaskan, Republican or Democrat, should be angry about that.
Still, conservatives believe in due process, even for opponents. The Times itself notes that ballot stacking is common and generally legal. Therefore, prosecutors have to prove a crime, not just a dirty trick. Subpoenas are a step toward answers, not a verdict.
What Comes Next for the Peltola Campaign
Last week, the administration sued to block Alaska from certifying the race if Sen. Sullivan narrowly loses. As we argued then, that Alaska Senate lawsuit is the wrong fix, because states run their own elections. Alaska’s own investigation is the better path.
In the meantime, Peltola owes voters a plain answer about who on her team knew what. Alaska lawmakers should also close the loophole that let a borrowed name onto the ballot. And Republicans should spend every remaining day making sure voters know which Sullivan is which.
With turnout already heavy, as we covered in our look at the 36 million early votes, a few thousand confused ballots could decide the Senate. For more straight talk on the midterms, visit World of Payne and follow the show on X, Facebook and Instagram.
