Michelle Smith

BREAKING: ALASKA DECOY CANDIDATE DAN J. SULLIVAN REFUSES TO ANSWER QUESTIONS UNDER OATH AS DOJ ISSUES DOZENS OF SUBPOENAS IN EXPANDING CRIMINAL PROBE OF ALLEGED BALLOT-STACKING SCHEME Alaska @GovDunleavy Directed The Department Of Public Safety To Investigate Whether An Organized Effort To Place A Decoy Candidate Named Daniel J. Sullivan On The U.S. Senate Ballot Violated State Law, Following A @nytimes Report Detailing Coordination Involving Aides To Democrat @MaryPeltola’s Campaign & Senior Officials At The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. The Times Investigation, Based On Interviews, Text Messages & Documents Prepared For Potential Litigation, Described A “Ballot Composition Project” In Which Operatives Searched Voter Records For Other Dan Sullivans, Traveled To Remote Alaskan Communities & Used A Midwestern Operative Operating Under A False Name To Recruit Potential Spoilers Over Beers At Brew Pubs, With The Goal Of Diluting Votes For Incumbent Republican Senator Dan S. Sullivan In Alaska’s Ranked-Choice System. Former Peltola Campaign Manager Elisa Rios Told The Times That Peltola Was “Definitely Aware” Of The Effort Though Not Directly Involved; The Campaign & The DSCC Have Denied Any Role In Recruiting Candidates. Daniel J. Sullivan, A Retired Teacher From The Small Southeast Alaska Community Of Petersburg, Filed As A Republican Days Before The Deadline, Initially Requested To Appear On The Ballot As “Dan S. Sullivan,” Later Changed His Affiliation To Undeclared & Has Conducted Virtually No Campaign Events, According To Multiple Reports. The Alaska Division Of Elections Previously Removed Him After Finding His Filing Was Not Made In Good Faith & Was Intended To Confuse Voters, Citing His Recent Party Switch, Campaign Materials Resembling The Incumbent’s & Ties To A Consultant With A History Of Supporting Democrats; A Superior Court Judge & The Alaska Supreme Court Ordered Him Restored To The Ballot, Ruling That State Law & The U.S. Constitution Do Not Authorize Exclusion Based On Motive Alone. Governor Dunleavy Stated That The Times Reporting “Reveals Disturbing New Evidence Of An Organized Effort To Manipulate Alaska’s Elections” & “Substantially Supports” The Division’s Earlier Findings, Adding: “Alaskans Have A Fundamental Right To Vote For The Candidate They Actually Intend To Support. Deliberately Tricking Voters Into Casting Their Ballots For Someone Else Strikes At The Integrity Of Our Elections. Anyone Or Any Organization Found To Have Broken The Law Must Be Held Accountable.” Dunleavy Further Indicated That The Decoy Candidate Declined To Answer Questions Under Oath During The Initial State Inquiry. @TheJusticeDept Has Issued More Than 30 To 40 Grand Jury Subpoenas & Document Preservation Requests In An Accelerating Criminal Investigation Targeting The Alleged Scheme, Including To Peltola’s Campaign Offices & Those Associated With Daniel J. Sullivan, While Continuing A Civil Lawsuit Seeking To Block Certification Of Results If Votes Cast For The Namesake Candidate Would Have Altered The Outcome Under Ranked-Choice Voting. The Election Is Scheduled For November 3, 2026.