The Justice Department has sent more than 20 letters notifying people they are targets of an investigation or asking them to preserve records, as it examines Daniel J. Sullivan’s campaign for the U.S. Senate in Alaska, according to two people familiar with the matter.
The investigation began in July under President Donald Trump’s administration. It concerns the retired schoolteacher, who is suspected of being recruited as a spoiler candidate against Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan. The unusual candidacy earned him the nickname “Decoy Dan.”
Since the probe opened, investigators have issued more than 120 subpoenas, one source said. The inquiry initially examined whether Daniel J. Sullivan’s campaign was intended to confuse voters and compromise the fairness of the election.
Attorney General Todd Blanche described the case as involving a candidate who, he said, does not want to run or expect to become a senator, and whose presence on the ballot is meant to confuse Alaskan voters. He said there was broad agreement that the situation amounted to fraud.
More than 30 subpoenas were issued over a 24-hour period last Thursday, a person familiar with the investigation said. The move came after a New York Times report described alleged coordination involving the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, Democratic operatives and people connected to Mary Peltola’s campaign to recruit Sullivan.
The Times reported on Election Day that the Justice Department had sent letters informing some people they were under investigation, along with notices instructing others to preserve communications and documents. The report identified election attorney Marc Elias, whose firm has represented Peltola, and an official with the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee as recipients. It remains unclear who else received letters, or how many people received each type.
Trump has repeatedly criticized what he describes as an effort by Democrats to draw votes away from Sen. Sullivan. His administration also sued Alaska officials in an attempt to prevent certification of the results if Daniel J. Sullivan’s candidacy was found to have cost the senator the election. A federal judge dismissed that lawsuit on Sunday.
Speaking on “Fox & Friends” on Tuesday, Trump accused the Democratic Party and Elias of searching across Alaska for someone named Sullivan. He said Elias should go to jail, in his opinion. Trump also suggested Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer should be held criminally responsible.
People familiar with the investigation said the letters were not sent only to Democratic officials. They declined to identify recipients or say how many people received target letters versus notices to preserve records. The letters were not sent on Election Day.
Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy, a Republican, blamed the state’s nonpartisan primary system for allowing Daniel J. Sullivan to reach the general election. Under the system, the top four candidates advance regardless of party, and Sullivan ran without a party affiliation. Dunleavy said that under a traditional primary system, the retired Petersburg schoolteacher would not have made it through.
Attention on the Senate race intensified after the Times report last week. On Friday, U.S. Attorney Michael Heyman publicly confirmed that his office was investigating Daniel J. Sullivan’s campaign, but did not specify what criminal charges, if any, were under consideration.
“I’m not making any assumptions on whether a crime has been committed or not,” Heyman said, adding that the investigation was being conducted to determine what happened.
The Justice Department declined to comment on the ongoing investigation.
