DOJ escalates Alaska ballot probe with grand jury subpoenas
What's new: The investigation centers on claims a same-name candidate was recruited to siphon votes in a Senate race crucial to chamber control.
The Justice Department stepped up its criminal investigation into Alaska's Senate race by issuing new grand jury subpoenas and records preservation demands tied to an alleged ballot scheme. The probe focuses on claims that Dan J. Sullivan Jr. entered the race against Democratic candidate Mary Peltola and Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan in a bid to confuse voters with a same-name candidacy. Peltola denied any involvement at a Juneau event, saying she knew only of herself and the incumbent on the ballot. The contest is one of a handful expected to help decide control of the U.S. Senate. Separately, Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy ordered a state investigation, while state attorneys pressed for a court ruling on a separate Justice Department lawsuit over certification of the race.