By Islam El-Sakka
Democratic Senate candidate Mary Peltola denied Thursday any knowledge of an alleged scheme that placed two men named Dan Sullivan on the Alaska ballot. The denial comes as the Trump administration escalates a criminal investigation into the matter, and the state's Republican governor ordered an official inquiry.
Incumbent Republican Senator Dan S. Sullivan, who is running for re-election, and his allies have accused Democrats of trying to confuse voters. The race is considered one of the tightest in the upcoming US midterm elections, which will determine control of Congress.
Allegations and investigation
Earlier this week, The New York Times reported that Peltola's team worked with individuals who attempted to recruit spoiler candidates. The report alleged that people connected to Peltola's campaign and senior aides at the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee tried to recruit Dan J. Sullivan, a retired teacher from a remote fishing village, to stand in the race. The Times cited text messages and interviews with 12 people. The BBC has not independently verified the reporting.
The Peltola campaign denied the reports, and Dan J. Sullivan denied any links to the campaign. The US Department of Justice has begun issuing subpoenas targeting Democratic officials allegedly connected to the recruitment effort, according to CBS News. No charges have been filed. The Trump administration filed a federal lawsuit last week aimed at preventing certification of the result if the Trump-backed Sullivan loses, arguing that the presence of both candidates could confuse voters. The Justice Department amended the lawsuit Wednesday to include the Times' reporting and Governor Mike Dunleavy's investigation announcement. The legal action comes days before voters head to the polls. The non-partisan Cook Political Report classifies the race as a toss-up.
