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Peltola repeats denial of ballot-stacking reports, stays silent on federal probe
Developed over time first seen 3 days ago
Mary Peltola, the Democratic candidate challenging Republican senator Dan Sullivan in Alaska, repeated her denial of involvement in an alleged effort to recruit another candidate named Sullivan. Speaking at a Friday rally, she said she was offended by the suggestion that she had helped anyone else enter the race and argued that she did not need such help to win. She did not address the federal investigation in her rally speech. In an interview with local television before taking the stage, however, she said she did not know whether anyone in her campaign had been involved and was still learning the details of the investigation.
The allegations follow reporting that people linked to Peltola’s campaign sought to place Daniel J. Sullivan Jr. on the ballot, potentially drawing votes from the incumbent. The Justice Department has issued subpoenas and is investigating, while Alaska’s governor has ordered a separate state inquiry. Federal prosecutors have not said what offence, if any, may have occurred. Alaska’s Supreme Court allowed the second Sullivan to stand, and the ballot identifies the incumbent by his party and status. The claims remain under investigation, and Peltola denies knowing about or participating in the alleged effort.
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In short
- Peltola again denied involvement in the alleged ballot effort.
- She did not discuss the federal probe in her rally speech but answered questions about it beforehand.
- Federal and state inquiries are under way; no offence has been established.
How this story developed
- 4 hours ago Mary Peltola, the Democratic candidate challenging Republican senator Dan Sullivan in Alaska, repeated her denial of involvement in an alleged effort to recruit another candidate named Sullivan.
- The Hill Peltola repeats denial of ballot-stacking reports, stays silent on federal probe
- Alaska's News Source Exclusive: Peltola speaks with KTUU on federal probe into election conspiracy accusations
- Alaska Public Media DOJ launches law enforcement ‘surge’ in Alaska to investigate ballot-stacking allegations
Full account
Mary Peltola has again denied knowing of any effort to place a candidate named Dan J. Sullivan on Alaska’s Senate ballot to confuse voters, while declining to discuss the details of a federal investigation. She spoke to Alaska’s News Source at a rally in Anchorage on Friday, days before the midterm election. Asked whether anyone in her campaign might have been involved, she said she had “honestly no idea” and called the allegation offensive. She also said she believed she could win the race without such tactics.
The allegations gained fresh attention after a New York Times report named former Peltola campaign manager Elisa Rios. Rios reportedly said Peltola was aware of a project to recruit candidates with the same name as Republican Senator Dan Sullivan, but was not directly involved. Peltola responded that former staff had left “for a good reason” and said she would fire them again if she could. She said she was still learning about the federal inquiry.
On Friday, Alaska’s US attorney, Michael Heyman, announced that his office and the FBI had increased investigative resources in the state. He cited what he called troubling new revelations about an alleged effort by the Peltola campaign and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee to promote Daniel J. Sullivan as a sham candidate. Heyman gave few details and named no suspected offence, saying investigators had not concluded that a crime had occurred. He said attorneys in his office were assisting and that law enforcement elsewhere in the country was taking investigative steps.
The federal attention includes a criminal investigation as well as a Justice Department civil lawsuit. In that case, the department has asked a judge to require state election officials to set aside ballots ranking Dan J. Sullivan, citing possible voter confusion. Peltola said she trusted the rule of law and Alaska’s ability to run free and fair elections. She also accused her Republican critics of projecting their own conduct and said the allegations reflected their fear of losing.
Where outlets differ
From the full account, which is AI-written from the sources:
The first report centres on Peltola’s remarks at an Anchorage rally, including her personal denial and response to the former staff member named in the Times report. The second focuses on the federal announcement, the expanded investigative effort and the lack of detail about what law may have been broken.
The second report notes that the Times described ballot-stacking tactics as common in politics, generally considered legal and used by both parties in Alaska. It also includes criticism from a progressive advocacy group leader, who said the announcement raised the spectre of criminality close to election day without identifying a crime. The first report does not include those points.
The reports describe related but distinct federal actions: a criminal investigation and a civil lawsuit seeking to isolate ballots ranking Dan J. Sullivan. The first foregrounds Peltola’s reaction to the allegations and says she is still learning about the investigation; the second details the federal officials’ account of their investigative steps.
Coverage · 3 sources
- The HillRightPeltola repeats denial of ballot-stacking reports, stays silent on federal probe
- Alaska's News SourceExclusive: Peltola speaks with KTUU on federal probe into election conspiracy accusations
- Alaska Public MediaDOJ launches law enforcement ‘surge’ in Alaska to investigate ballot-stacking allegations