AG Todd Blanche challenges CNN's Dana Bash over partial Constitution quote

Attorney General Todd Blanche on Sunday confronted CNN host Dana Bash, arguing that the network selectively presented the U.S. Constitution's Elections Clause during a discussion about a Justice Department lawsuit concerning Alaska's Senate race. Blanche accused Bash of showing only the first part of the clause, which grants state legislatures authority over election procedures, while omitting the latter part that allows Congress to alter those regulations.

"Conveniently, you put up the Constitution on your screen, but you highlighted only the first clause. Why don't you show the next clause to your viewers, which says that Congress is allowed to pass laws to make sure that that happens? Put that back up there," Blanche stated during the "State of the Union" interview.

The exchange focused on Article I, Section 4 of the Constitution. Blanche argued that the full text supports the Justice Department's position in its lawsuit, which seeks to prevent a candidate with a name similar to incumbent Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan from appearing on the ballot. The lawsuit relies on the National Voter Registration Act, asserting that allowing a candidate who might confuse voters undermines election integrity.

The Justice Department's complaint, filed earlier in the week, accuses the challenger, Daniel J. Sullivan Jr., of deliberately attempting to mislead voters. The department has asked the court to delay election certification if votes cast for the challenger could impact the final outcome.

This federal challenge follows a June ruling by the Alaska Supreme Court that permitted the candidate to remain on the ballot. The court deferred the decision on how the candidate's name should appear to the state's Division of Elections.

Republicans have voiced concerns that the challenger's name could siphon votes from the incumbent. The challenger, Daniel J. Sullivan, has denied these allegations, maintaining the legitimacy of his candidacy.

Former President Donald Trump has publicly stated that he encouraged the Justice Department to pursue legal action in this case. "I'm the one that said, do it," Trump told reporters.

Meanwhile, voting rights groups and the campaign of Democratic candidate Mary Peltola have filed motions to intervene in the case. The American Civil Liberties Union has argued that the National Voter Registration Act pertains to voter registration procedures and does not grant authority to block election certification based on candidate placement.