The Department of Justice has expanded its criminal investigation into the 'Decoy Dan' scandal in Alaska, sending letters to dozens of Democrats informing them they are targets of the probe. The letters, reportedly sent on Election Day, allege potential charges of donor fraud and conspiracy.
The investigation centers on accusations that Democrats recruited a candidate with the same name as Republican Senator Dan Sullivan to run in the state's Senate race. The alleged intent was to confuse voters and aid Democratic nominee Mary Peltola.
Among the recipients of the letters were prominent election lawyer Marc Elias and at least one official from the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, according to sources cited by The New York Times. Alaska's Republican Governor Mike Dunleavy had previously ordered an investigation into Peltola's campaign over the alleged decoy plot.
Peltola has denied the allegations, stating her campaign is not interested in tricking voters and that she is confident she can defeat Senator Sullivan based on her own merits.
Previously, the Trump administration attempted to block the certification of Alaska's Senate election results, arguing that the candidate Daniel J. Sullivan, dubbed 'Decoy Dan,' was a frivolous candidate intended to mislead voters. However, a federal judge dismissed the lawsuit, ruling that the Justice Department lacked standing and that segregating ballots would violate voter privacy. The Justice Department is appealing this ruling, though it remains unclear if any significant action will be taken before Tuesday's election.