FBI Contacts Donors in Alaska Senate Candidate Probe
Federal agents have reached out to individuals who contributed to Dan J. Sullivan's campaign as part of an ongoing investigation into potential voter deception.
The FBI has begun contacting donors of Alaska Senate candidate Dan J. Sullivan as part of a federal investigation into potential voter deception. Agents have reportedly interviewed individuals in at least two Alaskan communities and in Massachusetts.
In Petersburg, Alaska, an FBI agent visited a boat dealership, leaving a business card for Charles Flint, who told the Associated Press he had known the candidate for years and felt no deception in his contribution.
"I don’t feel like I’ve been misled at all," Flint stated, adding that he intended to rank the Democratic candidate Mary Peltola first on his ballot, followed by Dan Sullivan, and that "Everybody knows who the incumbent is."
The federal investigation, confirmed by the U.S. Department of Justice, has been ongoing for several months. However, recent reports indicating that Peltola's campaign may have been involved in recruiting a candidate named Dan Sullivan to run have led to an increased law enforcement presence in Alaska.
Alaska U.S. Attorney Michael Heyman stated that the influx of resources is a response to these new revelations. The Department of Justice has also sought a court order to isolate specific Alaska ballots to examine potential voter confusion.
President Trump commented on the situation, calling it "voter fraud at the highest level" and suggesting that the candidate had gone into hiding. He also alluded to potential involvement by national Democratic leaders and called for their prosecution.
Donors interviewed by the FBI reported that agents were polite and emphasized that their participation was voluntary. One donor in Groton, Massachusetts, Pat Campbell, stated that she and her husband informed the agents that they had not been defrauded and knew to whom they had contributed.
Mary Peltola, the Democratic challenger to Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan, has denied any involvement in a scheme to mislead voters. She expressed offense at the allegations, calling them "garbage" and a "smear campaign" aimed at suppressing turnout before the election. Peltola asserted that she did not need external assistance to win the race against the incumbent senator.
The case comes days before the ranked-choice general election in Alaska, a race considered potentially pivotal.