Reuters reported on August 18 that the Justice Department had issued grand-jury subpoenas in an investigation involving Alaska Senate candidate Daniel J. Sullivan Jr. The report relied on one unnamed source familiar with the investigation.
Sullivan appeared on Alaska’s August 18 primary ballot. Reuters’ report did not identify the subpoena recipients, the materials requested or a federal charge under consideration.
Key facts
- Reuters attributed the subpoena report to one source familiar with the investigation.
- No charge or finding of wrongdoing was reported.
- Alaska courts restored Sullivan to the ballot after state election officials had removed him.
- The official candidate list identified Dan S. Sullivan and Daniel J. Sullivan Jr. as separate certified candidates.
What Reuters reported
Reuters reported that the investigation concerns whether Sullivan entered the race to confuse voters. The reported subpoenas are an investigative step and do not establish wrongdoing; Reuters noted that investigations do not always result in charges.
Sullivan has denied intending to confuse voters or divert votes from incumbent Sen. Dan S. Sullivan, Reuters reported. His earlier statements were not necessarily a response to the reported subpoenas.
The ballot dispute ended differently
Alaska election officials initially removed Daniel J. Sullivan Jr. after finding that his candidacy was intended to confuse voters. That decision concerned his place on the state ballot, not the reported federal investigation.
A state superior court ordered election officials to return him to the ballot, according to the Alaska Supreme Court’s later order and the Associated Press. The Alaska Supreme Court affirmed his inclusion while leaving ballot design to election officials under state law.
The official primary candidate list separately identified Dan S. Sullivan as the incumbent and Daniel J. Sullivan Jr. as another certified candidate. The state court orders governed ballot access; they did not resolve the investigation described by Reuters.
The competing positions
The incumbent’s campaign has characterized the challenger’s candidacy as deceptive. That remains the campaign’s position, not an adjudicated finding.
Daniel J. Sullivan Jr. has said the decision to run was his own and denied trying to trick voters. Mary Peltola’s campaign and the Alaska Democratic Party have also denied involvement with his candidacy, according to the Associated Press.
What remains unclear
Reuters’ report did not identify who received the subpoenas, what evidence or testimony they sought, or whether Sullivan received one. It also did not identify a suspected federal offense or say that prosecutors had decided to bring charges.
