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PoliticsQuiet 9d · day 20

DOJ subpoenas Peltola campaign over alleged Alaska 'spoiler Dan Sullivan' scheme

Mary Peltola denies her campaign recruited a decoy candidate as federal and state investigators escalate probes that could affect certification of the Senate race.

newest coverage 8d agosummary written 12d ago348 pieces29k likes & upvotes1.6k comments NewswiresMastodonGoogle NewsXRedditYouTubeBluesky

Part of a larger narrative

Trump Administration Voter Fraud Campaign

5 stories · since Oct 20 · newest 8d ago — The Trump administration pursues aggressive voter fraud allegations and legal actions targeting California and other states, claiming noncitizen voting and…

  1. Democrats sue Alaska over 18 closed early voting sites days before election
  2. Trump DOJ escalates fight to block Alaska Senate certification, issues 40+ subpoenas
  3. Alaska US Attorney confirms criminal probe into decoy Senate candidate scheme
  4. DOJ subpoenas Peltola campaign over alleged Alaska 'spoiler Dan Sullivan' schemeyou are here
  5. Peltola injured in car crash, postpones Alaska Senate campaign stops

What to know

  • DOJ has issued new grand jury subpoenas, escalating a criminal probe into whether Peltola's campaign recruited a decoy candidate named Dan Sullivan.
  • Alaska's Supreme Court already ruled the second Dan Sullivan could stay on the ballot, but the governor says that ruling might have differed had the alleged scheme been known.
  • The dispute is tangled with a separate DOJ lawsuit seeking to block certification of the Senate race if incumbent Sullivan narrowly loses, raising the stakes of who controls the seat.
  • Peltola and her campaign deny any knowledge of or involvement in recruiting the spoiler candidate.

The dispute Whether recruiting a same-named candidate constitutes illegal 'ballot stacking' fraud or is merely an aggressive but lawful campaign tactic already blessed by Alaska's Supreme Court. · positions read across 51 posts and comments

most voices

The recruitment of a same-named candidate is proven, corrupt election fraud that warrants prosecution.

  • “🚨 HOLY CRAP! The NYT just admitted that President Trump was right, Democrat Mary Peltola and Chuck Schumer's group spent months gaming Alaska's Ranked Choice Voting ballot to plant people like the FAKE "DAN SULLIVAN" on the ballot”

    @EricLDaugh · X ↗
many voices

Recruiting a same-named candidate is legal campaign hardball, not a crime, and Trump is weaponizing it as a distraction.

  • “Just going to someone and saying, "hey, you want me to win and have the same name as my opponent you should run" isn't illegal.”

    lift_1337 · Reddit ↗
some voices

The outrage is hypocritical given similar GOP spoiler tactics elsewhere, and amounts to voter suppression or interference.

  • “GOP, Kohn Husted PAC spends over $1M to boost third-party socialist in Ohio Senate race... Where is the outrage and threats of arrests?”

    Ok_Syllabub1099 · Reddit ↗

Mary PeltolaMary Peltola Democratic Senate candidateDan S. SullivanDan S. Sullivan Incumbent Republican senatorDan J. Sullivan Independent candidate sharing incumbent's nameDonald TrumpDonald Trump U.S. PresidentMike Dunleavy Alaska Governor

DOJ subpoenas Peltola campaign over alleged Alaska 'spoiler Dan Sullivan' scheme
cbsnews.com

How it unfolded 7 developments, newest first · click a bar or a number to jump articlesvideospostscomments

Peak 120 pieces in 5h at Oct 29, 7 AM; 348 pieces over 20 days (245 articles · 8 videos · 82 posts · 13 comments) Oct 23, 11 AM — 3 pieces · 3 articles — Newswires 3Oct 23, 4 PM — 5 pieces · 4 articles · 1 post — Newswires 3, Mastodon 1, Google News 1Oct 23, 9 PM — 1 piece · 1 post — Mastodon 1Oct 24, 2 AM — quietOct 24, 7 AM — 3 pieces · 1 article · 2 posts — Mastodon 1, X 1, Newswires 1Oct 24, 12 PM — quietOct 24, 5 PM — 1 piece · 1 post — Mastodon 1Oct 24, 10 PM — quietOct 25, 3 AM — quietOct 25, 8 AM — quietOct 25, 1 PM — quietOct 25, 6 PM — quietOct 25, 11 PM — quietOct 26, 4 AM — quietOct 26, 9 AM — quietOct 26, 2 PM — 1 piece · 1 post — Mastodon 1Oct 26, 7 PM — quietOct 27, 12 AM — quietOct 27, 5 AM — quietOct 27, 10 AM — quietOct 27, 3 PM — quietOct 27, 8 PM — quietOct 28, 1 AM — quietOct 28, 6 AM — 3 pieces · 1 article · 2 posts — Mastodon 2, Google News 1Oct 28, 11 AM — 31 pieces · 27 articles · 4 posts — Newswires 26, X 3, Mastodon 1, +1 moreOct 28, 4 PM — 15 pieces · 9 articles · 1 video · 5 posts — Google News 6, Newswires 3, X 2, +3 moreOct 28, 9 PM — 7 pieces · 5 articles · 2 posts — Newswires 3, Mastodon 2, Google News 2Oct 29, 2 AM — 17 pieces · 12 articles · 5 posts — Google News 7, Mastodon 5, Newswires 5Oct 29, 7 AM — 120 pieces · 97 articles · 2 videos · 14 posts · 7 comments — Newswires 87, Reddit 11, Google News 10, +4 moreOct 29, 12 PM — 48 pieces · 31 articles · 1 video · 14 posts · 2 comments — Newswires 28, Mastodon 12, Reddit 4, +3 moreOct 29, 5 PM — 42 pieces · 25 articles · 2 videos · 15 posts — Newswires 20, Mastodon 10, Google News 5, +4 moreOct 29, 10 PM — 15 pieces · 6 articles · 1 video · 7 posts · 1 comment — Mastodon 6, Newswires 5, Reddit 2, +2 moreOct 30, 3 AM — 11 pieces · 8 articles · 1 video · 2 posts — Newswires 8, Mastodon 2, YouTube 1Oct 30, 8 AM — 23 pieces · 16 articles · 6 posts · 1 comment — Newswires 15, Mastodon 7, Reddit 1Oct 30, 1 PM — 1 piece · 1 comment — Reddit 1Oct 30, 6 PM — quietOct 30, 11 PM — quietOct 31, 4 AM — quietOct 31, 9 AM — quietOct 31, 2 PM — quietOct 31, 7 PM — quietNov 1, 12 AM — quietNov 1, 4 AM — quietNov 1, 9 AM — quietNov 1, 2 PM — quietNov 1, 7 PM — quietNov 2, 12 AM — quietNov 2, 5 AM — quietNov 2, 10 AM — quietNov 2, 3 PM — quietNov 2, 8 PM — quietNov 3, 1 AM — 1 piece · 1 comment — Reddit 1Nov 3, 6 AM — quietNov 3, 11 AM — quietNov 3, 4 PM — quietNov 3, 9 PM — quietNov 4, 2 AM — quietNov 4, 7 AM — quietNov 4, 12 PM — quietNov 4, 5 PM — quietNov 4, 10 PM — quietNov 5, 3 AM — quietNov 5, 8 AM — quietNov 5, 1 PM — quietNov 5, 6 PM — quietNov 5, 11 PM — quietNov 6, 4 AM — quietNov 6, 9 AM — quietNov 6, 2 PM — quietNov 6, 7 PM — quietNov 7, 12 AM — quietNov 7, 5 AM — quietNov 7, 10 AM — quietNov 7, 3 PM — quietNov 7, 8 PM — quietNov 8, 1 AM — quietNov 8, 6 AM — quietNov 8, 11 AM — quietNov 8, 4 PM — quietNov 8, 9 PM — quietNov 9, 2 AM — quietNov 9, 7 AM — quietNov 9, 12 PM — quietNov 9, 5 PM — quietNov 9, 10 PM — quietNov 10, 3 AM — quietNov 10, 8 AM — quietNov 10, 1 PM — quietNov 10, 6 PM — quietNov 10, 11 PM — quietYesterday, 4 AM — quietYesterday, 9 AM — quietYesterday, 2 PM — quietYesterday, 7 PM — quiet 123–45–67
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  1. 7

    Peltola publicly denies knowing about the alleged plot

    Speaking in Juneau, Peltola again denied any knowledge of her campaign's alleged recruitment of Dan J. Sullivan, as the DOJ investigation and subpoenas continued.

    “I just want to clear the air…”
    — Mary Peltola

    1. 5 outlets first by Chicago Tribune, 12d ago · also The Hill, PBS NewsHour, Philadelphia Inquirer, CTV News · read ↗

    2. 3 outlets Peltola says she "knew nothing about" the other Dan Sullivan

      first by CBS News, 13d ago · also BBC, Guardian

      2 more headlines

    • Normally this wouldn't impact a candidate that much, but because Peltola sells herself as an incorruptible independent outsider I wouldn't be surprised if the hypocrisy offends Alaskan voters to a higher level than it would have if it was an institutional standard politician. I actually can see Sullivan barely scraping by now as a result of this…

      WuZI8475r/politics12d agoview on r/politics ↗
    2 more of the top 3 · 5 posts in this stretch
    • stevebenen@journa.host

      In Alaska, Republicans appear to be engaging in performative outrage, not in response to a genuine scandal, but in response to polls showing them behind. The partisan outrage, especially from Gov. Mike Dunleavy, is wildly inconsistent with the alleged offense. https://www. ms.now/rachel-maddow-show/madd…

      stevebenen@journa.hostMastodon12d agoview on Mastodon ↗

    • The second there is an indictment (there is no law that was broken to indict over but that doesn't stop the Trump DOJ) there need to be local DAs across tue country also filing indictments over all of the Republican spoiler candidates, starting with RFK Jr and Kanye West.

      Herkfixerr/news8d agoview on r/news ↗
    all of them →
  2. 6

    DOJ escalates criminal probe with new grand jury subpoenas

    The Associated Press reported the Justice Department escalated its criminal investigation into the Alaska spoiler-candidate controversy, issuing new subpoenas; The Hill later reported dozens of subpoenas were issued.

    “We're going to follow the law, and if we conclude that there was this, uh, mis — there were things that should not have happened, let me put it that way, that are illegal, we will act on that. And that may, in fact, impact whether somebody is seated in this U.S. Senate.”
    — Mike Dunleavy, Alaska Governor · source
    1. 12 outlets Alaska’s governor orders a probe into Mary Peltola’s Senate campaign over spoiler candidate controversy

      first by Boston Globe, 13d ago · also Associated Press, WTOP News, PBS NewsHour, AP News, Orlando Sentinel, Baltimore Sun +5

      4 more headlines
    2. 7 outlets Alaska governor orders investigation into Peltola camp after report they recruited second Dan Sullivan

      first by NBC News, 13d ago · also Breitbart, Guardian, Townhall, Boston Globe, New York Times, ZeroHedge

      5 more headlines
    3 more claims →
    • muellershewrote.com

      NEW: The election denying governor of Alaska sidestepped questions about certifying the election if Peltola wins.

      muellershewrote.comBluesky13d ago1.4k▲view on Bluesky ↗
    2 more of the top 3 · 15 posts in this stretch

    • NewsNation: Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy says he won’t commit to certifying the US Senate race if Mary Peltola wins.

      @PollTracker2024X13d ago404▲view on X ↗
    • heidilifeldman@mastodon.social

      There are many good things about this Wonkette story, including their nickname for Trump. I’ll let you come to it. Hint: initials are S.H. https://www. wonkette.com/p/new-york-times- catches-alaska-dems

      heidilifeldman@mastodon.socialMastodon13d ago21▲view on Mastodon ↗
    all of them →
  3. 5

    Alaska governor opens probe, won't commit to certifying race

    Gov. Mike Dunleavy announced an investigation into the alleged 'scheme' and told NewsNation his office won't send a 'scam' to Washington, sidestepping whether he'd certify a Peltola win.

    1. 11 outlets Alaska Gov. Orders Probe Into Alleged Scheme To Recruit Second Dan Sullivan In Peltola Race

      first by Forbes Business, 13d ago · also NY Post, New York Post, Washington Times, Legal Insurrection, Straight Arrow, 6abc +4

      7 more headlines
    2. 8 outlets Alaska governor orders investigation into Peltola Senate campaign

      first by The Hill, 13d ago · also Washington Post, Fox News, Baltimore Sun, Yahoo, Scripps News, Politico +1

      7 more headlines
    6 more claims →

    • The Alaska Dan Sullivan scandal EXPLODES. The government is now ordering a criminal investigation after the bombshell NYT reporting that the Democrat campaign in Alaska intentionally sought out spoiler candidates. This is a clear attempt to mislead voters and give Dems an unfair

      @TimcastX13d ago1.7k▲view on X ↗
    2 more of the top 3 · 15 posts in this stretch
    • devilstower.bsky.social

      Dear @washingtonpost.com , can you please explain why you’re giving far more attention to an investigation into what appears to be completely legal campaign hijinx than you are to a report showing credible evidence that Donald Trump repeatedly committed rape in the company of Jeffery Epstein?

      devilstower.bsky.socialBluesky13d ago28▲view on Bluesky ↗
    • GeoWire@mastodon.social

      🟠 UPDATE Jared Kushner Book Allegations and US Midterm Election Developments Governor Mike Dunleavy directed the Department of Public Safety to investigate whether recruiting a candidate with the same name as opponent Dan Sullivan violated Alaska's laws, determining if criminal charges or civil action are warranted. 📰 https://www…

      GeoWire@mastodon.socialMastodon13d agoview on Mastodon ↗
    all of them →
  4. 4

    Trump calls the scheme fraud, demands prosecution

    Responding to the NYT report, Trump said the recruitment effort was a Democratic Party plot and that those involved should be prosecuted, though a reporter pressed him on the legal basis.

    “That's fraud. It was a plot by the Democratic Party. They should be prosecuted.”
    — Donald Trump

    • Trump on Alaska: That’s fraud. It was a plot by the Democratic Party. They should be prosecuted. Reporter: Under what law???

      @AcynX14d ago3.0k▲view on X ↗
    2 more of the top 3 · 4 posts in this stretch
    • GiftArticles@tomkahe.com

      Trump Calls for Mary Peltola, Alaska Senate Candidate, to Be Prosecuted (Gift Article) https://www. nytimes.com/2026/10/28/us/poli tics/trump-peltola-sullivan-alaska-senate.html?unlocked_article_code=1.MVE.Kp3l.sY2D1Rqbx_Jj&smid=bs-share

      GiftArticles@tomkahe.comMastodon14d agoview on Mastodon ↗

    • Alaska’s Senate race is drawing scrutiny over allegations that aides to Democrat Mary Peltola helped recruit an independent candidate with the same name as Republican incumbent Dan Sullivan to confuse voters. Peltola’s campaign has repeatedly denied involvement, while President

      @CBSEveningNewsX14d ago58▲view on X ↗
    all of them →
  5. 3

    NYT reports Peltola campaign recruited the spoiler candidate

    The New York Times reported that Peltola's campaign was directly involved in recruiting Dan J. Sullivan, a candidate sharing the incumbent's name, to appear on the ballot and dilute votes for Sen. Dan S. Sullivan.

    “🚨 HOLY CRAP! The NYT just admitted that President Trump was right, Democrat Mary Peltola and Chuck Schumer's group spent months gaming Alaska's Ranked Choice Voting ballot to plant people like the FAKE "DAN SULLIVAN" on the ballot…”
    — @EricLDaugh, X user · source
    1. 3 outlets Report: Democrat Campaign Recruited ‘Decoy Dan’ Sullivan to Run in Alaska

      first by PJ Media, 14d ago · also CBS News, The Washington Sun

      2 more headlines
    2. 2 outlets AK Sen. Sullivan: Two ‘Dan Sullivans’ on Ballot Is Corruption at the ‘Highest Level’

      first by Breitbart, 13d ago · also Washington Examiner

      1 more headline
    2 more claims →

    • 🚨 HOLY CRAP! The NYT just admitted that President Trump was right, Democrat Mary Peltola and Chuck Schumer's group spent months gaming Alaska's Ranked Choice Voting ballot to plant people like the FAKE "DAN SULLIVAN" on the ballot and help Peltola in the Senate race THEY COMBED

      @EricLDaughX14d ago9.9k▲view on X ↗
    2 more of the top 3 · 7 posts in this stretch
    • drweb2

      Inside Democrats’ Secret Effort to Stack Alaska’s Ballot – The New York Times ... us/politics/alaska-dan-sullivan-conspiracy-peltola.html. Share full article ... Mr. Kurtz “told us when he found him,” she said. He said Mr ... https:// drwebdomain.blog/2026/10/28/in side-democrats-secret-effort-to-stack-alaskas-ballot-the-new-york-times/

      drweb2Mastodon14d agoview on Mastodon ↗

    • BREAKING: Democrats' secret, CORRUPT plan to stack Alaska's ballot EXPOSED!

      @StevenCheung47X14d ago7.8k▲view on X ↗
    all of them →
  6. 3 days quiet
  7. 2

    Democrats countersue over Trump's certification effort

    Democrats filed suit seeking to block what they characterized as an attempt by Trump to rig the outcome of the Alaska Senate race.

    1. 4 outlets Alaska Senate race: what to know about Democrats’ alleged ballot-stacking effort

      first by Guardian US, 13d ago · also CBS News, RTE News, The Guardian

      2 more headlines
    2. 3 outlets Alaska Senate Race: Trump Says Peltola Should Be Banned

      first by Bloomberg Politics, 13d ago · also Breitbart, Bloomberg

      1 more headline

    • 🚨 BREAKING: Democrats sue to block Trump's effort to rig the Alaska Senate election for Republicans.

      @DemzDeliverX18d ago3.0k▲view on X ↗
    2 more of the top 3 · 3 posts in this stretch
    • memeorandum@universeodon.com

      Exposing 'Decoy Dan' in Alaska (Wall Street Journal) https://www. wsj.com/opinion/trump-administ ration-lawsuit-alaska-senate-race-dan-sullivan-64bd9f90?st=ZEMAJU http://www. memeorandum.com/261024/p24#a26 1024p24

      memeorandum@universeodon.comMastodon18d agoview on Mastodon ↗
    • realTuckFrumper@mastodon.social

      Trump Thinks Alaskans Could Vote for the Wrong Sullivan. What Can the DOJ Do? # Time

      realTuckFrumper@mastodon.socialMastodon18d agoview on Mastodon ↗
    all of them →
  8. 1

    DOJ sues to block certification if Sullivan narrowly loses

    Justice Department officials argued the candidacy of a second contender with a name similar to GOP Sen. Dan S. Sullivan was a bid to mislead voters, and sought to block certification of the Senate result.

    1. 4 outlets Justice department issues subpoenas over ‘second Dan Sullivan’ candidacy in Alaska Senate race

      first by Guardian US, 13d ago · also CNN, KDFX-TV, Guardian

      1 more headline
    2. 1 outlet DOJ seeks to block Alaska Senate result if Republican incumbent narrowly loses

      first by Philadelphia Inquirer, 19d ago

    • blogdiva@mastodon.social

      RE: https:// flipboard.social/@newsguyusa/1 17493035701581580 now you know why Trump # MAGA # Republicans corruptocracy are preemptively blocking the Democratic Party candidate’s win in # Alaska

      blogdiva@mastodon.socialMastodon19d ago12▲view on Mastodon ↗
    1 more of the top 2 · 2 posts in this stretch

    • Exposing ‘Decoy Dan’ in Alaska https://www. wsj.com/opinion/trump-administ ration-lawsuit-alaska-senate-race-dan-sullivan-64bd9f90?mod=Flipboard&utm_source=flipboard&utm_medium=activitypub Posted into Opinion @ opinion-WSJ

      WSJ@flipboard.comMastodon19d agoview on Mastodon ↗
    all of them →

Also covered reported alongside — the timeline has no entry for these yet

  1. 4 outlets 'Tricking voters.' Alaska's governor investigates 2 Dan Sullivans on Senate ballot

    first by USA Today, 13d ago · also CBS News, KATV-TV, Reason

    5 more headlines
  2. 4 outlets Alaska governor orders investigation after reports Democratic candidate recruited a second Dan Sullivan to run

    first by Deseret News, 13d ago · also OutsideTheBeltway, Scripps News, Los Angeles Times

    3 more headlines
  3. 3 outlets Report on alleged ‘second Dan Sullivan’ effort emerges after nearly 1 in 10 Alaskans voted

    first by New York Post, 12d ago · also NY Post, Fox News

  4. 3 outlets Trump calls for Peltola to be criminally charged, removed from Alaska’s U.S. Senate race

    first by Alaska Beacon, 13d ago · also Washington Examiner, The Washington Sun

    3 more headlines
  5. 3 outlets Trump calls for Alaska Democrat to face charges after stunning N.Y. Times report

    first by Cleveland.com, 13d ago · also PennLive, MassLive

  6. 3 outlets Report on recruiting a ‘spoiler’ shakes up Senate race in Alaska

    first by The Washington Post, 14d ago · also WJBK-TV, WTTG-TV

    1 more headline
  7. 2 outlets Justice Department seeks new subpoenas in Alaska Senate race probe on Dan Sullivan confusion

    first by CBS News, 12d ago · also The Hill

    1 more headline
  8. 2 outlets Alaska governor floats radical new threat in response to ballot-stacking allegations

    first by Mastodon, 12d ago · also MS NOW

  9. 2 outlets Alaska's all-important Senate race is roiled by a report on alleged spoiler candidate

    first by NPR News, 13d ago · also NPR

    1 more headline
  10. 2 outlets Republicans seize on controversy in Alaska's closely watched Senate race

    first by PBS NewsHour, 13d ago · also CBS News

    1 more headline

and 49 smaller pieces

What people are saying 11 voices from 4 sites · best of 51 · verbatim

Still unanswered
  • Under what specific law would the alleged recruitment scheme be prosecutable?
  • Will Alaska's governor certify the Senate race if Peltola wins despite the ongoing investigations?