Justice Department sues to block Alaska Senate certification if Sen. Dan Sullivan loses
The U.S. Justice Department has sued Alaska election officials in federal court, asking a judge to block certification of November’s Senate result if Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan loses and a second candidate named Sullivan could have changed the outcome, NBC News and The Associated Press reported. President Trump said on Friday that he ordered the suit.
What the lawsuit asks: The complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska, argues that the presence of Daniel J. Sullivan Jr. on the ballot could mislead supporters of Sen. Dan S. Sullivan, NBC News reported. It asks the court to block certification if Sen. Sullivan does not win and would have won had all votes cast for the other Sullivan gone to him, according to NBC News. The filing says that “some supporters of Senator Sullivan likely will inadvertently vote for Daniel J. Sullivan.”
Trump’s role: “I’m the one that said do it,” Trump told reporters on Friday, the AP reported. A Justice Department spokesperson told NBC News that Sullivan Jr.’s “candidacy was intended to mislead voters,” and cited the National Voter Registration Act.
The background: Alaska election officials removed Sullivan Jr. from the ballot in June, finding his candidacy was not in “good faith,” but Alaska courts ruled he could stay on, NBC News reported. In the August all-party primary, Democrat Mary Peltola received 49.5%, Sen. Sullivan 41.4% and Sullivan Jr. 2.5%, according to NBC News. The November ballot lists the incumbent as “Dan S. Sullivan” with “registered Republican” and “incumbent” beside his name, NBC News reported. Sullivan Jr. told the AP in June that his candidacy is no sham.
The reaction: Peltola called the suit “the corruption AK is fed up with,” and Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, said the department “should never have filed this lawsuit,” NBC News reported. Alaska’s Division of Elections said it is reviewing the complaint, according to NBC News. Legal experts quoted by Politico said the suit is likely to fail. Elections in the U.S. are run by state and local officials, who certify results.
Sources
- NBC News — Trump administration sues to block Alaska Senate certification if Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan loses in November
- AP News — Trump says he ordered Justice Department lawsuit over Alaska Senate race
- Politico — ‘Should fail on the merits’: DOJ’s Alaska gambit is likely to go nowhere
- CourtListener — Complaint, United States v. State of Alaska (D. Alaska)