The Albany Gazette - Trump accuses Alaska Democrats of fraud over same-name scandal

His call followed a New York Times investigation reporting that Democratic operatives seeking to defeat Republican Senator Dan Sullivan had secretly recruited so-called "spoiler" candidates, including one also named Dan Sullivan, in an effort to draw votes away from the sitting senator.

"It has just been determined that the Democrats in Alaska illegally searched for, and recruited, a man named Dan Sullivan," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.

He accused Democrats of committing perjury by making false statements under oath in federal court, and demanded that the incumbent be allowed to run without either Peltola or the "FAKE Dan Sullivan" on the ballot.

He told reporters later that Peltola and any other alleged accomplices should be prosecuted. "To me, that's voter fraud at the highest level," he said.

Senator Sullivan expressed outrage at the confusion, which mushroomed into a major campaign headache for Peltola six days before the November 3 election.

"The candidate I'm running against had a scheme for over a year to try to trick Alaskans that shows total contempt for the people of the state," the senator told Fox News host Sean Hannity.

"She's been cheating and lying to Alaskans."

The Times noted that recruiting candidates to split an opponent's vote -- a practice known as ballot stacking -- is generally legal and has been used by both parties in Alaska.

As recently as 2024, little-known former Republican Anthony Frascone beat Democrat Mondaire Jones in a low-turnout Working Families Party primary in New York state.

Jones's campaign and the leftist WFP accused Frascone of being a Republican spoiler. Local Democratic leaders and a group of voters sued to remove him, but a Westchester judge kept him on the ballot.

The Times investigation did not establish criminal wrongdoing in the Alaska case or substantiate Trump's allegation of perjury.

The effort involved senior aides and lawyers for Peltola, as well as officials at the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC), according to the newspaper, which cited interviews, dozens of text messages and documents prepared for a potential lawsuit against the campaign.

- Peltola 'definitely aware' -

Among those it said were recruited was Daniel J. Sullivan, a retired teacher from a remote Alaskan fishing community. He has said he entered the race of his own volition.

The newspaper identified Democratic operative Jerid Kurtz as a central figure, reporting that he traveled around Alaska under an assumed name to court potential candidates.

The Times said Kurtz also urged a Democrat to quit the race after the August primary, opening a place on the four-candidate ranked-choice ballot for Republican Gerald Heikes, also a recruit.

Heikes told the paper he was recruited by a Midwesterner who he did not think resembled a photo of Kurtz. Kurtz did not respond to requests for comment from the Times.

Peltola's former campaign manager Elisa Rios told the paper the candidate was "definitely aware" of the project but not directly involved, and that DSCC aides had introduced Kurtz to the campaign.

Rios, who was fired in August and had been planning a wrongful termination lawsuit, later sought to retract her statements. The Times said her account was consistent with its other reporting.

Peltola's campaign and the DSCC have denied recruiting any candidates.

The revelations come days after Trump ordered the Justice Department to sue Alaska over the presence of the second Sullivan on the ballot.

The lawsuit seeks to delay certification if Peltola narrowly defeats the incumbent and votes cast for his namesake could have changed the outcome.

In June Alaska's Supreme Court upheld the retired teacher's right to run, rejecting Republican efforts to remove him from the ballot.

The state has asked a federal judge to dismiss the Justice Department's lawsuit, arguing it has no legal basis.

(W.Williams--TAG)