DOJ sends target letters in Alaska vote probe

The U.S. Department of Justice has intensified its criminal investigation into the 2026 Alaska Senate race by sending formal target letters to several individuals. These notices inform recipients that prosecutors view them as having a legitimate risk of indictment. The letters were issued to Marc Elias, a prominent attorney who has represented Democratic presidential campaigns for years, and other parties involved in the election dispute.

The probe centers on the presence of retired teacher Dan J. Sullivan on the ballot. He shares a name with incumbent Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan. The Trump administration believes the inclusion of the retired teacher was a calculated effort to confuse voters and siphon votes from the sitting senator. Although similar spoiler tactics have been used by both parties for decades without criminal review, federal authorities are treating this instance as a potential violation of law.

The investigation has expanded rapidly in recent days. According to people briefed on the matter, the Justice Department has issued more than 100 subpoenas and sent orders requiring the preservation of records. The FBI also conducted home visits to donors of Dan J. Sullivan over the weekend. These actions followed a New York Times report stating that the campaign of Democratic former Rep. Mary Peltola appeared to be involved in recruiting the retired teacher to run.

Alaska U.S. Attorney Michael Heyman told reporters in Anchorage that the new information caused a surge of law enforcement assets to the state. He declined to specify which crimes were under investigation. “I’m not making any assumptions on whether a crime has been committed or not,” Heyman said. “That’s why we are conducting that thorough investigation.”

Mary Peltola, the Democratic candidate, stated she was unaware of the effort to place Dan J. Sullivan on the ballot. “I am not interested in tricking voters,” Peltola said. Democratic groups, including the Senatorial Campaign Committee, have denied involvement in any campaign trick. Dan J. Sullivan has also maintained he was not running at the behest of Democrats.

Attorney General Todd Blanche described the situation on Fox News, noting that a man who did not intend to become senator was running solely to confuse Alaskan voters. He said the department was working to stop the process. Blanche declined to comment on the specific target letters, citing the ongoing nature of the investigation.

Elias issued a statement addressing the notice, noting the history of tension between his firm and the administration. “No one should be surprised that President Trump’s Department of Justice is targeting me and my law firm on Election Day,” Elias said. He added that the administration had repeatedly used the Department of Justice against political opponents without evidence of wrongdoing.