NEW: DOJ Launches Criminal Investigation Into Alaska Senate Decoy Candidate Daniel J. Sullivan Amid NYT Bombshell Revealing Peltola’s Camp Recruited the Saboteur

The Justice Department has launched an “aggressive criminal investigation” into Alaska’s Senate decoy candidate Daniel J. Sullivan, according to Fox News.

News of the criminal investigation comes after The New York Times confirmed that Mary Peltola’s campaign recruited the decoy Dan Sullivan to confuse Alaska voters.

Over the summer, a Democrat operative worked to register a man named Daniel J. Sullivan as Dan S. Sullivan (the incumbent Senator’s name) as a GOP challenger.

Daniel J. Sullivan’s name will appear on the Alaska ballot in the general election next week.

The Times reported that the plan involved traveling to “far-flung Alaskan communities and the appearance of a mysterious Midwestern operative, who traversed the state using a fake name and made his pitch to would-be candidates over beers at brew pubs.”

“The plan worked. This spring, a retired teacher from a tiny fishing village along the Alaska Panhandle, reachable only by air and sea, announced his candidacy for Senate. His name was Dan J. Sullivan,” the New York Times reported.

The Justice Department last Friday sued to block Alaska’s Senate certification if incumbent GOP Senator Dan Sullivan loses over the Democrats’ dirty trick to use a ‘decoy’ Dan Sullivan on the ballot.

The DOJ’s lawsuit is a civil matter; however, Fox News reported later Wednesday that the Justice Department has also launched a criminal investigation into Daniel J. Sullivan.

“Multiple grand jury subpoenas are expected to be issued in the coming days,” Fox News reported.

Per Fox News:

Colleague @davidspunt reports via two sources familiar that there is an ongoing DOJ “aggressive criminal investigation” into Daniel J. Sullivan appearing on the ballot for US Senate in Alaska, and the investigation has intensified in the wake of the bombshell NYT report today.

DOJ sources tell David that multiple grand jury subpoenas will be issued in the coming hours and days, and there are preservation orders to cell phone companies that are being prepared regarding text messages and emails that may build a timeline for how Daniel J. Sullivan was placed on the ballot.

The investigation is being handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Alaska and federal prosecutors are interested in potential charges relating to the depravation of rights of Alaska voters. The investigation is expected to go beyond Election Day and has been underway for several months.

BREAKING: Colleague @davidspunt reports via two sources familiar that there is an ongoing DOJ “aggressive criminal investigation” into Daniel J. Sullivan appearing on the ballot for US Senate in Alaska, and the investigation has intensified in the wake of the bombshell NYT report today.

DOJ sources tell David that multiple grand jury subpoenas will be issued in the coming hours and days, and there are preservation orders to cell phone companies that are being prepared regarding text messages and emails that may build a timeline for how Daniel J. Sullivan was placed on the ballot.

The investigation is being handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Alaska and federal prosecutors are interested in potential charges relating to the depravation of rights of Alaska voters. The investigation is expected to go beyond Election Day and has been underway for several months.

— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) October 28, 2026

President Trump called for Democrat Mary Peltola to be removed from the ballot.