Trump says he ordered Alaska elections lawsuit
President Donald Trump on Friday said he personally directed the Department of Justice to file a lawsuit seeking to prevent Alaska from certifying its Senate election results if Republicans lose.“I’m the one that said do it,” the president told reporters shortly after landing in Florida.
The president’s admission comes a day after DOJ sued Alaska election officials, arguing that the presence of an independent candidate named Dan Sullivan in addition to the incumbent Sen. Dan Sullivan on the ballot could confuse voters and cost the party the race against Democratic Rep. Mary Peltola. It’s one of a handful of races seen as key to maintaining GOP control of the Senate.
The lawsuit marks an extraordinary intervention by the federal government in a state election, with the administration seeking to delay certification of results if the incumbent loses by a margin small enough that votes cast for the independent Sullivan could have changed the outcome.
“Given the substantial likelihood that the inclusion of Daniel J. Sullivan will confuse or mislead voters looking to cast a vote for Senator Sullivan, and thus distort the will of Alaskan voters, there is a substantial likelihood that a certification of the election will reflect an electoral process that lacked integrity,” DOJ wrote in its complaint.
The Alaska Supreme Court in June ruled that the independent Sullivan could remain on the ballot, but Trump continued to rail against his candidacy and the state’s election rules.
“They have two guys named Dan Sullivan running. So the Democrats put up a guy. I don’t think he ever voted before. All of a sudden, he decides to run for the Senate. … One is Daniel S. One is Daniel J. The Daniel J. is the fake. And he wants to change his middle initial to Daniel S. But he said this has nothing to do with politics,” the president said, without providing any evidence for his claims.
“I’m the one that said do it,” the president told reporters shortly after landing in Florida.
The president’s admission comes a day after DOJ sued Alaska election officials, arguing that the presence of an independent candidate named Dan Sullivan in addition to the incumbent Sen. Dan Sullivan on the ballot could confuse voters and cost the party the race against Democratic Rep. Mary Peltola. It’s one of a handful of races seen as key to maintaining GOP control of the Senate.
The lawsuit marks an extraordinary intervention by the federal government in a state election, with the administration seeking to delay certification of results if the incumbent loses by a margin small enough that votes cast for the independent Sullivan could have changed the outcome.
“Given the substantial likelihood that the inclusion of Daniel J. Sullivan will confuse or mislead voters looking to cast a vote for Senator Sullivan, and thus distort the will of Alaskan voters, there is a substantial likelihood that a certification of the election will reflect an electoral process that lacked integrity,” DOJ wrote in its complaint.
The Alaska Supreme Court in June ruled that the independent Sullivan could remain on the ballot, but Trump continued to rail against his candidacy and the state’s election rules.
“They have two guys named Dan Sullivan running. So the Democrats put up a guy. I don’t think he ever voted before. All of a sudden, he decides to run for the Senate. … One is Daniel S. One is Daniel J. The Daniel J. is the fake. And he wants to change his middle initial to Daniel S. But he said this has nothing to do with politics,” the president said, without providing any evidence for his claims.
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