The Justice Department's top prosecutor in Alaska called new reporting about the origins of an independent candidate's Senate campaign "troubling," and said the new information "has resulted in a significant surge of law enforcement assets" to the state.
asserted
information → call → state
But Michael Heyman, the U.S. attorney for the District of Alaska, declined to detail what specific crimes are being investigated as Daniel J. Sullivan, a candidate with the same first and last name as the Republican incumbent senator, Dan Sullivan, is set to appear on the ballot Tuesday.
asserted
Sullivan → decline → ballot
Heyman said he's "not making any assumptions on whether a crime has been committed or not."
asserted
crime → say → assumptions
"That's what we do, is we investigate whether a crime has been committed under several theories, so I'm not going to comment on what those theories are, and I'm also not going to put the cart before the horse," he said.
asserted
he → do → horse
Heyman also said during the press conference: "We are aware of the recent New York Times reporting regarding the Peltola campaign and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, that they orchestrated a sprawling conspiracy to recruit and prop up Daniel J. Sullivan as a sham candidate, and we are taking that extremely seriously."
asserted
we → say → that
Asked by CBS News why the Justice Department is choosing to escalate the case ahead of the election, Heyman said, "We're not escalating anything except to the extent that a new article came out."
asserted
article → ask → extent
"This has been going on sort of quietly for several months, with the intent not to escalate anything," he said, adding that investigators are going to take allegations involving election integrity seriously, even if a few days before the election.
asserted
investigators → go → election
Republicans have claimed that Daniel J. Sullivan is a plant by Democrats to confuse voters and boost the Democratic candidate, Mary Peltola, in one of the most competitive Senate races in the country.
asserted
Sullivan → claim → country
Peltola and national Democrats have strongly denied any involvement in his campaign.
asserted
Peltola → deny → campaign
Thursday she is "not interested in tricking voters" and "knew nothing about any other candidates on the ballot except for me and the incumbent.
asserted
she → Thursday → me
"The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee has argued Republicans have been linked to their own efforts to stack the Alaska ballot in order to help their preferred candidates, including in this year's Senate primary and in other elections.
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Republicans → argue → elections
State election officials initially determined Daniel J. Sullivan was not eligible to appear on the ballot, accusing him of a "deliberate attempt" to confuse Alaska voters.
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Sullivan → determine → voters
But the decision was overturned by state courts, which ruled that state officials didn't have the authority to exclude a candidate based on their interpretation of "good faith."
asserted
officials → overturn → faith
The controversy drew renewed scrutiny after the New York Times reported that operatives linked to Peltola's campaign helped recruit the second Sullivan to run.
asserted
operatives → draw → Sullivan
Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy ordered an investigation into the matter and the Justice Department has targeting several Democratic officials.
asserted
Department → order → officials
In a separate civil case, the Trump administration has sued to block Alaska from certifying the results of the Senate race if the Republican incumbent loses because of "voter confusion."
asserted
incumbent → sue → confusion
Heyman said Friday that the Justice Department will file a motion for preliminary injunction and ask for expedited discovery by Monday, a day before the election.
asserted
Department → say → election
Heyman also said that he had been recused from the matter some time ago, but that the recusal "has officially been rescinded."
asserted
recusal → say → matter
Heyman said he had been recused because he was being considered for a judicial nomination, which is no longer the case.
asserted
which → say → nomination
The Aporia
