National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) Chair Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., told Fox News he felt vindicated after the Department of Justice reportedly issued dozens of subpoenas in Alaska, arguing that Republicans had warned for months about an alleged Democratic effort to recruit a "decoy" U.S. Senate candidate.
uncertain
Republicans → tell → candidate
Speaking on "Saturday in America," Scott said the NRSC identified the alleged scheme early, accusing U.S. Senate candidate Daniel J. Sullivan Jr. of copying the campaign logos, colors and materials of incumbent Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan.
asserted
NRSC → speak → Sullivan
We've been saying this for months," Scott said Saturday.
asserted
Scott → say → months
"The truth is that the fake Dan, the 'Decoy Dan,' his one objective is to confuse voters.
asserted
objective → confuse → voters
Number two, if there's a second point, it's the collusion that occurred to recruit this candidate.
asserted
that → be → candidate
It is immoral, frankly, to lie to the public about who you are, but it is actually illegal to collude with others in order to confuse the voters," he added.
asserted
he → lie → voters
The New York Times reported Wednesday that Alaska Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Mary Peltola’s campaign, along with senior aides at the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, were involved in an alleged effort to recruit a candidate with the same name as the Republican incumbent.
asserted
campaign → report → incumbent
The alleged effort was intended to confuse voters and draw support away from Sen. Dan Sullivan, according to the report.
uncertain
effort → allege → report
Peltola said she "knew nothing" about an alleged scheme to recruit a candidate with the same name as her opponent to run in the election.
asserted
she → say → election
Sen. Dan Sullivan, however, told Fox News she is "still lying."
asserted
she → tell → News
In a statement to Fox News Digital, Peltola's campaign denied any involvement in the alleged scheme.
asserted
campaign → deny → scheme
"The Alaskans for Mary campaign has no involvement with either Sullivan campaign," the campaign said.
asserted
campaign → have → campaign
"Mary got in this race because Alaskans deserve a champion who is fighting to lower their costs and put Alaska first — and no threats from DC politicians or baseless investigations from a weaponized Department of Justice will keep her away from that fight."
asserted
threats → get → fight
The two candidates appear on the ballot under similar names.
asserted
candidates → appear → names
The incumbent Republican senator is listed as "Sullivan, Dan S.," while Daniel J. Sullivan Jr., a retired schoolteacher running without party affiliation, is listed as "Sullivan, Daniel J. Jr."
asserted
Jr. → list → Jr.
In an interview with The Associated Press published in June, Sullivan Jr. denied being a spoiler candidate and said he entered the race independently.
"
asserted
he → publish → race
Every single piece of his campaign information copied the real Dan Sullivan's logo, the colors and even the font.
asserted
piece → copy → logo
He tried to change his middle initial so that he could confuse more voters as if he was the real Dan Sullivan — all that with 30 subpoenas means he could be in serious federal trouble," Scott said.
uncertain
Scott → try → trouble
Scott also pointed to Federal Election Commission (FEC) filings as evidence of what he described as a sham candidacy, arguing that Daniel J. Sullivan Jr. had made little effort to mount a serious campaign for the U.S. Senate seat.
"
asserted
Jr. → point → seat
On his FEC forms, federal election forms, what does he show?
asserted
he → show → what
Nothing," Scott said.
asserted
Scott → say → ?
"He's actually done nothing trying to achieve the goal of being the senator.
asserted
He → do → goal
He's done one thing, which is to put his name on the ballot to confuse the voters."
asserted
which → do → voters
Scott also warned that the alleged decoy candidate could face legal consequences if he lies to federal investigators.
uncertain
he → warn → investigators
"I would be shaking in my boots if I was 'Decoy Dan,' and frankly, no one wants to go to jail for something they didn't do," Scott said.
asserted
Scott → shake → something
"So he'd be very careful as he talks to the federal Department of Justice about what happened and what didn't happen.
asserted
what → talk → Justice
Lying to the prosecutors — that's a felony."
asserted
that → lie → prosecutors
Fox News Digital reached out to Daniel J. Sullivan Jr. and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee for comment.
asserted
Digital → reach → comment
Fox News Digital’s Greg Norman-Diamond contributed to this report.
asserted
Diamond → contribute → report
The Aporia
