The US Justice Department has sued to block certification of Alaska’s Senate race if Republican incumbent Dan S. Sullivan loses, and Attorney General Todd Blanche defended the move on Sunday. The Alaska Senate certification lawsuit asks a federal court to stop the state from certifying its US Senate results if Sullivan loses narrowly.
According to Al Jazeera, the Justice Department argues the lawsuit is needed "to protect the integrity" of the election. The department says any result would be "tainted by the inclusion on the ballot of Daniel J Sullivan." It asks the US District Court in Alaska to declare certification "unlawful" and to bar the state from allowing it.
The outlets differ on when the suit was filed. Al Jazeera says the lawsuit was filed on October 22, while the Straits Times of Singapore says the Justice Department sued on October 23.
Speaking on CNN’s State of the Union, Blanche said President Trump is not trying to take over a state election "in any way, shape, or form," according to the Straits Times. He said Dan J. Sullivan is running "to confuse voters," and argued that two Sullivans on the ballot is a recipe for confusion.
According to Al Jazeera, Trump said "I’m the one who said do it" about the lawsuit. Blanche declined to say whether Trump ordered it, and he has not said whether Trump personally asked him to file.
The context is contested. Alaska’s Supreme Court ruled in June that both Sullivans could compete, and the state’s Division of Elections has changed the ballot to reduce voter confusion. Under the US Constitution, states administer elections. Experts say a presidential administration injecting itself into state certification is highly unusual and likely to be deemed illegal.
Critics, including Democratic and some Republican election officials, see the suit as part of a pattern of federal overreach. The Justice Department has faced bipartisan criticism.
Dan J. Sullivan’s campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment, according to the Straits Times. No court ruling on the lawsuit is reported in the sources.
The US District Court in Alaska will consider the Justice Department’s request before the November 3 midterm election, which will decide control of the Senate.
The key facts rely mainly on two outlets, Al Jazeera and the Straits Times, and the Sunday remarks are also covered by SCMP in a short excerpt that adds little beyond Blanche’s CNN comments.
Sources
This article was written with AI assistance from the published reporting listed above. It is part of the World Brief daily news podcast.