Judge Dismisses Federal Suit Over Alaska Senate Vote Certification
U.S. District Judge Sharon Gleason ruled the administration lacked standing to challenge the election outcome, setting up an expected appeal by Justice Department attorneys.
By Haruka Ricci ·
The federal government can no longer intervene in the certification of the Alaska U.S. Senate race if the Republican incumbent loses, according to a ruling issued by U.S. District Judge Sharon Gleason on Sunday. The decision removes a major legal obstacle that could have delayed the official counting of votes in the state.
The dispute stems from the presence of two candidates with similar names on the November ballot: Sen. Dan Sullivan, the Republican incumbent, and Daniel Sullivan Jr., an independent. President Trump stated he ordered the lawsuit because the similar names could confuse voters. The Justice Department argued that the preamble of the National Voter Registration Act supported their claim, but Gleason found the federal government did not have the ability to bring the case.
The legal battle began after the Alaska Supreme Court ruled in June that Sullivan Jr. had the right to remain on the ballot. That decision came after the state’s Republican Party failed in a state court effort to remove the non-incumbent candidate. The ruling cleared the way for a four-candidate race that has drawn national attention due to allegations that Democrats recruited Sullivan Jr. to split the vote against the incumbent.
Despite the federal dismissal, state-level actions continue. Gov. Mike Dunleavy, a Republican, ordered an investigation into the recruitment of the independent candidate. During a Friday interview with NewsNation, Dunleavy indicated the state might delay certifying the results depending on the investigation's findings. He stated, "If we find out there's wrongdoing, and if that means that the certification then is stopped or changed, then that's what happens."
The Justice Department is expected to appeal Gleason's ruling. U.S. Attorney Michael Heyman told reporters in Anchorage on Friday that an "ongoing" criminal probe by the department remains active. The Democratic nominee, former Rep. Mary Peltola, has denied any involvement in the effort to recruit the independent candidate.
The next step is for Justice Department attorneys to file an appeal against the district court's decision. Until then, the path to certifying the Alaska Senate results remains under scrutiny by both state and federal authorities.
Source: WVIZ
