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Thursday, October 29, 2026

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Photo: Axios

U.S. Politics · Elections · 42 outlets (L 7 · C 15 · R 15 · 5 not rated)

DOJ opens criminal probe into second Dan Sullivan on Alaska ballot

The Justice Department is running what Fox News described as an "aggressive criminal investigation" into how Daniel J. Sullivan landed on Alaska's U.S. Senate ballot, with grand jury subpoenas issued, after a New York Times report that operatives aligned with Democratic nominee Mary Peltola spent months recruiting him to run against Republican Sen. Dan S. Sullivan.⁠[5, 12] The Times cited interviews with 12 people involved or familiar with the alleged scheme, along with text messages and documents prepared for a potential lawsuit against the Peltola campaign.⁠[49, 55] Elisa Rios, Peltola's former campaign manager, said the campaign helped recruit Dan J. Sullivan in hopes of drawing votes away from the incumbent, according to the Times.⁠[72]

Peltola's campaign denied the allegations, with Alaskans for Mary saying it "has no involvement with either Sullivan campaign."⁠[15, 68] President Trump on Wednesday called for Peltola to be removed from the ballot and prosecuted, saying "Mary Peltola should resign from the race. I think she should be prosecuted criminally for what she did."⁠[35, 62, 80] Sen. Lisa Murkowski called for the "truth" from Peltola, citing what she called a "pattern of lies and coverups."⁠[38]

The DOJ also revealed it is seeking expedited discovery in an Alaska lawsuit, reversing its opposition to the Peltola campaign's request, and wants a judge to temporarily block certification of the election if Dan Sullivan loses due to voter confusion.⁠[26, 88] Both Sullivans will appear on the ballot in next week's midterm elections.⁠[9, 47]

Why it matters The DOJ is seeking to temporarily block certification of the Alaska Senate election if incumbent Sen. Dan Sullivan loses, and has issued grand jury subpoenas in a criminal investigation.⁠[5, 26]

Covered by The New York Times, NBC News, The Wall Street Journal and 39 more

Background Alaska Senate race: what to know about Democrats’ alleged ballot-stacking effort · The Guardian

How balanced is this coverage?

Of the 37 rated outlets that covered it, 7 are left of center, 15 are center and 15 are right of center (12 of them in the Right group). 5 more are not rated.

Where the outlets sit
NewsOne · Leans left · −1.18HuffPost · Leans left · −1.06Raw Story · Leans left · −0.94MS NOW · Leans left · −0.76The New York Times · Leans left · −0.70The Guardian · Leans left · −0.70The Daily Beast · Leans left · −0.64NBC News · Center · −0.49PBS NewsHour · Center · −0.48TIME · Center · −0.40Newsweek · Center · −0.30Fortune · Center · −0.25ABC News · Center · −0.19CBS News · Center · −0.14Axios · Center · −0.05Mediaite · Center · +0.04Yahoo News · Center · +0.07Bloomberg · Center · +0.08The Hill · Center · +0.10UPI · Center · +0.17Forbes · Center · +0.19CNBC · Center · +0.40The Wall Street Journal · Leans right · +0.63New York Post · Leans right · +0.64Reason · Leans right · +0.94PJ Media · Right · +1.26The Washington Times · Right · +1.27Washington Examiner · Right · +1.34Fox News · Right · +1.52Blaze Media · Right · +1.71Breitbart · Right · +2.03The Daily Wire · Right · +2.07The Western Journal · Right · +2.13The Daily Signal · Right · +2.20One America News Network · Right · +2.69Conservative Review · Right · +2.76The Right Scoop · Right · +3.11
  • Left: none.
  • Leans left: NewsOne (−1.18), HuffPost (−1.06), Raw Story (−0.94), MS NOW (−0.76), The New York Times (−0.70), The Guardian (−0.70), The Daily Beast (−0.64).
  • Center: NBC News (−0.49), PBS NewsHour (−0.48), TIME (−0.40), Newsweek (−0.30), Fortune (−0.25), ABC News (−0.19), CBS News (−0.14), Axios (−0.05), Mediaite (+0.04), Yahoo News (+0.07), Bloomberg (+0.08), The Hill (+0.10), UPI (+0.17), Forbes (+0.19), CNBC (+0.40).
  • Leans right: The Wall Street Journal (+0.63), New York Post (+0.64), Reason (+0.94).
  • Right: PJ Media (+1.26), The Washington Times (+1.27), Washington Examiner (+1.34), Fox News (+1.52), Blaze Media (+1.71), Breitbart (+2.03), The Daily Wire (+2.07), The Western Journal (+2.13), The Daily Signal (+2.20), One America News Network (+2.69), Conservative Review (+2.76), The Right Scoop (+3.11).

Not rated Financial Times, Los Angeles Times, NewsNation, Al Jazeera, BBC News. Not placed: they have no lean score.

Each dot is an outlet that covered it, placed by its audience-lean score (Eady et al. 2025), which measures who shares its links, not how accurate it is. The ticks under the line are all 113 rated outlets Tare reads.

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Detailed briefing

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Sources

Left

  1. 1 HuffPost · Leans left · Oct 28, 5:42 p.m. ETTrump Demands Mary Peltola Be Taken Off Alaska Senate Race Ballot After NYT Report
  2. 2 HuffPost · Leans left · Oct 29, 6:49 a.m. ETCheck Out Alaska Ballot And See Why Sullivan Controversy Is A Non-Issue
  3. 3 MS NOW · Leans left · Oct 29, 8:57 a.m. ETAlaska governor orders investigation into Peltola campaign over spoiler candidate scheme
  4. 4 NewsOne · Leans left · Oct 29, 2:09 p.m. ETThe 2 Dan Sullivans, 1 Senate Seat, And An Alleged Democratic Plot To Flip Congress
  5. 5 Raw Story · Leans left · Oct 28, 5:47 p.m. ETDOJ launches 'aggressive' investigation after Trump's Alaska ballot threat: report
  6. 6 Raw Story · Leans left · Oct 29, 7:06 a.m. ETGOP governor launches probe into Democrat's campaign after Trump cries 'voter fraud'
  7. 7 The Daily Beast · Leans left · Oct 28, 5:59 p.m. ETTrump Makes Bonkers Demand in Revenge for Dem Election Stunt
  8. 8 The Daily Beast · Leans left · Oct 29, 6:57 a.m. ETDem Campaign Hit With Criminal Probe After Trump’s Demand
  9. 9 The Guardian · Leans left · Oct 28, 3:25 p.m. ETDemocrat Mary Peltola’s campaign reportedly recruited second Dan Sullivan in Alaska Senate race
  10. 10 The Guardian · Leans left · Oct 29, 12:44 p.m. ETAlaska Senate race: what to know about Democrats’ alleged ballot-stacking effort
  11. 11 The Guardian · Leans left · Oct 29, 4:29 p.m. ETJustice department issues subpoenas over ‘second Dan Sullivan’ candidacy in Alaska Senate race
  12. 12 The New York Times · Leans left · Oct 28, 10:37 a.m. ETInside Democrats’ Secret Effort to Stack Alaska’s Ballot
  13. 13 The New York Times · Leans left · Oct 28, 8:32 p.m. ETTrump Calls for Mary Peltola, Alaska Senate Candidate, to Be Prosecuted
  14. 14 The New York Times · Leans left · Oct 29, 6:55 p.m. ETFallout in Alaska Senate Race Over Peltola’s Ballot Stacking Plot

Center

  1. 15 ABC News · Center · Oct 28, 4:52 p.m. ETPeltola campaign under fire after report it recruited 2nd Dan Sullivan in Senate race
  2. 16 ABC News · Center · Oct 29, 8:21 a.m. ETAlaska governor orders probe into alleged effort to confuse Senate voters
  3. 17 Axios · Center · Oct 28, 9:27 p.m. ETTrump accuses Democrats of perjury in Dan Sullivan race
  4. 18 Axios · Center · Oct 29, 4:05 p.m. ETThe bizarre twist shaking up Alaska's Senate race and catching Trump's ire
  5. 19 Bloomberg · Center · Oct 28, 3:53 p.m. ETTrump Calls for Peltola to Be Banned From Alaska Senate Race
  6. 20 Bloomberg · Center · Oct 29, 3:42 p.m. ETAlaska Senate Race: Trump Says Peltola Should Be Banned
  7. 21 CBS News · Center · Oct 28, 7:52 p.m. ETTrump says Peltola "shouldn't be allowed to run" due to second Dan Sullivan
  8. 22 CBS News · Center · Oct 29, 9:40 a.m. ETAlaska Democrat Peltola scouted man with same name as opponent Dan Sullivan to run, NYT report says
  9. 23 CBS News · Center · Oct 29, 1:43 p.m. ETElection law expert on 2 Dan Sullivans in Alaska, DOJ bid to force California to set aside ballots
  10. 24 CBS News · Center · Oct 29, 5:45 p.m. ETAlaska governor orders investigation into Peltola's campaign amid candidate recruitment claims
  11. 25 CBS News · Center · Oct 29, 6:56 p.m. ETDepartment of Justice investigating Alaska Senate race just days ahead of midterms
  12. 26 CNBC · Center · Oct 28, 2:22 p.m. ETPeltola campaign aides, DSCC officials helped recruit second Dan Sullivan in Alaska race: NYT
  13. 27 CNBC · Center · Oct 29, 1:31 p.m. ETAlaska Senate election: Governor orders probe of alleged effort to recruit second Dan Sullivan
  14. 28 Forbes · Center · Oct 28, 3:47 p.m. ETTrump Calls For Peltola’s Removal From Alaska Ballot For Reportedly Recruiting Spoiler Dan Sullivan
  15. 29 Forbes · Center · Oct 29, 5:03 a.m. ETAlaska Gov. Orders Probe Into Alleged Scheme To Recruit Second Dan Sullivan In Peltola Race
  16. 30 Fortune · Center · Oct 29, 12:12 p.m. ETAlaska’s governor accuses Dem Peltola’s campaign for ‘deliberately’ tricking voters after recruiting candidate ‘with the same name’ as her opponent
  17. 31 Mediaite · Center · Oct 28, 7:27 p.m. ETDemocratic Senate Candidate Shreds NYT for Reporting Her Staffers Recruited Candidate With Opponent’s Name
  18. 32 NBC News · Center · Oct 29, 10:50 a.m. ETAlaska governor orders investigation into Peltola camp after report they recruited second Dan Sullivan
  19. 33 Newsweek · Center · Oct 28, 2:35 p.m. ETAlaska's Two Dan Sullivans Controversy Just Got More Complicated
  20. 34 Newsweek · Center · Oct 29, 1:52 p.m. ETAlaska Governor Probes Mary Peltola Campaign Over Two Dan Sullivans Scandal
  21. 35 PBS NewsHour · Center · Oct 28, 7:29 p.m. ETTrump calls for prosecution of Alaska Senate candidate Peltola over Sullivan name controversy
  22. 36 PBS NewsHour · Center · Oct 29, 10:46 a.m. ETAlaska's governor orders a probe into Peltola's Senate campaign over spoiler candidate controversy
  23. 37 PBS NewsHour · Center · Oct 29, 6:55 p.m. ETRepublicans seize on controversy in Alaska's closely watched Senate race
  24. 38 The Hill · Center · Oct 28, 6:55 p.m. ETMurkowski calls for ‘truth’ from Peltola amid ‘pattern of lies and coverups’
  25. 39 The Hill · Center · Oct 28, 9:30 p.m. ETTrump calls alleged Alaska Senate spoiler scheme ‘voter fraud at the highest level’
  26. 40 The Hill · Center · Oct 29, 7:54 a.m. ETAlaska governor orders investigation into Peltola Senate campaign
  27. 41 The Hill · Center · Oct 29, 11:01 a.m. ETPeltola’s Alaska Senate race controversy; final midterms forecast: Live discussion
  28. 42 The Hill · Center · Oct 29, 2:20 p.m. ETHouse GOP launches probe into Peltola campaign ballot stacking allegations
  29. 43 The Hill · Center · Oct 29, 5:33 p.m. ETRepublicans have knives out for Peltola as Democrats largely silent
  30. 44 TIME · Center · Oct 29, 12:35 p.m. ETAlaska Governor Orders Probe Into Peltola Campaign Over Alleged Spoiler Scheme
  31. 45 UPI · Center · Oct 28, 8:02 p.m. ETTrump calls for Peltola to be removed from race, face prosecution after Times report
  32. 46 UPI · Center · Oct 29, 9:52 a.m. ETAlaska Gov. Dunleavy orders investigation into Peltola campaign
  33. 47 Yahoo News · Center · Oct 28, 4:06 p.m. ETReport links Alaska Dems to secret effort to recruit would-be spoilers in Senate race
  34. 48 Yahoo News · Center · Oct 29, 5:09 a.m. ETAlaska election officials oppose DOJ's involvement in Senate race

Right

  1. 49 Blaze Media · Right · Oct 28, 3:24 p.m. ETNY Times exposes Alaska Democrat's alleged hunt for another Dan Sullivan to run against Republican
  2. 50 Blaze Media · Right · Oct 29, 9:25 a.m. ETDemocrat Peltola feeling the heat as Alaska launches CRIMINAL probe into alleged 'Decoy Dan' ballot scheme
  3. 51 Breitbart · Right · Oct 28, 4:47 p.m. ETTrump: Democrats' Fake Alaska Senate Candidate Scheme 'A Fraud on the American Public'
  4. 52 Breitbart · Right · Oct 28, 10:20 p.m. ETDOJ Intensifies ‘Aggressive Criminal Investigation’ into Alaska’s Second Dan Sullivan
  5. 53 Breitbart · Right · Oct 29, 1:01 p.m. ETAK Sen. Sullivan: Two 'Dan Sullivans' on Ballot Is Corruption at the 'Highest Level'
  6. 54 Breitbart · Right · Oct 29, 2:42 p.m. ETAlaska Governor Orders Investigation into Democrat Mary Peltola's Senate Campaign
  7. 55 Conservative Review · Right · Oct 28, 3:24 p.m. ETNY Times exposes Alaska Democrat's alleged hunt for another Dan Sullivan to run against Republican
  8. 56 Conservative Review · Right · Oct 29, 9:25 a.m. ETDemocrat Peltola feeling the heat as Alaska launches CRIMINAL probe into alleged 'Decoy Dan' ballot scheme
  9. 57 Fox News · Right · Oct 28, 3:10 p.m. ETMary Peltola campaign and Dems backed covert scheme to field spoiler candidates in Alaska Senate race: report
  10. 58 Fox News · Right · Oct 28, 10:58 p.m. ETSen Dan Sullivan brands Peltola’s alleged ballot scheme a ‘scandal at the highest order’
  11. 59 Fox News · Right · Oct 29, 4:50 a.m. ETJASON CHAFFETZ: Democrats tried to trick Alaska voters. Peltola must answer
  12. 60 Fox News · Right · Oct 29, 7:02 a.m. ETAlaska's governor orders investigation after NYT report on alleged Dem-linked Senate election scheme
  13. 61 Fox News · Right · Oct 29, 4:00 p.m. ETMary Peltola trashes New York Times report on Dan Sullivan plot, calling it a 'distraction'
  14. 62 New York Post · Leans right · Oct 28, 5:24 p.m. ETTrump calls for Alaska Dem candidate Mary Peltola to drop out, face prosecution days before midterm election
  15. 63 New York Post · Leans right · Oct 28, 10:56 p.m. ETDem strategist insists ‘Decoy Dan’ scheme ‘happens all the time’ as Mary Peltola faces heat for Alaska scandal
  16. 64 New York Post · Leans right · Oct 29, 4:13 a.m. ETAlaska Sen. Dan Sullivan slams Democratic rival Mary Peltola over alleged ballot scheme, calling it ‘scandal of the highest order’
  17. 65 New York Post · Leans right · Oct 29, 6:57 a.m. ETAlaska governor orders probe of Mary Peltola Senate campaign over ‘Decoy Dan’ Sullivan scandal
  18. 66 New York Post · Leans right · Oct 29, 12:10 p.m. ETAlaskan governor launches bombshell probe into MARY PELTOLA! | The Low Down
  19. 67 New York Post · Leans right · Oct 29, 5:59 p.m. ETDem Mary Peltola doesn’t fully deny involvement in ‘Decoy Dan’ scheme to confuse Alaska voters
  20. 68 One America News Network · Right · Oct 28, 3:29 p.m. ETAlaska Senate race: Peltola’s campaign denies NYT report claiming her staff and allied operatives worked to recruit namesake spoiler candidate
  21. 69 One America News Network · Right · Oct 29, 11:57 a.m. ETAlaska gov. orders probe into alleged scheme to confuse voters by recruiting second ‘Dan Sullivan’ in Senate race
  22. 70 PJ Media · Right · Oct 29, 3:16 p.m. ETTrump Calls for Disqualification and Prosecution of Peltola, ‘Decoy Dan’ in Alaska Senate Race
  23. 71 Reason · Leans right · Oct 29, 12:15 p.m. ETThe Law and Democrats Alleging Recruiting Second "Dan Sullivan" to Run in Alaska Senate Race
  24. 72 The Daily Signal · Right · Oct 28, 1:14 p.m. ETEx-Peltola Aide Alleges Candidate Knew About Recruiting the ‘Other Dan Sullivan’—NYT
  25. 73 The Daily Wire · Right · Oct 28, 12:16 p.m. ETTrump Accuses Dems Of ‘Fake’ Candidate Scheme In Crucial Senate Race
  26. 74 The Daily Wire · Right · Oct 29, 3:46 a.m. ETGovernor Takes Action After Dem Scheme To Rig Vital Senate Race Revealed
  27. 75 The Daily Wire · Right · Oct 29, 12:00 p.m. ETThe Shady Name Scheme Rocking A Crucial Senate Race
  28. 76 The Right Scoop · Right · Oct 28, 4:39 p.m. ETBREAKING: Trump weighs in on NY Times piece revealing Mary Peltola operatives behind FAKE Dan Sullivan
  29. 77 The Right Scoop · Right · Oct 28, 6:36 p.m. ETBREAKING: “Aggressive criminal investigation” into FAKE Daniel Sullivan in Alaska
  30. 78 The Right Scoop · Right · Oct 29, 6:12 p.m. ETBREAKING: DOJ just issued dozens of subpoenas in Alaska Fake Dan Sullivan case
  31. 79 The Wall Street Journal · Leans right · Oct 28, 5:17 p.m. ETOpinion | ‘Decoy Dan’ Is Peltola’s Alaska Plant
  32. 80 The Washington Times · Right · Oct 28, 3:53 p.m. ETTrump seizes on 'fake' Dan Sullivan report, calls for Peltola's removal from Alaska ballot
  33. 81 The Washington Times · Right · Oct 29, 8:09 a.m. ETDan Sullivan vs. Dan Sullivan: Alaska governor orders probe into Peltola Senate campaign
  34. 82 The Washington Times · Right · Oct 29, 1:22 p.m. ETHouse Republicans want answers on Alaska's second Dan Sullivan
  35. 83 The Western Journal · Right · Oct 28, 1:21 p.m. ETBreaking: Evidence Indicates Democrats Intentionally 'Stacked' the Ballot in Key Senate Race
  36. 84 The Western Journal · Right · Oct 28, 8:19 p.m. ETAlaska Dems Spent Months Finding a Duplicate 'Dan Sullivan' to Confuse GOP Voters Ahead of Senate Race
  37. 85 The Western Journal · Right · Oct 29, 9:50 a.m. ETAlaska Governor Orders Investigation Into Alleged Dem Ballot Plot to Trick and Confuse GOP Voters
  38. 86 The Western Journal · Right · Oct 29, 3:46 p.m. ETBreaking: House Oversight Chair Investigating Peltola Camp Over Dan J. Sullivan Recruitment, State of Alaska Doing Same
  39. 87 The Western Journal · Right · Oct 29, 4:07 p.m. ETWatch: Peltola Calls for Own Prosecution in Damning Resurfaced Video, as Fake Dan Sullivan Trick Threatens to End Her Campaign
  40. 88 Washington Examiner · Right · Oct 28, 7:51 p.m. ETDOJ seeks ‘expedited discovery’ in Alaska lawsuit after Peltola NYT report
  41. 89 Washington Examiner · Right · Oct 29, 12:51 p.m. ETCodename ‘Zane,’ secret flights, and a decoy: The DSCC’s Alaska shadow campaign
  42. 90 Washington Examiner · Right · Oct 29, 3:04 p.m. ETSen. Dan Sullivan tells Alaskans not to rank Mary Peltola but include ‘Decoy Dan’ on ballot
  43. 91 Washington Examiner · Right · Oct 29, 5:47 p.m. ETNational Democrats leave Mary Peltola to fend for herself amid Alaska Senate scandal

Not rated

  1. 92 Al Jazeera · Not rated · Oct 29, 6:22 a.m. ETTrump demands Alaska candidates be removed over alleged ballot scheme
  2. 93 BBC News · Not rated · Oct 29, 6:14 a.m. ETAlaska governor orders probe into Democratic campaign's alleged links to rival candidate
  3. 94 Financial Times · Not rated · Oct 28, 5:20 p.m. ETTrump calls for Alaska Democratic candidate to be banned from Senate race
  4. 95 Los Angeles Times · Not rated · Oct 28, 2:15 p.m. ETDemocrat's campaign reportedly helped recruit second Dan Sullivan for Alaska Senate race
  5. 96 Los Angeles Times · Not rated · Oct 29, 10:06 a.m. ETAlaska's governor orders a probe into Peltola's Senate campaign over spoiler candidate controversy
  6. 97 NewsNation · Not rated · Oct 28, 3:46 p.m. ETPeltola denies report her campaign worked to recruit another 'Dan Sullivan'
  7. 98 NewsNation · Not rated · Oct 29, 9:41 a.m. ETAlaska governor calls for investigation into Democratic Senate candidate
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