NRSC posts Peltola quote after NYT report alleges campaign backed spoiler candidate

The National Republican Senatorial Committee shared a clip of Alaska Democratic Senate candidate Mary Peltola saying it should be a criminal offense to mislead the electorate, following a New York Times report alleging her campaign was involved in recruiting a namesake candidate against Republican incumbent Sen. Dan Sullivan. Peltola dismissed the report as a distraction, and her campaign has denied involvement with either Sullivan campaign.

The Justice Department is conducting an aggressive criminal investigation into how the second Dan Sullivan secured a ballot spot, according to two sources familiar with the probe, with investigators preparing grand jury subpoenas and the probe expected to continue beyond Election Day. Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy directed the Department of Public Safety to investigate, citing the Times reporting and a prior Division of Elections inquiry. The DOJ declined to comment.