Comer insists there’s ‘big possibility’ Mary Peltola won’t be seated if she wins Alaska race
WASHINGTON, DC: Democratic Senate candidate Mary Peltola faces an unusual hurdle even if Alaska voters send her to the Senate.
James Comer suggested on Sunday, November 1, that there is a “big possibility” she could be denied a seat even if she wins the state’s Senate race due to what’s been dubbed the “Decoy Dan” scandal.
The 54-year-old House Oversight Committee chair has been hammering Peltola’s campaign ever since a New York Times report claimed that the state’s Democratic Party spent months finding Daniel J Sullivan to add to the ballot in a bid to confuse voters.
Although the move isn’t illegal, both sides are roundly condemning it as a dirty trick, with the Trump administration arguing that Alaskan voters would be confused by the presence of a second Dan Sullivan on the ballot, unaffiliated with any party.
James Comer slams Democrats' silence on the 'Decoy Dan' scandal
Comer was making an appearance on Fox News' 'Sunday Morning', when he was asked if there was a possibility Peltola would not be seated even if she won the election.
"That's a big possibility. I have not spoken to Sen Thune about that," Comer said, referring to Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD).
"We kind of tend to operate within the confines of the House with respect to our investigations, but at the end of the day, I think the American people can see loud and clear what was done here," the congressman continued.
Comer insisted that the alleged involvement must not be allowed to continue, questioning how many people within the Democratic National Party were involved.
He also demanded answers about “when did this involvement begin” and whether “money changed hands,” calling the financial aspect “the biggest question” that needs to be answered. He further questioned “what laws were broken” in the process.
Comer has already launched a probe into Peltola's involvement in the alleged scheme — scheduling transcribed, in-person interviews for both former Peltola campaign manager Elisa Rios and Democratic operative Jerid Kurtz.
Judge tosses Trump administration’s attempt to block Alaska Senate results
Comer’s comments came after a federal judge dismissed the Trump administration’s attempt to block state officials from certifying the Senate race in Alaska if the Republican incumbent loses.
In a ruling issued Sunday, US District Judge Sharon Gleason determined that the federal government lacked the authority to bring the lawsuit, which relied on the preamble of the National Voter Registration Act.
The Justice Department had asked the court to block Alaska officials from certifying the election results while it investigated whether voters might have confused two similarly named Senate candidates on the state's ranked-choice ballot.
However, Gleason concluded that granting the request could infringe on Alaskans' constitutional right to a secret ballot. “The absence of any explanation from the United States as to how its requested relief could redress its alleged injury while simultaneously maintaining the secrecy of the ballot is telling,” wrote Gleason, who was nominated by former President Barack Obama.
The Justice Department plans to appeal the ruling, spokesperson Kiersten Pels told NPR. “Alaskan voters deserve a fair election, not to be misled in an attempt to rig outcomes,” Pels said in a statement.
