On November 2, 2026, the 907 Initiative and the Alaska AFL-CIO held a press conference in front of the FBI’s Anchorage headquarters to ask, “the US Attorney for Alaska and the US Department of Justice to stop intimidating voters and political donors and to instead protect fair access to the ballot for all Alaskans.” The left-wing groups view the DOJ’s recent actions regarding the Peltola campaign’s scheme to intentionally recruit Daniel J. Sullivan of Petersburg as federal overreach and “a distraction from the real issue.”
A Federal Election Commission complaint was filed earlier this year against the 907 Initiative accusing it of illegally coordinating with Petersburg Dan who shares the incumbent senator’s name. The complaint centered on Amber Lee, a Democratic consultant who worked for the candidate while sitting on the 907 Initiative’s board. She has denied wrongdoing.
On Sunday, Judge Sharon Gleason dismissed the United States case against the State of Alaska, asking the Court for a pre-emptive ruling to prohibit the Alaska Division of Elections from certifying the election result if the result “may be impacted by voter confusion.” The Alaska Division of Elections filed a Motion to Dismiss alongside interveners Alaskans for Mary and the DSCC and the League of Women Voters, Common Cause, and two individuals. The State’s argument for dismal rested on the United States’ lack of legal authority to demand the requested relief. The United States immediately announced its intent to appeal.
Alaska AFL-CIO President Heidi Drygas commented in a press release: “The Trump Administration appears to want to use the FBI and DOJ to intimidate Alaska voters and hijack the election while the administration of Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy actively suppresses the vote in rural and Alaska Native areas.”
Voters in Anchorage and other urban centers will have had 16 days to vote, while many rural voters will only have one day, which amounts to only 6% of the amount of access. Elections in Alaska, unlike every other state, are administered by the state, the Alaska Department of Elections, which is led by the Lieutenant Governor. The DOE website lists over 100 rural voting sites as open. However, at least 18 absentee in-person sites in rural communities listed as open either failed to open on time, opened late, or had problems during the early voting period. The Alaska Democratic Party and the Midnight Sun Independence Fund filed lawsuits alleging election integrity issues with rural polling sites.
On Friday, October 30, U.S. Attorney Michael Heyman and FBI Special Agent in Charge Matthew Schlegel of the FBI Anchorage Field Office held a press conference, stating that the FBI has been investigating potential criminal charges for several months. As part of that investigation, FBI agents tracked down people who made legal donations to the campaign of Daniel J. Sullivan of Petersburg. The Trump Administration has sought to challenge certification of the election, but only if the incumbent Republican loses.
“This feels like government overreach and taxpayer-funded interference in the election process,” said 79-year old Barry Bracken, who was questioned about his contribution by the FBI at his doorstep. “My question for the FBI and U.S. Attorney’s Office is whether they also plan to investigate donors to Sen. Dan Sullivan’s campaign to see if they were confused about who they were supporting.”
By Saturday, at least four of the 12 donors to Dan J. Sullivan’s campaign had had visits from FBI agents. Bracken, who lives in Petersburg, said he donated as soon as he could, and with full knowledge of who he was supporting.
“This taxpayer-sponsored charade is distracting from the real issue, which is the failure of Gov. Dunleavy’s Division of Election to open rural voting sites, despite claiming to the contrary,” said Alaska AFL-CIO President Heidi Drygas. “Gov. Dunleavy suggested he won’t certify the election unless Sen. Dan Sullivan wins. The state is barring access to voting in rural Alaska. Instead of addressing real issues, the US Attorney is sending FBI agents to intimidate voters at their homes for donating to a local friend running for office.”
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