FBI contacts Alaskan donors in probe of name confusion

Federal agents have begun contacting donors who supported Dan J. Sullivan, a retired teacher and musician running for the U.S. Senate in Alaska.

The FBI is investigating whether these supporters were confused by the candidate's identical last name to the incumbent Republican senator, Dan Sullivan. Agents have reached out to donors in at least two remote Alaskan communities and two in Massachusetts.

In Petersburg, an Anchorage-based FBI agent visited a boat dealership to speak with Charles Flint. Flint has known the candidate for years as a respected local teacher and musician. The agent left a business card at the store.

Flint donated 500 dollars to the campaign during the summer. He said he supported the candidate because he respected his decision to run, even though he viewed the odds as low. The agent asked Flint's son, who works at the dealership, if Flint felt he had been deceived about who he was supporting.

Flint told The Associated Press by phone that he did not feel tricked at all. He said he had no plans to call the agent back but would let them search for him. “I don't feel at all like I was fooled,” Flint said. He added that he believed there was no confusion on the ballot.

Flint plans to rank Democrat Mary Peltola first and Dan J. Sullivan second on his ballot. He noted that everyone knows who the incumbent is. “Everyone knows who the incumbent is,” he said.

U.S. Attorney Michael Heyman told reporters in Anchorage that the federal investigation has been underway for several months. He said recent reports from The New York Times regarding the recruitment of the teacher candidate caused a major increase in law enforcement resources directed at Alaska.

Agents also visited a donor in Sitka, who requested anonymity because the probe is active. That donor said the agents asked if the contribution went to the specific Sullivan the donor intended. The conversation lasted about five minutes and the agents were polite and stressed that participation was voluntary.

Pat Campbell, a donor living in Groton, Massachusetts, said two FBI agents arrived at her home on Friday to speak with her husband. Campbell texted The Associated Press that the agents identified themselves as investigating fraud in election contributions. “No, we were not defrauded,” Campbell wrote. “We knew who we contributed to.”

The general election is scheduled for Tuesday and will use ranked-choice voting. Peltola, a former congresswoman, is challenging incumbent Sen. Dan Sullivan. At a campaign rally in Anchorage on Friday, Peltola denied any involvement in a plan to place a candidate on the ballot to siphon votes.

Peltola called the accusations “garbage” and part of a “slush campaign” to suppress turnout. She told a small group of volunteers at an aviation museum that she did not need help to win. “I know I can beat Dan Sullivan,” she said. “I don't need any help to win this race.”