Attorney General Blanche Defends Justice Department Suit Over Alaska Senate Ballot Ahead of Election

Attorney General Todd Blanche defended a Justice Department lawsuit over Alaska's Senate race during an interview on CBS News' "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" on Sunday, nine days before the election. The exchange grew tense as the host pressed him on the suit's purpose, timing and origin.

The ballot in Alaska lists two candidates named Dan Sullivan: incumbent Republican Sen. Dan S. Sullivan and challenger Dan J. Sullivan. The Justice Department has sued the state to head off certification of results if the incumbent loses. Brennan noted that the Alaska Supreme Court upheld a lower court ruling and found the claim that the challenger sought to confuse voters was not supported by a preponderance of the evidence.

Blanche disputed how Brennan framed the matter. He said the head of the Alaska Election Commission, not President Trump or himself, has stated that the second Dan Sullivan is running solely to confuse voters and draw votes from the incumbent. He said the state court did not weigh federal law, and that the department is asking a federal court to step in on that question. In his words, the aim is not to let the federal government take over Alaska's selection of its senator.

Brennan showed viewers the ballot, which marks Dan S. Sullivan as the incumbent and uses ranked choice voting, and asked why that label was not enough. Blanche said he did not know whether it was sufficient, but repeated that the state's election director has said the setup will likely cause confusion.

Asked who Trump meant when he said "I'm the one that said do it," and whether the order went to Blanche, the attorney general declined to answer. He said he would never discuss his communications with the president. He added that the department's Civil Rights Unit drafted the suit and that Trump has criticized the situation for months.

On the timing, 11 days before the election, Blanche said the department had hoped the Alaska Supreme Court would issue a full opinion explaining its reasoning. He said the goal is a procedure to preserve ballots so that, if others bring litigation over voter confusion, Alaska's own system can determine the accurate winner. Brennan read from the complaint, which asks the state election board and the ballot counting review board not to certify any result that may be affected by voter confusion. Blanche said that was not a demand to withhold certification. He said that if a court ultimately finds the outcome was driven by confusion and not the will of voters, the states should not certify.

Brennan also asked about CBS News reporting that the department is examining allegations that Corey Lewandowski, a former adviser to then-Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, used his position for financial gain. Trump has said that dishonest people in his administration "have to be prosecuted." Blanche declined to comment on leaks or sources but said he agreed with the president and that the department would investigate anyone in an administration who fails to act with integrity.

Finally, Brennan raised the prospect that Democrats, if they win control of Congress in November, would investigate Trump officials. Vice President JD Vance has said he would abide by any congressional subpoena. Asked whether he would charge officials who defy such subpoenas, Blanche questioned the premise, noting that the vice president had said he would comply, and said he did not know the facts of any such case.