Justice Department sends criminal target letters in Alaska probe to people aligned with Democratic party

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The Justice Department sent target letters to more than a dozen people it believes helped recruit a Senate candidate with the same name as the Republican incumbent, in Alaska — an indication that the department is working towards bringing federal charges, according to two sources familiar with the investigation.

The recipients include the leadership of the Elias Law Group, the law firm that represents both the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and the Democratic candidate Mary Peltola’s campaign, the sources said.

In a statement posted online, its chairman Marc Elias said, “No one should be surprised that President Trump’s Department of Justice is targeting me and my law firm on Election Day.

“We will not be intimidated by a sham investigation,” Elias said. “We are going to keep working around the clock to support our clients and make sure President Trump and his party enjoy a well-deserved beating at the ballot box.”

The target letters, which were largely sent to individuals aligned with the Democratic Party, are a remarkable move so close to Election Day.

Typically, the letters are sent to warn individuals that they may imminently face charges

These letters also warn that the people must preserve documents, records, and communications while the investigation continues, a law enforcement official told CNN.

Justice Department’s Dan Sullivan criminal probe accelerates after Alaska campaign revelations

A New York Times report alleged that Peltola’s campaign worked with senior aides at the committee — which directs the party’s campaign strategy in Senate races — to find another Dan Sullivan to stave off votes from the Republican incumbent.

The incumbent is Dan S. Sullivan. The man running against him is Daniel J. Sullivan.

The Justice Department has dramatically accelerated the criminal probe since the report, CNN previously reported.

The story provided investigators new material, US Attorney Michael Heyman said in a press conference Friday.

Heyman and other department officials say their election-related efforts in Alaska and other states are intended to safeguard votes, not sway the election as critics have alleged.

The department has also issued more than 100 grand jury subpoenas and preservation letters, one law enforcement official said, and investigators have begun conducting witness interviews.

Among those interviewed is Matthew Salisbury, a one-time candidate for the US House of Representatives. Salisbury said an operative attempted to recruit him to run as a spoiler candidate against Sen. Sullivan. Salisbury told CNN that he reached out to the bureau and was subsequently interviewed at the local field office.

He provided agents with information on the political operative who approached him in December. The interview had “no pressure, no leading questions or allusions to what they were investigating,” Salisbury said.

Salisbury did not enter the race, telling CNN that “I just felt as if this was never intended to support me. It was intended to split the ticket, and I didn’t want to be a part of that because it just didn’t feel right. It felt unethical and it felt like it would be deceptive.”

FBI agents have also begun visiting the homes of Daniel J. Sullivan’s campaign donors in the remote Alaska island he lives on, CNN previously reported. The agents are asking people if they knew which Dan Sullivan they donated to.

CNN’s Curt Devine contributed to this report.

贾斯汀·沙利文/盖蒂图片社

据两名熟悉调查情况的消息人士透露，司法部向十几名被认为帮助招募阿拉斯加州一位与共和党现任参议员同名的候选人的人员发出了目标信函——这表明司法部正在努力提起联邦指控。

消息人士称，获奖者包括 Elias 律师事务所的领导层，该律师事务所同时代表民主党参议员竞选委员会和民主党候选人 Mary Peltola 的竞选活动。

该公司董事长马克·埃利亚斯在网上发表声明称：“特朗普总统的司法部在选举日针对我和我的律师事务所，这并不令人意外。”

“我们不会被虚假调查吓倒，”埃利亚斯说。“我们将继续夜以继日地工作，支持我们的客户，确保特朗普总统及其政党在选举中遭受应有的惨败。”

在距离选举日如此之近的时候，这些主要寄给民主党支持者的定向信件，是一个非同寻常的举动。

通常情况下，这些信件是为了警告个人他们可能很快面临指控而发出的。

一位执法官员告诉 CNN，这些信件还警告人们，在调查继续进行期间，必须保存文件、记录和通信内容。

阿拉斯加竞选丑闻曝光后，司法部丹·沙利文刑事调查加速进行

《纽约时报》报道称，佩尔托拉的竞选团队与该委员会的高级助手合作，该委员会负责指导共和党在参议院竞选中的竞选策略，以寻找另一个丹·沙利文来阻止共和党现任议员获得选票。

现任议员是丹·S·沙利文。与他竞选的是丹尼尔·J·沙利文。

据 CNN 此前报道，自该报道发布以来，司法部已大幅加快了刑事调查的步伐。

美国检察官迈克尔·海曼在周五的新闻发布会上表示，这个故事为调查人员提供了新的材料。

海曼和其他部门官员表示，他们在阿拉斯加和其他州开展的与选举相关的努力旨在保障选票安全，而不是像批评者所指控的那样影响选举结果。

一位执法官员表示，该部门还发出了 100 多份大陪审团传票和证据保全函，调查人员已经开始对证人进行询问。

受访者中包括曾竞选美国众议院议员的马修·索尔兹伯里。索尔兹伯里称，有人试图招募他作为搅局者挑战参议员苏利文。索尔兹伯里告诉CNN，他主动联系了该机构，随后在当地办事处接受了采访。

他向特工提供了去年12月与他接触的那位政治掮客的信息。萨利斯伯里说，那次面谈“没有施加任何压力，没有提出任何诱导性问题，也没有暗示他们正在调查什么”。

萨利斯伯里没有参选，他告诉CNN：“我感觉这根本不是为了支持我。他们的目的是分裂选票，我不想参与其中，因为这感觉不对劲。这感觉不道德，而且感觉像是在欺骗我。”

据美国有线电视新闻网（CNN）此前报道，联邦调查局特工已开始走访丹尼尔·J·沙利文位于阿拉斯加偏远岛屿上的竞选捐款人住所。特工们询问这些人是否知道自己捐款给了哪位名叫丹·沙利文的人。

CNN的Curt Devine对本报道亦有贡献。