Obama-Appointed Judge Rules Against Trump In Alaska ‘Decoy Dan’ Fight

A federal judge has turned down the Justice Department's attempt to hold up certification of Alaska's Senate race. Judge Sharon Gleason, an appointee of former President Barack Obama, threw out the case on Sunday. The government wanted certification put on hold if it turned out that ballots meant for Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan had instead gone to an independent with the same name, Dan J. Sullivan, whom Republicans call "Decoy Dan.", according to Daily Wire.

Gleason found that prosecutors never laid out a realistic method for separating those ballots and examining them without exposing how people voted. She added that ordering such a step so close to the election would probably unsettle voters and discourage some from turning out, and that courts disfavor eleventh-hour rule changes.

The Daily Wire notes that the New York Times recently reported that Democratic operatives, including staff working for candidate Mary Peltola, helped persuade the second Sullivan to run, a move that could draw votes away under Alaska's ranked-choice system. Peltola has denied knowing about any such recruitment. The administration has already appealed. Justice Department spokeswoman Kiersten Pels said Alaskans are owed an election free of manipulation.

Summarized by PolitiKool from Daily Wire’s reporting. Read the full story at Daily Wire →