The top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee says lawmakers have prepared for a range of situations ahead of the midterms, including that President Trump "is not going to accept the results."
Page B43From§Eachthe afternoon edition — 23 October 2026
BEFORE THE COUNT
Justice Department vows it won't improperly block election certification, sues to block election certification
As it ran on the front
Here's a question I already know the answer to, and I'll give you a second before I read you the answer, because it's a short one: how many Alaska ballots has the Justice Department's new lawsuit actually challenged? I have it written down — hang on — here. Zero. Not one. The complaint doesn't name a precinct or a stack of absentee envelopes; it names a word. Confusion.
Let me walk you through where that word has been living, because it didn't show up Thursday. I wrote the first date down back in September. On the 2nd, standing at the White House microphones, talking about a trip he hadn't taken yet, the President was already going after the other man on the ballot — a retired schoolteacher from Petersburg who happens to also be named Dan Sullivan. Two weeks after that, on the 17th, an AARP poll had the sitting Senator trailing the Democrat, Mary Peltola, 41 to 46. I'm just reading you the numbers.…
…(cont) By October 14th the word was doing real work. One story that day has the President telling Alaskans to vote for the "real" Dan Sullivan. Another story, same date, has him vowing to look into whether the other Dan Sullivan coordinated with a liberal group to sabotage the race — a hoax, he called it, by the Democrats. That's six weeks of a sitting President narrating, out loud, on tape, exactly the mix-up the lawsuit would later say the voters might have on their own.
Then Thursday. The Justice Department filed. Twelve days before an election that had already started — people were voting, the ballots were moving — the government asked a federal judge to be ready to block Alaska's certification if the Republican loses, on the theory that the name on the ballot might trip somebody up in the booth. Friday, landing in Florida for a rally, the President told reporters exactly whose idea it was. "I'm the one who said do it." I've got that one underlined.
And the same week — I had to read this one twice — the Attorney General went on record saying the Department would not "improperly" try to block any state from certifying its own election. I don't have a transcript of which sentence came first that day, his or the filing's. I just have both of them, dated the same.
I bank at the branch on the corner, the one with the line that wraps past the velvet rope on the first of the month. I've stood behind two men signing checks with the same name on them more times than I can count this year, and not one teller, so far, has suggested throwing out the ledger. She asks for the account number. That's the whole procedure. Nobody blocks the branch.
So here's where I am. The complaint's theory rests on one idea — that the name on the ballot might trip someone up — filed before anyone has lost anything, over the same mix-up the record shows the President describing, on camera, two months before the Department decided it needed a lawsuit about it. Which came first — the lawsuit, or the President saying it on tape?
Hang on — there's one more line I almost didn't bring up. I keep this complaint folded in the glovebox now, next to the registration, because I keep going back to it. The word in it isn't fraud. It isn't recount. It's the one I started with, the one I'm handing back to you with eleven days left on the calendar: confusion.
“They sue to block a certification before anybody's actually lost, over two guys named Sullivan — the same day the Attorney General swears the department won't pull that stunt. The confusion isn't on the ballot, it's been coming out of the candidate's own mouth since September. Eleven days to the count, and that's the kind of lawsuit you only file if you're planning to lose.”
“Voter confusion is a legitimate, documented concern anytime you've got two candidates sharing a name on one ballot — the Department is just getting ahead of it. This is purely precautionary; it doesn't presume anyone loses, it presumes a typo in the voting booth. The President said he personally ordered it, sure, but that's — look, oversight is oversight, no matter who calls it in. Did I just say the Attorney General's promise doesn't apply to the Attorney General's own department? That's not — let's move on.”
Earlier in this story
- Trump calls for Omar's ouster over a 'fake name' that federal investigators already built into her salary probe. By Ruth · the evening edition, 23 October 2026
- Federal investigators call Omar's legal name fake the same week they open a probe into her $174,000 salary. By Lou · the afternoon edition, 22 October 2026
- Agents raided her home over her father's old paperwork; reporters only ask if she married her brother. By Lou · the morning edition, 22 October 2026
- Trump calls Omar and Walz '100% guilty' of 'Minnesota fraud,' threatens jail or deportation. By Lou · the afternoon edition, 20 October 2026
- DOJ's voter-fraud sweep breaks a citizen's arm; Congress answers same day with a bill to sue ICE. By The Wrecking Crew · the evening edition, 19 October 2026
- Feds cite unnamed DNA to confirm denaturalizing a congresswoman already cleared by three probes. By Mort · the evening edition, 19 October 2026
The receipts
President Trump said Friday he directed the Department of Justice (DOJ) to file a lawsuit to block certification of the Senate election in Alaska if Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan loses in November. DOJ filed the suit Thursday, claiming the existence of a candidate with a similar name to Sullivan's would make a win by Democrat...
The Justice Department on Friday filed a lawsuit to block the results of Alaska’s highly competitive Senate race in November should it be impacted by “voter confusion.” Republicans have said they are worried about the race, which features Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK) and Democrat Mary Peltola as the primary contenders, because of the…
President Trump says he directed the DOJ to preemptively file a lawsuit to block the certification of the Alaska Senate race if the Republican incumbent narrowly loses.
President Donald Trump told reporters on Friday that he directed the Department of Justice to file a lawsuit challenging the results of Alaska’s Senate race if it’s impacted by “voter confusion.” Incumbent Sen. Dan S.
The Trump administration is suing to prevent the Alaska Senate election from being certified if GOP Sen. Daniel Sullivan loses to Democrat Mary Peltola because of the other Dan Sullivan who is on the ballot.
Dan S Sullivan, the incumbent, will face Dan J Sullivan, a retired schoolteacher who is also a registered Republican. On stage, Trump claimed again that this is a move orchestrated to boost Democrat Mary Peltola Sign up for the Breaking News US email With less than two weeks until the midterms, my colleague Jonathan Freedland and…
Trump justice department claims there could be ‘confusion’ about two Republicans on the ballot named Dan Sullivan Donald Trump said he ordered the justice department to file a lawsuit to block the certification of Alaska’s US Senate results if the Republican incumbent loses, a move that voting rights experts called an “unprecedented…
On the same day that Attorney General Todd Blanche declared the US Department of Justice would not "improperly" try to block states from certifying their elections, the DOJ appears to have taken its boldest step yet to do just that—at the apparent direction of President Donald Trump. The DOJ on Thursday filed an unprecedented complaint…
The justice department has filed a lawsuit arguing that the inclusion of two candidates named Dan Sullivan could confuse voters.
· Trump previews trip to Alaska to campaign for Dan Sullivan, ripping into the other Dan Sullivan from the morgue, 2 Sep 2026
· Trump urges Alaskans to vote for the ‘real’ Dan Sullivan in tight midterms battle from the morgue, 14 Oct 2026
· Sullivan trails Peltola in Alaska Senate contest: AARP poll from the morgue, 17 Sep 2026
· Trump vows to probe other Dan Sullivan in alleged Dem plot to sabotage ‘real’ Alaska GOP senator from the morgue, 14 Oct 2026
· Trump administration sued over plans to send election monitors to voting sites from the morgue, 7 Oct 2026
· AGs v. Trump: How an AWOL Congress made hundreds of lawsuits possible from the morgue, 16 Oct 2026
· The Electoral College meets in the state capitals to officially elect the next President. Joe Biden, the presumptive president-elect, is officially elected president after securing California's 55 ele from the morgue, 14 Dec 2020
· US federal agents raid home of Democratic congresswoman and Trump critic Ilhan Omar from the morgue, 12 Oct 2026
· Ilhan Omar’s Home Raided by DHS Following Trump-GOP Deportation Threats from the morgue, 12 Oct 2026
· Federal Agents Search Home of Rep. Ilhan Omar from the morgue, 13 Oct 2026
· Rep. Ilhan Omar’s residence searched as part of ongoing criminal investigation: DOJ from the morgue, 13 Oct 2026
· Rep. Ilhan Omar's D.C. home searched by Homeland Security investigators from the morgue, 12 Oct 2026
· Rep. Ilhan Omar’s DC home raided by DHS as part of probe into Dem’s immigration paperwork from the morgue, 12 Oct 2026
· Homan confirms 'criminal' investigation involving Ilhan Omar, says he knows 'things are going on’ from the morgue, 13 Sep 2026
· WATCH: Ilhan Omar denies feds have contacted her after border czar Homan confirms 'criminal' investigation from the morgue, 18 Sep 2026
· Could Trump revoke Ilhan Omar's citizenship for alleged brother marriage? Ex federal prosecutor breaks it down from the morgue, 29 Sep 2026
· Did Ilhan Omar marry her own brother? The claims explained from the morgue, 22 Sep 2026
· Russia’s Lavrov blasts US, Western allies as “warmongers’ in fiery UN tirade from the morgue, 26 Sep 2026
· Russia and China unite against US over Iran and Cuba in UN speeches from the morgue, 26 Sep 2026
· U.S. military lays groundwork for potential action around Cuba from the morgue, 26 Sep 2026
· The United Nations Security Council has resoundingly rejected a United States bid to extend a global arms embargo on Iran. In a Security Council vote, United States only got support from the Dominican from the morgue, 14 Aug 2020
· U.S. Threatens New Economic War on Iran by Targeting China & Tehran's Other Top Trading Partners from the morgue, 25 Aug 2026
· In Defiant UN Speech, Iranian President Says US and Israel Are the Real Terrorists from the morgue, 23 Sep 2026
· Trump slams reporting on removal of his endorsements from GOP candidate's website from the morgue, 27 Sep 2026
· Donalds removes several Trump mentions from campaign website from the morgue, 22 Sep 2026
· GOP hopeful removes ‘Pro-Trump’ mention from campaign slogan in deep-red seat from the morgue, 23 Sep 2026
· Where Trump’s 2026 endorsement record stands after primary season from the morgue, 9 Sep 2026
· U.N. experts say U.S. may have committed war crimes with 2 Iran strikes from the morgue, 22 Sep 2026
· Trump Says 'Big Decision' Coming on Whether to 'Annihilate' Iran from the morgue, 18 Sep 2026
· Pentagon No. 3 frustrates senators in closed-door briefing on Iran war, Trump defense strategy from the morgue, 17 Sep 2026
· Senate Democrats, minus Fetterman, urge Hegseth to provide receipt for Iran war costs from the morgue, 17 Sep 2026
· Hegseth on "devastation" to Iran's capabilities from the morgue, 10 Sep 2026
· Trump admits Iran war will not end before midterms from the morgue, 9 Sep 2026
· Iran War Trump Said Would Be Quick Has Now Lasted 6 Months With 'No End In Sight' from the morgue, 28 Aug 2026
· CBO Finds Trump's Iran War Has Already Cost Nearly $40 Billion—And That's a 'Conservative' Estimate from the morgue, 15 Sep 2026
· Tillis supports Hegseth impeachment resolution: 'He needs to go' from the morgue, 18 Sep 2026
· Massie Files Impeachment Articles Against Hegseth for Illegal Iran War, Boat Murders from the morgue, 15 Sep 2026
· Massie launches effort to impeach Hegseth from the morgue, 15 Sep 2026
· Tillis urges Trump to fire Hegseth over 'inept management' of military from the morgue, 2 Sep 2026
· Tillis renews calls for Hegseth’s firing after Driscoll’s departure: ‘I have never witnessed more inept management’ from the morgue, 2 Sep 2026
· Farmer who voted for Trump says farmers are "all just in survival mode" from the morgue, 18 Sep 2026
· Farmer who voted for Trump says "I can't stay in business" amid rising costs from the morgue, 18 Sep 2026
· Massie says he’s convinced enough Republicans to pass Epstein Files II discharge petition from the morgue, 18 Sep 2026
· Massie names Epstein 'coconspirators,' discusses new Epstein files legislation from the morgue, 1 Sep 2026
· Read Thomas Massie’s eight impeachment charges against Pete Hegseth from the morgue, 15 Sep 2026
· Fake Republican midterm convention site still redirects to Epstein files from the morgue, 7 Sep 2026
· Trump says he has a ‘big decision’ coming up on Iran: ‘Do I want to go in and annihilate them’ from the morgue, 17 Sep 2026
· Fox News Poll: 71% think Trump administration lacks plan to end Iran war from the morgue, 17 Sep 2026
· Iran recently downed at least 2 American drones, officials say from the morgue, 17 Sep 2026
· Big Oil Stocks Surged Due to Iran War—and New Filings Show How President Trump Cashed In from the morgue, 27 Aug 2026
· Live updates: Energy secretary downplays rising gas prices as US, Iran trade strikes from the morgue, 6 Sep 2026
· U.S. Strike on Iranian School May Have Been War Crime, U.N. Report Says from the morgue, 17 Sep 2026
· UN Inquiry Finds US Strike on Minab, Iran That Killed 123 Children Was War Crime from the morgue, 17 Sep 2026
· UN investigators conclude ‘reasonable grounds’ to believe certain US strikes in Iran were war crimes from the morgue, 17 Sep 2026
· UN Suspects US War Crimes in Iran from the morgue, 17 Sep 2026
· US Condemned for 'War Crimes' After Bombing of Wedding Party in Iran from the morgue, 2 Sep 2026
· US investigating if missile hit Iranian wedding ceremony, killing 4 from the morgue, 4 Sep 2026
· Trump says he has a ‘big decision coming up’ on Iran from the morgue, 17 Sep 2026
· White House issues explosive response to UN-backed report claiming US committed war crimes against world’s No.1 sponsor of terror, Iran from the morgue, 17 Sep 2026
· Human rights experts: 'Reasonable grounds' to believe US committed war crimes with Iran strikes from the morgue, 17 Sep 2026
· US Energy Consumers Have Spent $121 Billion Extra Since Trump Launched Iran War: Moody's from the morgue, 17 Sep 2026
· Iran downed at least 2 American drones in recent days, U.S. officials say from the morgue, 17 Sep 2026
· Iran: Account of US Air Force colonel's rescue 'fictional' from the morgue, 17 Sep 2026
· Consumer Burden of Trump Iran War Exceeds $100 Billion as Oil Prices Pass $100 a Barrel from the morgue, 9 Sep 2026
· 'A Serious and Alarming Threat': US Bombing, Blockade Deepen Iran Medical Crisis from the morgue, 9 Sep 2026
· Consumer Confidence Hits Lowest Level in Months as US Faces 'Trump's Reckless Tariffs and War With Iran' from the morgue, 25 Aug 2026
· U.S. Air Force officer rescued from Iran speaks for the first time to 60 Minutes from the morgue, 8 Sep 2026
· Rep. Thomas Massie forcing vote on Pete Hegseth's impeachment from the morgue, 16 Sep 2026
· Did Johnson Just Adjourn Congress for 7 Weeks to Avoid Massie's Impeachment Articles Against Hegseth? from the morgue, 16 Sep 2026
· The Hitchhiker’s Guide to Massie saying Johnson is sending the House home early to prevent Hegseth impeachment from the morgue, 16 Sep 2026
· ‘You’re Elected to Fight and Kill the Other Side’: How Congress Lost Its Way from the morgue, 16 Sep 2026
· Army combat veteran challenging Mike Lawler calls Hegseth national security 'hazard,' backs impeachment from the morgue, 6 Sep 2026
· Former Air Force secretary says he 'couldn't serve' in Trump administration from the morgue, 6 Sep 2026
· Former Air Force secretary: Hegseth's Pentagon 'dysfunctional' from the morgue, 3 Sep 2026
· House Republicans split over leaving Washington early for campaign trail from the morgue, 1 Sep 2026
· Since 2025, Trump Made More Stock Trades Than All 535 Congress Members Combined from the morgue, 16 Sep 2026
· Fossil Fuel Advertising Contracts Hit Record High as Big Oil Pockets Billions From Iran War from the morgue, 16 Sep 2026
· 'How are we gonna get through this?' Many Americans are struggling as prices rise from the morgue, 16 Sep 2026
· Trump's Top Oil Stocks Have Made Him Up to $4.4 Million Richer During Iran War: Analysis from the morgue, 9 Sep 2026
· 'Trump Did It!': At $5.85 a Gallon, Diesel Price Hits All-Time High in US Thanks to War on Iran from the morgue, 4 Sep 2026
· Gas prices reach Labor Day high amid Iran war from the morgue, 8 Sep 2026
· Trump Hammered Over Iran War That Drove Gas Prices Above $4 Per Gallon Every Day in August for First Time Ever from the morgue, 31 Aug 2026
· Warsh under pressure as Fed weighs rate hike from the morgue, 15 Sep 2026
· Inflation held at 3.4% in August in consumer price index, creating tough choice for Warsh Fed from the morgue, 11 Sep 2026
· Warsh indicates Fed could raise rates to cool inflation from the morgue, 28 Aug 2026
· Key U.S. Bond Rate Near 20-Year High as Oil Prices Keep Climbing from the morgue, 15 Sep 2026
· 10-year Treasury yield hits highest level since 2007, oil surges above $105 as Fed expected to hike interest rates from the morgue, 15 Sep 2026
This page is a back-issue: the story as it ran, receipts as they were. The current edition is at the front. The byline is a pen name for a column drafted by a machine and checked by the editor: how this is made.