AK governor reveals 'tip of the iceberg' of '2 Dan Sullivans' scandal was noticed months ago

[0:00] ALL RIGHT, THE ALASKA [0:01] GOVERNOR MIKE DUNLEVY JOINS US [0:03] NOW. [0:03] GOVERNOR, WELCOME TO YOU. [0:05] A LOT OF EYEBALLS ON ALASKA [0:06] IN THIS MOMENT. [0:07] WHAT CAN YOU OFFER TO WHAT WE'VE [0:09] LEARNED SO FAR ABOUT THIS RACE [0:11] AND THIS EXTRA CANDIDATE? [0:12] YEAH, WELL, GREAT. [0:15] THANKS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY, [0:16] JOHN SANDERS. [0:17] SO WE IN THE STATE GOVERNMENT, [0:20] IN MY OFFICE, BACK IN MAY AND [0:22] THEN JUNE, REALLY SAW AN ISSUE [0:23] WITH THIS CANDIDACY OF THIS [0:25] INDIVIDUAL LOT OF PETERSBURG [0:26] ALASKA THAT HAS THE SAME NAME [0:28] AS OUR INCUMBENT DAN SULLIVAN. [0:29] WE DID OUR OWN PRELIMINARY [0:31] INVESTIGATION AND THE RESULT OF [0:33] THAT WAS WE AT THE DIVISION OF [0:35] ELECTIONS TOOK THE INDIVIDUAL'S [0:36] NAME OFF THE BALLOT. [0:37] WAS GOING TO PREVENT HIS NAME [0:39] FROM BEING ON THE BALLOT BECAUSE [0:41] THE BELIEF AT THAT TIME WAS THE [0:43] INTENT. [0:44] IT WASN'T JUST THE NAME ISSUE. [0:46] IT WAS THE INTENT OF WHAT HIS [0:48] GOAL WAS. [0:49] AND IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN ELECTION [0:51] INTEGRITY HERE IN THE STATE OF [0:52] ALASKA, WE FELT THAT WAS THE [0:53] BEST MOVE. [0:54] WE WERE OVERRULED BY THE [0:56] ALASKA SUPREME COURT AT THAT [0:57] TIME SO HIS NAME ENDED UP GOING [0:58] ON THE BALLOT. [0:59] NOW WITH THIS NEW REVELATIONS [1:01] IN THE NEW YORK TIMES ARTICLE, [1:04] WE'RE MORE THAN COMPELLED TO [1:06] FOLLOW UP ON THE INVESTIGATION. [1:08] AND WE ARE STARTING THAT [1:10] DILIGENTLY HERE TODAY. [1:11] WE'LL CONTINUE THAT. [1:13] BUT THIS IS NOT A GOOD THING [1:15] FOR ALASKA. [1:16] THIS IS NOT A GOOD THING FOR [1:17] THIS ELECTION. [1:18] QUITE FRANKLY, THIS IS NOT A [1:20] GOOD THING FOR THE DEMOCRAT [1:21] PARTY. [1:22] THIS IS NOT A GOOD THING FOR [1:24] THE DEMOCRATS. [1:25] THIS IS NOT A GOOD THING FOR [1:26] THE DEMOCRATS. [1:27] AND THE FEAR IS THAT THIS IS [1:29] JUST A PRECURSOR OF SOME OF THE [1:31] ACTIVITIES THAT WE MAY SEE IN [1:32] THE FUTURE IN ELECTIONS, NOT [1:33] JUST HERE IN ALASKA, BUT [1:34] ACROSS THE COUNTRY. [1:35] EVEN THE LADIES OF THE VIEW [1:36] WERE ALL OVER THE PELTOLA [1:37] CAMPAIGN SAYING THAT THIS WAS A [1:38] DIRTY TRICK AND SHOULDN'T [1:39] HAVE HAPPENED. [1:40] THIS IS A GOOD THING FOR THE [1:42] DEMOCRATS. [1:43] I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE [1:45] PROCEDURE IN COURT TO TRY TO [1:47] GET DANIEL J. SULLIVAN OFF THE [1:48] BALLOT. [1:49] JUNE 8TH, THERE WAS A NOTICE [1:51] THAT THE STATE WAS INVESTIGATING [1:52] HIS CANDIDACY. [1:53] JUNE 10TH, THE VISION LETTER [1:55] CONCERNING ITS PRELIMINARY [1:56] DETERMINATION. [1:57] JUNE 15TH, FINAL DETERMINATION [1:58] LETTER REMOVING HIM FROM THE [1:59] BALLOT BEFORE THAT DECISION [2:01] WAS OVERTURNED BY THE SUPREME [2:02] COURT. [2:03] IT MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT OF A [2:05] HYPOTHETICAL HERE, BUT DO YOU [2:06] THINK THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE NOW [2:11] THAT THAT DETERMINATION MIGHT [2:12] HAVE BEEN QUITE DIFFERENT? [2:13] IF THEY HAD THIS INFORMATION [2:14] WE HAVE NOW, I THINK IT WOULD [2:17] HAVE BEEN DIFFERENT TO BE [2:18] PERFECTLY HONEST WITH YOU. [2:19] I MEAN, WE ARE, WE KNEW THERE [2:21] WAS SOMETHING GOING ON THERE, [2:22] BUT WE'RE ALSO SOMEWHAT [2:23] SURPRISED BY THE REVELATIONS. [2:24] AND WE NOW BELIEVE THAT THAT'S [2:26] PROBABLY JUST THE TIP OF THE [2:27] ICEBERG, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU. [2:28] SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE STARTING OUR [2:30] OWN INVESTIGATION HERE IN THE [2:31] STATE OF ALASKA. [2:32] I KNOW THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS [2:34] THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS [2:38] THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS THE [2:39] UNFORTUNATE THING IS WE HAVE AN [2:40] ELECTION COMING UP ON US AND [2:41] WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF VOTING [2:42] RIGHT NOW. [2:43] BUT, YOU KNOW, THE OTHER THING I [2:45] WOULD SAY, JOHN AND SANDRA, IS [2:47] WE WOULD NOT BE HAVING THIS [2:48] CONVERSATION AT ALL IF WE DIDN'T [2:49] HAVE A THING IN PLACE CALLED [2:51] RATE CHOICE VOTING IN THE STATE [2:52] OF ALASKA. [2:53] AND THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT, YOU [2:55] KNOW, WAS BROUGHT INTO ALASKA [2:56] A COUPLE YEARS AGO, A LOT OF [2:57] OUTSIDE MONEY WAS BEHIND IT. [2:58] BUT WHAT HAPPENS NOW IS WE HAVE [3:00] FIVE PEOPLE WITH THE SAME LAST [3:04] NAME IN A JUNGLE PRIMARY AND [3:06] WHAT IT DOES IS AGAIN IT IMPACTS [3:08] ELECTION INTEGRITY. [3:09] I'VE HAD PEOPLE COME TO ME THAT [3:11] ARE VOTING NOW EARLY SAYING IT [3:13] WAS VERY CONFUSING. [3:14] YOU HAVE THE TWO NAMES, THE TWO [3:16] DAN SULLIVAN NAMES CLOSELY [3:17] TOGETHER. [3:18] AS A MATTER OF FACT, WHEN WE DID [3:20] OUR INVESTIGATION IN LATE SPRING, [3:22] EARLY SUMMER, THE DAN SULLIVAN [3:25] FROM PETERSBURG, ALASKA, HIS [3:27] INITIAL EMAILS TO THE DIVISION [3:29] OF ELECTION WANTED HIM TO PUT [3:31] ON THE BALLOT AS DANIEL S. [3:32] SULLIVAN. [3:33] HIS MIDDLE INITIAL IS NOT S. [3:35] THAT'S THE INITIAL OF OUR [3:37] INCUMBENT U.S. SENATOR. [3:38] YEAH. [3:39] SO WE KNEW THAT THE INTENT [3:41] WAS QUESTIONABLE THEN. [3:43] WE REALLY, REALLY BELIEVE IT IS [3:45] INCREDIBLY QUESTIONABLE, VERY [3:46] QUESTIONABLE NOW. [3:47] WELL, WHERE IS THIS GUY? [3:49] HAVE YOU TRACKED THIS GUY [3:52] DOWN? [3:53] WELL, WE HAVE FOLKS THAT WILL [3:55] BE AGAIN FOLLOWING UP ON [3:56] INVESTIGATIONS AND DISCUSSIONS [3:57] WITH THIS INDIVIDUAL AND [3:58] OTHERS. [3:59] INITIALLY HE DID NOT WANT TO [4:01] TALK WITH THE EARLIER INQUIRIES. [4:03] HE DIDN'T WANT TO DO IT UNDER [4:05] OATH WITH AN AFFIDAVIT. [4:07] SO, AGAIN, ALL THESE THINGS [4:09] LEAVE YOU TO BELIEVE THIS WAS NOT [4:10] RUN. [4:11] HE WAS ASKED TO RESPOND TO [4:12] THIS UNDER OATH AND REFUSED? [4:14] YES. [4:15] WE WANTED HIM TO GIVE, WE WANTED [4:18] HIM TO ANSWER QUESTIONS, YOU [4:20] KNOW, THROUGH AN AFFIDAVIT AND [4:22] HE REFUSED TO DO THAT. [4:24] HE ANSWERED THE QUESTIONS BUT [4:26] IT WAS AN UNDER OATH SCENARIO. [4:30] SO, GOVERNOR, A LOT OF PEOPLE [4:32] WONDERING, YOU KNOW, IF THIS [4:34] INVESTIGATION UNCOVERS ANYTHING, [4:36] WILL THERE BE ANYTHING CRIMINAL [4:38] THAT DANIEL J. SULLIVAN OR THE [4:40] PELTOLA CAMPAIGN MIGHT BE [4:41] LIABLE FOR? [4:42] I POINT TO A FLORIDA RACE [4:44] BACK IN 2020. [4:45] IT WAS A STATE SENATOR'S RACE. [4:46] THERE WAS A GUY NAMED JOSE [4:48] RODRIGUEZ WHO WAS THE [4:49] ENCUMBENT SENATOR. [4:50] APPARENTLY A REPUBLICAN [4:52] OPERATIVE RECRUITED SOMEBODY AND [4:54] ACCORDING TO COURT DOCUMENTS [4:56] PAID $45,000 FOR THIS PERSON TO [4:58] ENTER THE RACE TO TRY TO MUDDY [5:00] UP THE WATERS. [5:01] BOTH OF THEM APPARENTLY WERE [5:03] CONVICTED OF CAMPAIGN VIOLATIONS, [5:05] VOTER FRAUD. [5:06] DO YOU THINK THERE COULD BE [5:08] POTENTIALLY ANY CRIMINALITY [5:09] HERE? [5:10] I MEAN, WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT [5:12] DANIEL J. SULLIVAN? [5:13] WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT HIS [5:14] CAMPAIGN? [5:15] WHO IS FUNDING IT? [5:16] IS HE BEING PAID ANY MONEY BY [5:18] ANYBODY? [5:19] DO WE KNOW ANY OF THAT? [5:22] THAT'S WHERE THE [5:24] INVESTIGATION I THINK IS [5:25] INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT. [5:26] WE HAVE TO ANSWER THOSE [5:27] QUESTIONS. [5:28] WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE [5:30] INVESTIGATION IS DONE ACCORDING [5:31] TO LAW WITH INTEGRITY WHICH WE [5:33] WILL DO. [5:34] AGAIN, WE SAW THE TIP OF THE [5:36] ICEBERG BACK IN MAY AND JUNE [5:38] AND NOW WE'RE SEEING MORE OF THE [5:40] INVESTIGATION. [5:41] WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE SURPRISED [5:43] WHERE THIS WILL LEAD US BUT [5:45] AN INVESTIGATION HAS TO HAPPEN. [5:47] AND QUITE FRANKLY, THE [5:50] INDIVIDUAL SHOULD NOT BE ON THE [5:51] BALLOT. [5:52] THEY SIMPLY SHOULD NOT BE ON THE [5:53] BALLOT. [5:54] AND IT'S UNFORTUNATE THAT RIGHT [5:55] NOW HE IS. [5:56] WE'RE HOPING THAT THIS [5:58] INVESTIGATION LEADS TO ANSWERING [5:59] A WHOLE BUNCH OF QUESTIONS AND [6:01] THEN WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS [6:02] AFTER THAT AND WHAT THE IMPACT [6:04] WAS ON THIS PARTICULAR [6:05] ELECTION. [6:06] BUT QUITE FRANKLY, THIS IS A SAD [6:09] DAY, SAD MOMENT, SAD TIME FOR [6:11] ALASKA. [6:12] BUT AGAIN, IT'S A WARNING TO THE [6:14] REST OF THE COUNTRY. [6:15] WE'VE GOT TO BE VERY CAREFUL [6:17] GOING INTO THE FUTURE, [6:18] ESPECIALLY WITH A.I. [6:19] AND OTHER TYPES OF TRICKS THAT [6:22] COULD OCCUR WITH AN ELECTION. [6:23] YEAH, FAIR ENOUGH. [6:24] GOVERNOR, PRESIDENT TRUMP SAID [6:26] EARLIER HE BELIEVES THAT PELTOLA [6:28] SHOULD BE PROSECUTED [6:29] CRIMINALLY THAT SHE SHOULD [6:31] RESIGN FROM THE RACE. [6:32] DO YOU TOO BELIEVE THIS IS [6:33] DISQUALIFYING? [6:34] ARE YOU CALLING ON HER TO [6:35] RESIGN? [6:36] WELL, THIS IS HUGELY [6:38] PROBLEMATIC FOR THE CANDIDATE. [6:39] AND AGAIN, OUR INVESTIGATION, IF [6:41] IT LEADS TO CRIMINAL CHARGES, [6:44] WE DON'T CARE WHO THAT IS. [6:47] WE DON'T CARE IF IT'S A [6:48] CANDIDATE. [6:49] WE DON'T CARE WHOSE NAME IT IS. [6:51] BECAUSE WHAT'S MORE IMPORTANT [6:53] IS MAINTAINING ELECTION [6:54] INTEGRITY FOR THE PEOPLE OF [6:55] ALASKA. [6:56] IF IT LEADS TO THAT INDIVIDUAL, [6:59] THE CANDIDATE, THEN SO BE IT. [7:01] WE'RE GOING TO FOLLOW THE [7:03] ACTUAL INVESTIGATION, FOLLOW THE [7:05] LAW, AND WE WILL BE REPORTING [7:07] OUT ONCE WE'VE CONCLUDED THAT [7:09] INVESTIGATION AS TO WHERE IT [7:10] LED. [7:11] I HAD A CAMPAIGN EVENT [7:12] LAST NIGHT. [7:13] MARY PELTOLA BASICALLY SAID, [7:14] HEY, THIS IS NO BIG DEAL. [7:15] LISTEN TO WHAT SHE SAID HERE. [7:18] THIS IS JUST ANOTHER [7:20] DISTRACTION. [7:21] IT'S ANOTHER DIVERSION. [7:22] EVERY DAY IT'S SOME NEW, YOU [7:24] KNOW, LOOK OVER HERE MOMENT. [7:26] THIS IS ALL STUFF TO SELL [7:28] NEWSPAPERS. [7:29] THIS IS ALL STUFF TO GET [7:31] SUBSCRIPTIONS. [7:32] NOBODY AT THE NEW YORK TIMES [7:34] CARES ABOUT AFFORDABILITY IN [7:35] ALASKA. [7:36] WELL, FIRST OF ALL, I [7:38] THOUGHT IT WAS A LITTLE [7:39] UNUSUAL THAT A DEMOCRATIC [7:40] CANDIDATE WOULD BE DISSING THE [7:41] NEW YORK TIMES. [7:42] BUT SECONDLY, WHEN IT COMES TO [7:44] THIS IDEA OF A DISTRACTION, WHO [7:46] CAUSED THAT DISTRACTION? [7:48] NOW, THIS IS PROBLEMATIC, [7:50] ABSOLUTELY. [7:51] THIS IS REALLY PROBLEMATIC FOR [7:53] NOT JUST THIS, THEIR CAMPAIGN, [7:55] BUT AGAIN, FOR ELECTION [7:57] INTEGRITY. [7:58] AND WE GOT TO ROOT THIS OUT. [8:00] WE GOT TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF [8:01] THIS. [8:02] WE'RE GOING TO TRY AND DO THIS AS [8:03] QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. [8:04] ONCE AGAIN, THOUGH, WE'RE GOING [8:05] TO FILE THE LAWS, BUT WE GOT TO [8:06] GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS QUICKLY [8:07] DISTRACTION. [8:08] WE'RE GOING TO GET TO THE [8:09] DISTRACTION. [8:10] WE'RE GOING TO GET TO THE [8:11] DISTRACTION. [8:12] BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IT'S, YOU [8:14] HAVE SOME ACTIONS THAT ARE [8:15] TAKING PLACE, BUT THERE ALSO [8:16] MAY BE A COVER-UP. [8:17] WE'LL FIND OUT THROUGH OUR [8:18] INVESTIGATION. [8:19] THIS IS SO UNFORTUNATE THIS [8:20] HAS HAPPENED IN THE STATE OF [8:21] ALASKA. [8:22] SO UNFORTUNATE ON THE TIMING. [8:23] THERE WAS AN OPPORTUNITY BACK [8:24] IN JUNE TO REMOVE THIS [8:26] INDIVIDUAL FROM THE BALLOT. [8:28] AND WE'LL SEE WHERE THIS [8:30] LEADS US. [8:31] BUT IF IT LEADS TO CIVIL ISSUES, [8:34] WE'LL PURSUE IT. [8:37] CAN YOU SHARE WITH US ANY MORE [8:39] ABOUT THE QUESTIONS THAT WERE [8:40] ASKED OF THIS, THE DANIEL J. [8:43] SULLIVAN? [8:44] ANYTHING YOU CAN OFFER US THERE [8:45] THAT HE WAS ABLE TO, YOU SAID [8:47] HE DIDN'T GO UNDER OATH, BUT [8:48] WHAT DID HE SAY? [8:51] HE ANSWERED SEVERAL [8:53] QUESTIONS FOR US TO TRY TO [8:55] ASCERTAIN INTENT. [8:56] BASED UPON THE ANSWERS AND BASED [8:59] UPON THE LACK OF OTHER [9:00] INFORMATION, AGAIN, WE DECIDED [9:02] THE DIVISION OF ELECTIONS [9:03] DECIDED THAT HE SHOULD NOT BE [9:05] BEYOND THE BALLOT. [9:06] WE MADE THAT DETERMINATION THAT [9:08] WE BELIEVE THAT THIS CANDIDACY [9:10] WAS NOT A GENUINE CANDIDACY, [9:12] THAT THIS CANDIDACY WAS BEING [9:14] PUT TOGETHER TO GAME THE RANK [9:16] CHOICE VOTING SYSTEM THAT, IN [9:19] MY OPINION, UNFORTUNATELY, [9:20] CURRENTLY HAVE. [9:21] AND SO WHEN THAT OCCURRED, WE [9:24] WERE SUED BY ANOTHER PARTY AND [9:27] THE SUPREME PORT OF ALASKA THEN [9:29] DECIDED THAT, NO, THERE MAY BE [9:31] QUESTIONS BUT THIS INDIVIDUAL IS [9:32] GOING TO GO ON THE BALLOT. [9:33] THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TODAY. [9:35] AND AGAIN, I THINK IF THEY HAD [9:37] THE INFORMATION THAT IS COMING [9:38] OUT NOW IN THE NEW YORK TIMES, [9:40] AND PROBABLY A LOT MORE [9:42] ADDITIONAL INFORMATION THAT [9:43] WE'LL PROBABLY FIND OUT THROUGH [9:44] INVESTIGATIONS AND POSSIBLY [9:46] EVEN SUBPOENAS AT THE [9:47] CONGRESSIONAL LEVEL, I THINK [9:48] THEY WOULD MAKE A DIFFERENT [9:49] DECISION. [9:50] GOVERNOR, WE HAVE TO THINK [9:52] ABOUT WHAT WE HAD VOTES IN [9:54] UNIVERSITY AND TAKE A DIFFERENT [9:56] DECISION. [9:57] GOVERNOR, ONE QUICK [9:58] QUESTION BEFORE WE LET YOU GO. [10:00] THE STORY IS OUT THERE NOW, [10:02] PEOPLE CAN MAKE A DECISION BUT [10:03] UP UNTIL THIS POINT, 60,000 [10:04] EARLY VOTES HAVE BEEN CAST [10:05] ALREADY. [10:06] WHAT'S 23% OF THE NUMBER OF [10:07] AVERAGE ALASKANS WHO CAST [10:09] VOTES IN THE LAST MIDTERM [10:10] ELECTION. [10:12] THAT'S GOING TO BE PART OF THE [10:14] FOLLOW-UP, IS TO SEE HOW MANY OF [10:17] THOSE PEOPLE, WHEN THEY VOTED, [10:19] THOUGHT THEY WERE VOTING FOR THE [10:20] INCUMBENT. [10:21] HOW MANY OF THOSE PEOPLE KNEW [10:23] EXACTLY WHO THEY WERE VOTING FOR. [10:25] I MEAN, IT'S A DOG'S BREAKFAST, [10:27] TO BE HONEST WITH YOU. [10:28] IT'S A MESS. [10:29] AND WE'RE GOING TO UNRAVEL IT. [10:31] AND WE'RE GOING TO HELP THE [10:32] PEOPLE OF BLASKA UNDERSTAND [10:34] EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED. [10:35] ALL RIGHT. [10:35] GOVERNOR, WE APPRECIATE YOU [10:37] JOINING US HERE. [10:38] BY THE WAY, I SHOULD NOTE SENATOR [10:40] THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US [10:43] AND WE'LL BE AT THE TOP OF THE [10:46] HOUR ON THIS STORY. [10:48] GOVERNOR, AGAIN, THANK YOU VERY [10:49] MUCH. [10:49] THANKS VERY MUCH.