A conservative government-transparency watchdog filed a formal complaint with federal election regulators on Tuesday, accusing the Alaska candidate known as “Decoy Dan” of illegally coordinating with a leftist organization working to defeat his Republican namesake in a race that could tip control of the U.S. Senate.
The complaint, lodged with the Federal Election Commission by Americans for Public Trust, alleges that the campaign of retired teacher Daniel J. Sullivan — who is challenging Sen. Dan S. Sullivan (R-AK) — unlawfully colluded with the 907 Initiative, a left-leaning group that has spent roughly $1.5 million on advertisements opposing the incumbent this cycle.
At the center of the dispute is Amber Lee, a veteran Democratic consultant who worked on the challenger’s campaign while simultaneously serving as a board member for the 907 Initiative. Federal law bars individuals from concurrently assisting a candidate while holding a leadership role for a group running targeted ads designed to benefit that candidate’s race.
According to the filing, the 907 Initiative directed about $575,000 toward negative ads against Sen. Sullivan in the final three months of the primary cycle. The group launched a wave of spots criticizing the Republican just before “Decoy Dan” officially declared his candidacy in late May, and public disclosures show his campaign later owed Lee’s consulting firm more than $4,300 for political services.
“You can’t both work for the campaign and work for the outside group that’s running millions of dollars in advertisements that’s benefiting the campaign that you’re working for,” said Caitlin Sutherland, executive director of Americans for Public Trust, in a statement accompanying the complaint.
Representatives for the 907 Initiative rejected the allegations, asserting that Lee serves as an unpaid volunteer board member, not an employee. The organization maintained it operated entirely independently of the candidate and had no knowledge of Lee’s private consulting work until it was publicly reported.
Alaska’s Unusual Senate Race
The clash is the latest twist in a contest that could determine which party controls the chamber. Daniel Sullivan, a 69-year-old former teacher from Petersburg, registered as a Republican just days before entering the race. GOP strategists quickly slapped him with the “Decoy Dan” label, accusing him of mounting a spoiler candidacy aimed at siphoning votes from Sen. Sullivan to benefit former Democratic Rep. Mary Peltola.
Alaska election officials initially tried to disqualify the challenger over what they called deceptive campaign tactics, but state courts ruled that he met the constitutional requirements to run.
“Decoy Dan” finished the primary with roughly 2.5% of the vote yet advanced under Alaska’s top-four system. Peltola led the primary field with nearly 49.5%, and Sen. Sullivan took 41.4%. But the RealClearPolitics polling average shows Peltola ahead by only two points heading toward the general election.
The complaint now adds a federal legal dimension to an already volatile race, with both campaigns bracing for what is expected to be one of the most expensive and closely watched Senate battles of the cycle.
Americans for Public Trust, which describes its mission as promoting government accountability, has filed similar FEC complaints in other high-profile races in recent years. The FEC has not yet indicated whether it will open an investigation into the Alaska matter.
Source: www.dailywire.com — https://www.dailywire.com/news/decoy-dan-accused-of-illegal-coordination-in-critical-senate-race