FBI visits Dan J. Sullivan donor in candidate's home town as Alaska Senate probe widens

Federal investigators have begun contacting people who gave money to Dan J. Sullivan, the Alaska U.S. Senate candidate who shares a name with the Republican incumbent, over questions about possible deception.The FBI reached out to donors on Friday as its investigation into the candidate intensified.An agent based in Anchorage travelled to Petersburg, a small fishing community reachable only by air or water where the candidate lives, and visited a boat dealership there.The agent left a business card for Charles Flint, who told The Associated Press he has known Dan J. Sullivan for years as a respected teacher and musician.Flint gave $500 over the summer to what he regarded as a long-shot campaign, saying he knew Dan J. Sullivan would have expenses and respected him for “throwing his hat in the ring.” Flint said the FBI agent asked his son, who works at the dealership, whether Flint felt he had been “misled” about which candidate he was supporting.Dan J. Sullivan, left, is challenging Senator Dan Sullivan, Republican of Alaska, for his seat (Sullivan for Senate/Getty)“I don’t feel like I’ve been misled at all,” Flint, who has been out of town, told the AP in a telephone interview, adding he had no intention of calling the agent but would “let him waste his time trying to track me down.”“I don’t think there’s any confusion,” he said, adding he intends to rank Democrat Mary Peltola first on his ballot, followed by Dan J. Sullivan. “Everybody knows who the incumbent is.”The FBI's visit followed confirmation from federal officials that a criminal probe into the candidate exists.The U.S. Department of Justice also pushed for a court order on Friday to isolate certain Alaska ballots so potential voter confusion can be investigated.Alaska U.S. Attorney Michael Heyman told reporters in Anchorage the federal investigation has been ongoing for several months, but recent revelations from The New York Times that Peltola's campaign appeared to be involved in recruiting retired teacher Dan J. Sullivan resulted in a “significant surge of law enforcement assets to Alaska.”The developments come just days before Tuesday's ranked choice general election in a potentially pivotal race in which Peltola, a former congresswoman, is challenging Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan.At a campaign rally in Anchorage on Friday, Peltola again denied any involvement in any plan to place candidates on the ballot to detract from the incumbent senator.She said she was “deeply offended” by the allegations, which she called “garbage” and part of a “smear campaign” to suppress turnout on the eve of the election.“I know I can beat Dan Sullivan. I do not need any help winning this race,” she told a small group of campaign volunteers at an Anchorage aviation museum.