Democratic attorney and Trump foe Marc Elias is a target of DOJ's Alaska ballot investigation, sources say

Key Points:

• Marc Elias, a Democratic attorney, is a target in a DOJ criminal investigation into whether Democrats tried to confuse Alaska voters by recruiting a candidate with the same name as Republican Senator Dan Sullivan, with around 20 target and preservation letters issued so far.
• The investigation, led by the U.S. Attorney's Office in Alaska and the DOJ Civil Rights Division, also involves subpoenas to the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, though no specific crimes have been publicly detailed.
• President Trump has publicly condemned Elias, accusing him of orchestrating a "fraud" and demanding prosecution, while Elias denies wrongdoing and calls the investigation a politically motivated "sham."
• The probe intensified following a New York Times report implicating Democratic operatives in recruiting the independent candidate Daniel J. Sullivan, though such tactics have historically been controversial but generally not illegal.
• This investigation is part of a broader pattern where the DOJ under Trump has pursued criminal probes into several of his political opponents, including Rep. Ilhan Omar and former FBI officials.