Obama-Appointed Judge Says Dan Sullivan Running Against Dan Sullivan Doesn’t Confuse Voters

A federal judge on Sunday blocked a lawsuit from the Department of Justice against Alaska over confusion at the ballot box related to the state’s handling of two Senate candidates with nearly identical names.

In a 20-page ruling issued Sunday, U.S. District Judge Sharon Gleason — nominated by President Barack Obama in 2011 — blocked the federal government’s lawsuit claiming a lesser-known candidate, Daniel J. Sullivan, improperly filed his declaration for Senate candidacy intending to mislead voters by running under the same name as incumbent Republican Alaska Sen. Dan Sullivan.

Gleason dismissed the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) arguments, writing that the federal government failed to explain what authority it brought the charges under and how the alleged fraud could be addressed while maintaining secrecy of the ballot during voting.

“Simply, the Court cannot grant the United States the relief it seeks,” Gleason stated. “If this Court were to order that certain ballots will be segregated and subject to a future and as yet unspecified investigation by law enforcement, it would likely result in voter confusion and consequent incentive to remain away from the polls.”

A DOJ spokesperson later indicated the Department plans to file a notice of appeal.

“The court dismissed the case on procedural grounds but did not dispute the argument of the United States that Daniel J. Sullivan (a/k/a Decoy Dan) entered the race as a frivolous candidate to confuse voters,” the spokesperson told the Daily Caller News Foundation in a Sunday statement. “Alaskan voters deserve a fair election, not to be misled in an attempt to rig outcomes.”