INTERNACIONAL
Dems’ dire warnings about threats to democracy face an uncomfortable reckoning after Alaska election report
While prominent Democrats have spent years warning about threats to democracy, dozens of lawmakers and governors who endorsed Alaska Senate candidate Mary Peltola have declined to respond to Digital’s questions about a reported effort to confuse voters and potentially cost Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan his seat.
The New York Times reported Wednesday that aides to Democratic Alaska Senate candidate Mary Peltola helped recruit a man named Dan Sullivan to run in an alleged effort to draw votes from Republican incumbent Sen. Dan Sullivan – though Peltola’s campaign has denied involvement.
Digital reached out to 42 Democratic lawmakers and governors who endorsed Peltola to ask whether they would denounce the alleged effort to mislead Alaska voters.
As of publication, not a single one has responded.
MARY PELTOLA’S CAMPAIGN, DEMS BACKED COVERT SCHEME TO FIELD SPOILER CANDIDATES IN ALASKA SENATE RACE: REPORT
Sen. Richard Blumenthal, for instance, stated that «voter suppression is poisonous, it is toxic to our democracy,» in 2022. His colleague, Sen. Chris Murphy, meanwhile, argued in April 2025 that «those of us who believe that the threat to democracy is urgent» need to «act like it.»
And Sen. Cory Booker said in December 2016 that «protecting American democracy is a calling far higher than party politics.»
‘DECOY DAN’ SULLIVAN CASE LEADS TOP SENATOR TO BREAK FOUR-YEAR X SILENCE: ‘PATTERN OF LIES’
Despite their outspoken defenses of democracy and insistence that protecting it should transcend party politics, none of these lawmakers responded to Digital’s questions about the alleged effort to mislead Alaska voters.
Sen. John Fetterman, a Pennsylvania Democrat who has made a name for himself by publicly breaking with his party on some issues, has also remained mum on the controversy.
Peltola has asserted that her campaign «has no involvement with either Sullivan campaign.» The Times, for its investigation, relied on text messages it obtained as well as interviews with former campaign staffers.
The Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against Alaska on Oct. 22 seeking to delay certification of the state’s Senate election if Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan loses and votes cast for the other Sullivan could have changed the outcome, pending an investigation into whether voter confusion played a role in the result.
ALASKA’S GOVERNOR ORDERS INVESTIGATION AFTER NYT REPORT ON ALLEGED DEM-LINKED SENATE ELECTION SCHEME
Legal experts from across the political spectrum who previously spoke to Digital said that the case faces significant challenges, particularly as it relates to trying to infer voter intent from anonymous ballots and overcoming the sovereignty of states over their elections.
Among the other Democratic Senators reached by Digital were Sens. Adam Schiff, Alex Padilla, Maggie Hassan, Chuck Schumer, Catherine Cortez Masto, Angela Alsobrooks, Andy Kim, Brian Schatz, Ed Markey, Elissa Slotkin, John Hickenlooper, Jon Ossoff, Kirsten Gillibrand, Lisa Blunt Rochester, Mark Kelly, Michael Bennet, Ruben Gallego, Sheldon Whitehouse and Tammy Duckworth.
The U.S. House members reached by Digital included Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Chris Pappas, Brittany Pettersen, Eric Sorensen, Mike Levin, Hillary Scholten, Jared Huffman, Josh Harder, Pramila Jayapal, Sarah McBride, George Whitesides, Jonathan Nez and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez.
Former Sen. Sherrod Brown, who does not currently hold office but is running to retake his Senate seat, and Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford, were also asked for their reactions on the reporting.
Democratic Govs. Wes Moore of Maryland, Gavin Newsom of California, as well as former North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper – who is in the midst of a Senate campaign – were also reached for comment.
Peltola’s campaign did not respond to a request for comment.
At least one Democrat has publicly criticized the alleged tactic. Iowa Democratic gubernatorial nominee Rob Sand told on Sunday that «both parties are doing it and neither party should be doing it,» calling such efforts «manipulating the political system.»
politics, voting, midterm elections, cory booker, john fetterman, alaska
INTERNACIONAL
Trump push to oust Omar faces historic Supreme Court test, but legal experts see ‘uncharted’ twist
President Donald Trump’ s push to oust Rep. Ilhan Omar amid allegations of immigration fraud could trigger a constitutional fight, with legal experts telling Digital that a landmark Supreme Court case involving another entrenched Democrat may not stand in Republicans’ way.
Federal investigators are examining whether the Minneapolis Democrat improperly obtained U.S. citizenship through allegedly fraudulent immigration paperwork involving her late father. Omar has denied wrongdoing, and no finding that she lacks U.S. citizenship has been established.
Experts said Omar may not have the protections established in the landmark case involving House chairman Adam Clayton Powell Jr., D-N.Y., in which the Supreme Court blocked an effort to exclude him from Congress.
Powell faced allegations of misusing congressional funds and improperly paying his wife from the congressional payroll. Despite his reelection, the House voted to exclude him in 1967, but the Supreme Court later ruled that Congress could not refuse to seat a duly elected member who satisfied the Constitution’s qualifications.
ILHAN OMAR SHOULD BE JAILED, DEPORTED IF CITIZENSHIP FRAUD PROVEN, TOP HOUSE REPUBLICAN SAYS
The first potential route for Republicans would be to challenge whether Omar meets the Constitution’s citizenship requirement. Former Deputy Assistant Attorney General John Yoo and constitutional scholar Cully Stimson told Digital that the Powell ruling does not prevent Congress from enforcing constitutional qualifications.
«Powell essentially means that Congress cannot add on to the minimum qualifications set out in the Constitution,» Yoo said. «[S]ince citizenship is set out in the text of the Constitution as a qualification, it clearly can be enforced by Congress. Powell in-fact would support a congressional decision to oust Congresswoman Omar if she was in fact not a citizen.»
Stimson argued that citizenship itself is not a legal gray area.
«The Powell v. McCormack decision did not involve expulsion. It actually was to judge qualifications. That’s a subtle but important difference,» he said.
Stimson envisioned a January showdown if federal authorities presented evidence challenging Omar’s citizenship before the new Congress convenes and House Republicans attempted to prevent her from being seated. Such a move would likely face a legal challenge from Omar, he said, raising questions about whether Congress could act before her citizenship status was resolved.
The Constitution requires House members to be at least 25 years old, have been U.S. citizens for seven years and inhabit the states they represent when elected. Stimson argued that even if alleged immigration irregularities originated with Omar’s father, Nur Omar Mohamed, the central question would be whether she legally acquired citizenship, regardless of whether she knowingly participated in wrongdoing.
«It’s like you’re either pregnant or you’re not,» he said. «You’re either wet or dry — You’re a citizen or you are not a citizen.»
In multiple public comments, Trump has urged Omar’s resignation or expulsion, specifically citing reports that she used a pseudonym when she was sworn into office and that she «married her brother.»
«Let’s get her the Hell out of there,» he said Monday in Alcorn County, Mississippi.
Digital reached out to Omar for comment.
COULD TRUMP REVOKE ILHAN OMAR’S CITIZENSHIP FOR ALLEGED BROTHER MARRIAGE? EX FEDERAL PROSECUTOR BREAKS IT DOWN
A second route would involve seating Omar and then pursuing expulsion for misconduct, a separate constitutional power requiring a two-thirds House vote. Unlike exclusion for failing to meet constitutional qualifications, expulsion is a disciplinary action that was not at issue in the Supreme Court’s Powell ruling.
At least one House Republican has already threatened to pursue that option.
Rep. Randy Fine, R-Fla., said Friday that if Omar is found to not be a citizen, «I absolutely will demand expulsion immediately.»
Omar faces a separate investigation into her financial disclosures, which U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro previously confirmed to Fox News. The inquiry follows scrutiny of businesses tied to her current husband, Timothy Mynett, whose reported valuations reached as high as $30 million before Omar amended the filings, citing accounting errors. No financial wrongdoing has yet been established.
Stimson pointed to the 2023 expulsion of former Rep. George Santos, R-N.Y., as an example of the House exercising its disciplinary authority over misconduct that began before a member took office.
Former House counsel Michael Stern wrote in an examination of the Constitution’s expulsion clause that while Santos’ alleged misconduct largely preceded his term, House investigators found that his misrepresentations continued while he was in office.
«Thus, acts committed before a member’s first election may constitute disorderly behavior subject to congressional discipline, at least if the misconduct relates to the election and particularly if it involves deceiving the electorate,» Stern wrote.
Stimson said Omar’s case is largely «uncharted waters,» but the Santos case could still be instructive.
«I think the argument would be, well, her misrepresentations continued during the time in Congress, they would pull a Santos and use the same logic that they used,» he said.
Any federal determination challenging Omar’s citizenship could trigger a legal battle over whether she meets the constitutional requirements for office and what recourse she would have to contest such a finding, Stimson said.
«The hard part for her is ‘how do you prove a negative’,» Stimson said, adding that placing blame on her father wouldn’t stand up in court because people cannot legally benefit from others’ criminal acts.
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«It’s a harsh world, but it’s a binary situation.»
A challenge to Omar’s citizenship could also produce a separate fight over the evidence and legal procedures required to establish whether she meets the Constitution’s qualifications.
Pedro Rodriguez-Aparicio contributed to this report.
ilhan omar, politics, congress, law, federal courts, precedents
INTERNACIONAL
Choque de trenes en España, EN VIVO: cantidad de muertos, heridos y las últimas noticias del accidente en Toledo
- Las grúas comenzaron a retirar los vagones mientras continúa la búsqueda de víctimas,
- España inició tres días de luto por el choque de trenes que dejó al menos 69 muertos.
- El accidente ocurrió a las 08:54 cerca de Urda, en Toledo.
- Se trata de la segunda tragedia ferroviaria en España en menos de un año.
- Atribuyen el accidente a un «error humano».
Las últimas noticias del accidente de trenes en España
El líder de Vox pidió la renuncia de Pedro Sánchez y que el choque de trenes «se investigue hasta el final»
Santiago Abascal, líder del partido derechista Vox. (Foto: Violeta Santos Moura/REUTERS)
Volvió a 69 la cifra de muertos tras una corrección oficial
“Descansa en paz, mi amor”: la despedida de la pareja del argentino que murió en el choque de trenes en España
Agustín Randazzo tenía 51 años y viajaba en el vagón 8 de una de las formaciones que estuvo involucrada en el accidente en Toledo. (Foto: Reuters / X)
Leé la nota completa
Recuperaron las cajas negras de los trenes y los investigadores estiman que el choque se produjo a una velocidad de entre 160 y 200 km/h
El dolor de Roberto Piazza tras la muerte de su amigo en el choque de trenes en España: “Lo buscamos hasta hace una hora”
Roberto Piazza despidió a Agustín, el argentino que murió en el accidente de trenes en Toledo. (Foto: Instagram @robertopiazzaok)
Leé la nota completa
Confirmaron la muerte de Agustín Randazzo, el argentino que estaba desaparecido tras el choque de trenes en España
Agustín Randazzo viajaba en uno de los vagones que estuvo involucrada en el accidente de trenes en España. (Video: TN; Foto: Reuters / X)
Los reyes de España visitaron a los heridos en el accidente ferroviario de Toledo: hay 15 pacientes en terapia intensiva
Los reyes de España junto a personal médico en el Hospital Universitario de Toledo este jueves, donde acudieron para visitar a los heridos en el accidente ferroviario de Urda. (Foto: Casa de S.M El Rey / EFE)
Elevan a 74 la cantidad de muertos por la tragedia de Urda
Sindicatos piden la renuncia del ministro de Transporte de Sánchez
Confirmaron que la exministra de Trabajo Fatima Báñez murió en el accidente
La exministra de Trabajo española Fatima Báñez murió en la tragedia ferroviaria de Urda, en España. (Foto: AFP/Pierre Philippe Marcou).
Los maquinistas convocarán más paros en defensa de la seguridad tras el accidente de Urda
León XIV expresa su pesar por el trágico accidente de Urda
Pedro Sánchez pidió esclarecer las causas del accidente ferroviario en España
El presidente del Gobierno, Pedro Sánchez junto al presidente de Castilla-La Mancha, Emiliano García-Page y la secretaria general de Protección Civil y Emergencias, Virginia Barcones. (Foto: EFE/Ismael Herrero).
Ya son 69 los muertos por el accidente de trenes
Choque de trenes en España: las grúas comenzaron a retirar los vagones mientras continúa la búsqueda de víctimas
Nicaragua expresó sus condolencias a España por el choque de trenes que dejó al menos 68 muertos
Choque de trenes en España: los números del operativo de asistencia y rescate desplegado en Toledo
España inició tres días de luto por el choque de trenes que dejó al menos 68 muertos
Quién es el argentino de 51 años que está desaparecido tras el accidente de trenes en España
Agustín Randazzo viajaba en uno de los vagones que estuvo involucrado en el accidente de trenes en España. (Foto: Reuters / X)
Leé la nota completa
España dedicó un minuto de silencio a las víctimas del choque de trenes
“Pensé que me moría”: el testimonio de un argentino que viajaba en uno de los trenes que chocó en España
El testimonio de Brian, un argentino que viajaba en uno de los trenes que chocó en España. (Video: TN)
Leé la nota completa
“Estoy en shock”: la esposa de un jugador de España viajaba en un tren que iba detrás del que chocó en Toledo
La esposa de Cucurella viajaba en un tren detrás del que sufrió el accidente en España. (Fotos: IG/cucurella3-EFE).
Leé la nota completa
Incidentes frente al Ministerio de Transportes en Madrid tras una protesta por el choque de trenes
Incidentes en Madrid tras protestas por el choque de trenes. (Video: TN)
Tragedia en España: divulgaron las comunicaciones entre el centro de control y los maquinistas involucrados en el choque de trenes
Los audios de la tragedia. (Video: TN / Foto: AFP)
Leé la nota completa
Cancillería confirmó la muerte de un argentino en el accidente ferroviario en España
Confirman que una argentina murió en el accidente de trenes de España
La Guardia Civil trabajará toda la noche para buscar víctimas en los vagones
Hay 107 personas hospitalizadas por el accidente ferroviario en España
Hay 18 heridos internados en estado crítico
La Unión Europea pondrá sus banderas a media asta por la tragedia en España
El choque de trenes en España dejó decenas de víctimas fatales. (Video: Reuters)
“Viajaba en el vagón 7”: la desesperada búsqueda en redes sociales de los familiares de pasajeros desaparecidos en España
Continúa la búsqueda de víctimas luego del choque de trenes en Tolosa, España. (Foto: REUTERS/Violeta Santos Moura / X)
Leé la nota completa
El mensaje del rey de España tras la tragedia: «Estamos conmovidos»
El rey Felipe VI de España lamentó la tragedia ferroviaria. (Foto: EFE/Kai Försterling).
El líder del Partido Popular: «España tiene derecho a saber qué está pasando con sus infraestructuras”
El ministro de Transportes español dijo que una «orden errónea» provocó el choque de trenes
Habló Pedro Sánchez tras el trágico choque de trenes: «Toda España está de luto»
Pedro Sánchez decretó luto nacional tras el choque de trenes. (Foto: REUTERS/Violeta Santos Moura).
La empresa Iryo se pone a disposición de las autoridades para investigar las causas del accidente
Madrid, Andalucía y Extremadura decretaron tres días de luto
Pedro Sánchez llegó al puesto de mando avanzado en Urda
Cancillería expresó su «profundo pesar» por el trágico accidente ferroviario ocurrido en España
El comunicado de la Cancillería argentina tras el accidente de trenes en España. (Foto: captura de X).
La Federación Española de Fútbol suspendió los partidos de la Copa del Rey tras el accidente ferroviario
Ya son al menos 64 los muertos en el choque de trenes de alta velocidad en Urda
“No paraban de salir cadáveres”: el relato de los pasajeros de los trenes que chocaron en España
Así quedaron los trenes luego del impactante choque. (Foto. X
@Undercover_Camo)
Leé la nota completa
El testimonio de un periodista que viajaba en uno de los trenes: “Los viajeros han salido despedidos”
Las impactantes imágenes del choque de trenes en España que dejó al menos 30 muertos
Las impactantes imágenes del choque desde uno de los trenes. (Fuente: X @capitalradiob / EFE)
Leé la nota completa
La segunda tragedia ferroviaria en menos de un año
Pedro Sánchez suspendió su agenda tras el accidente
El mensaje de Pedro Sánchez tras el choque de trenes. (Foto: captura de X).
Aaccidente de trenes en España: apuntan a un error humano
Chocaron dos trenes al sur de Madrid. (Foto: gentileza El País).
Dos trenes de alta velocidad chocaron al sur de Madrid, y hay al menos 31 muertos
España, Toledo, trenes
They always ask if I felt something. «Across your foot? Your shin?» My shin?
«Yeah. Your ankle. Did you feel it?» Not really. But before I respond, they ask again.
What was it like?» they inquired. «Or did you just fall?» Then they speculated I might be clumsy.
Hmmph. Clumsy. I truly don’t think so.
REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK: CONGRESS BRACES FOR POST-ELECTION GAME OF MUSICAL CHAIRS AS LEADERSHIP BATTLES LOOM
Oh. I fall like everyone else. I work out daily. I’ve taken a couple of tumbles on predawn runs in Alexandria, Virginia. You never know when one of those sidewalk snakes will slither up from the asphalt and nip you on the ankle. I used to snow ski. I studied martial arts for years and hold a second degree black belt.
Clumsy? Nah.
«But, what do you think it was?» they follow up. Well, I have my theories.
I was a little tired that day. I noted the lip on the small staircase near the Memorial Door of the U.S. Capitol where I may have caught the edge of my brown loafers.
I remember my shoes. Rubber soles. Slight scuff on the toes. Perfectly matched with my crisp tan summer suit. Not quite an «Obama» tan suit. But appropriate for summer. And I thought at least reasonably dapper for traipsing around the U.S. Capitol and covering Congress on a sweltering July day.
Was it the shoes? My fatigue? Or how about my haste to «get the story.» I spotted then-Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his small coterie of aides and a security detail descending a spiral staircase after a meeting with then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. D-Calif.
I would try to ask Trudeau a question.
No. This really doesn’t have anything to do with Trudeau. Or the fact that I recalled that there was a picture of him, aged about 14 or 15, at Olympic Stadium in Montreal, rooting for the Expos. He’s there with his father — the most storied of all Canadian prime ministers — the late Pierre Trudeau.
Of course, the Expos no longer play in Montreal. They don’t play at all. They moved to Washington in 2005 and are now the Nationals. And this was before the tariff wars. Montreal has been bereft of Major League Baseball ever since.
What would Youppi! Say?
Look him up, kids.
No, there wasn’t something across my shin or ankle. I didn’t feel anything. I was there, on those steps, in the U.S. Capitol, because I’m a baseball fan. And I found out that Justin Trudeau watched those old Montreal Expos teams in the 1980s. Stocked with Andre Dawson, Warren Cromartie and Steve Rogers. And even though Trudeau was there to discuss affairs of state with Pelosi and others, I was there to ask him about the national pastime.
Ironic, I know, to pose such an interrogative to a Canadian.
However, the reason was that there was a report that the Tampa Bay Rays might consider splitting their season each year between Florida and Montreal. Big league baseball would return to Quebec. It would be international news if Trudeau commented. It would appear on Fox. FS1. ESPN. TSN in Canada. And Montreal — famously robbed of perhaps winning the World Series in 1994 with the best team in the game that year because of the player’s strike — might have a shot again at baseball glory.
But journalism is like baseball. A game of failure. You sometimes swing and miss. You’re doing great if you’re successful three out of ten times.
THE HITCHHIKER’S GUIDE TO WHY REMOVING ILHAN OMAR FROM CONGRESS COULD BE HARDER THAN TRUMP EXPECTS
And sometimes, in journalism, the question is never asked.
That was this day. On those steps. Questions about the Rays and Montreal were muted. All because of whatever got me.
Absolutely got me.
I stepped toward Trudeau, mumbled something about Tampa Bay and bought it.
I fell on those steps. Directly in front of the Canadian Prime Minister. On the hard Capitol marble.
I quickly realized I was about to fall. With a microphone in one hand, I couldn’t catch myself. I was confident I’d break a wrist or a hand if I tried to catch myself.
So, I just went with it and fell.
And because I studied martial arts for all of those years from Master Kim and Master Yang back at the Tae Kwon Do dojang, I knew how to fall without hurting myself.
I rolled onto my right shoulder toward Trudeau.
My feeling flew up absurdly high in the air.
«Oh Chad! Oh Chad! Oh Chad!» hollered my photographer, Robert Fetzer. «Chad!»
Trudeau stopped briefly. But I leaped to my feet after the roll, hoping he might say something about baseball.
I struck out. And Trudeau departed.
«But what tripped you?» they ask. «Were you all right?»
Physically, I was fine. Mentally, kind of garbled. I’ve worked daily at the U.S. Capitol for decades. I had a sneaking suspicion of what got me. Or better yet, who?
In the latter years of the 19th Century, Rep. William Taulbee, D-Ky., did not get along with reporter Charles Kincaid. Taulbee thought Kincaid wasn’t an honest broker, writing screeds about his personal affairs.
Taulbee was tall, towering over the diminutive Kincaid. Taulbee was known to sometimes physically pummel Kincaid.
Taulbee was out of federal office. But Kincaid knew Taulbee would be at the Capitol. Kincaid packed a pistol with him. And on Feb. 28, 1890, the reporter shot the Bluegrass Congressman square in the eye.
Taulbee leaked blood all the way down the House’s «Y» staircase, the plasma blending with marble. Through a miracle of chemistry, the splotches are still visible today.
The Kentucky Democrat succumbed to his injuries 11 days later.
It probably goes without saying that Taulbee does not like the congressional press corps. And, so, his phantasm is known to lurk around the Capitol.
Sometimes low bridging reporters on ornate staircases.
«What tripped you?» they ask.
And before I can answer, my inquisitors jump to a conclusion, albeit an interrogative one.
«Was it a ghost?» they giddily exclaim, like they had just figured out Final Jeopardy.
As I say, I have my theories. I’ll let you come to your own conclusions.
But I don’t want to trip you up.
political, politics, justin trudeau
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