Top prosecutor in Alaska says criminal probe underway

The top federal prosecutor in Alaska confirmed on Friday the existence of a criminal investigation related to an alleged scheme to confuse voters by putting a Senate candidate on the ballot with the same name as the Republican incumbent.

The investigation has been ongoing for several months, but revelations this week from The New York Times that Democratic Senate candidate Mary Peltola’s campaign appeared to be involved in recruiting Dan J. Sullivan have resulted in a “significant surge of law enforcement assets to Alaska,” U.S. Attorney Michael Heyman told reporters.

The department also confirmed in court documents that it seeks to isolate ballots ranking Dan J. Sullivan to probe “confusion” with the GOP incumbent senator.

Judge wants to know if Trump attorneys violated ethics

A federal judge said Friday she would open a “formal inquiry” to investigate if attorneys for the Trump administration violated ethical boundaries during a legal dispute about a golf-course project.

U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes’ declaration that the court would appoint a “special master” to investigate whether agency officials and Justice Department attorneys had made misrepresentations in the court is a far cry from her relationship with the government until this month. She had rejected numerous motions from the plaintiffs to step in earlier, saying she trusted the government attorneys.

The cases involved are an impending shutdown and reconfiguration of a historic public golf course and the construction of a monumental arch that, at 250 feet, would be 100 feet taller than the Statue of Liberty is from its base to the top of the torch.

U.S. to send dozens back to Afghanistan

The Trump administration has detained dozens of Afghan immigrants in Louisiana and plans to deport them to Afghanistan, according to three U.S. officials. The group includes people who could face discrimination or persecution under the Taliban, including relatives of people who helped the U.S. military and at least one gay man.

More than 150 Afghan immigrants are expected to be deported, one official said, making this one of the largest single expulsions of Afghans.

By sending them to Pakistan — which would then send them to Afghanistan — the Trump administration has found a way around the hurdles that have so far prevented vulnerable Afghans from being sent back to face repression or retaliation by the Taliban.

Judge orders three ads to be pulled

The federal government must pull three taxpayer-funded Trump administration ads that appear to have been made for political or propaganda purposes, including one touting the president’s claim that every American will get $5,000 if Republicans keep control of Congress in the upcoming election, a judge ruled Friday.

U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Rochon in New York sided with a coalition, including the nonpartisan watchdog Common Cause, in ordering the government to take down the advertisements entitled “$5,000 to Americans,” “Every Democrat Voted Against No Tax on Tips,” and “Cost of Socialism.”

She declined to pull several other ads.

— Denver Post news services