Trump's DOJ sent criminal target letters to Democrats on Election Day, including a prominent voting rights lawyer.

The Justice Department has sent criminal target letters to Democrats, including election lawyer Marc Elias, in its investigation of Alaska's U.S. Senate race, according to CBS News, ABC News and CNBC. The letters landed as voters went to the polls on Tuesday.

The probe centers on how a retired teacher named Daniel J. Sullivan got on the ballot alongside Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan, who faces Democrat Mary Peltola. ABC reported, citing sources, that prosecutors have issued more than 100 subpoenas and at least 20 target letters and preservation notices, and that a grand jury in Alaska is examining possible conspiracy and donor fraud offenses. CBS reported that the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) received a grand jury subpoena.

A target letter tells someone they are a focus of a criminal investigation. It is not a charge, and it does not mean charges will follow. No one has been charged.

What each side says

Elias, who has represented Peltola, answered on the record. "No one should be surprised that President Trump's Department of Justice is targeting me and my law firm on Election Day," he said. "We will not be intimidated by a sham investigation."

The DSCC and Peltola's campaign have denied any connection to the effort to put Daniel J. Sullivan on the ballot, CBS reported. CBS also noted that recruiting same-name or spoiler candidates has been used by both parties and is generally not considered illegal.

President Trump told Fox News that Elias "should go to jail, in my opinion," CNBC reported. Elias has not been charged with anything, and none of the reporting describes evidence that he broke a law.

Michael Heyman, the court-appointed U.S. Attorney in Alaska, said the probe was driven by new reporting, not the election calendar. "We're not escalating anything except to the extent that a new article came out," he said, according to CBS. CBS reported that the timing appears to conflict with Justice Department guidelines and long-standing norms that limit investigative steps right before an election. The department did not respond to requests for comment from ABC or CNBC.

What comes next

The criminal probe runs alongside the department's civil fight over Alaska's results. On Sunday, federal Judge Sharon Gleason threw out the Justice Department's suit seeking to block certification if Sen. Sullivan loses. The department is appealing.

Sources

• Democratic attorney and Trump foe Marc Elias is a target of DOJ's Alaska ballot investigation, sources say (CBS News)
• DOJ ramps up probe of Alaska Senate race with target letters, new subpoenas: Sources (ABC News)
• Trump DOJ sends target letters to Democrats in Alaska Senate criminal probe: Reports (CNBC)
• Judge tosses Trump DOJ suit to block Alaska's Senate result if Sullivan loses (WorkersRights.News)