The Justice Department is ramping up its criminal investigation into the Democrat plot to plant a same-name candidate on Alaska's U.S. Senate ballot in a bid to confuse voters and siphon support from Republican incumbent Sen. Dan S. Sullivan, issuing a wave of new grand jury subpoenas and records-preservation demands, according to multiple reports.

According to Reuters, federal investigators have issued more than 40 subpoenas and preservation requests, with additional demands expected.

The subpoenas reportedly reached both Peltola's campaign and the campaign of Daniel J. Sullivan, the Republican candidate accused of serving as a potential spoiler.

According to sources cited by multiple outlets, federal prosecutors have issued dozens of new grand jury subpoenas and document-preservation requests, reports put the number at more than 40 or at least three dozen, targeting Democratic officials, Peltola's campaign offices, and those connected to the second Sullivan.

Additional subpoenas were expected. No one has been charged, but DOJ officials have pointed to potential civil rights statutes (18 U.S.C. §§ 241 and 242) related to conspiracy or deprivation of voting rights.

The department also amended its existing civil lawsuit seeking to block certification of results if voter confusion from the dual Sullivans affects the outcome, incorporating details from the Times report and arguing the effort was a coordinated attempt to undermine the election.

Attorney General Todd Blanche, speaking on Fox News, did not mince words: "They are cheating! Let's call it what it is, they are cheating. They are trying to take votes away from the incumbent… by putting up a person with the same [name] so they'd confuse Alaskans."

He described the situation as fraud and said more from the Justice Department was coming. President Trump has publicly called for Peltola and the decoy candidate to face consequences, labeling the scheme voter fraud at the highest level and saying he directed the DOJ lawsuit.

Alaska Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy ordered a parallel state investigation through the Department of Public Safety, writing that the Times reporting "reveals disturbing new evidence of an organized effort to manipulate Alaska's elections by recruiting candidates, including one with the same name as an incumbent U.S. Senator, to deliberately confuse voters and misdirect their votes."