CNN senior justice correspondent Evan Perez raised serious questions Friday about the Trump Justice Department’s investigation into Alaska’s closely watched Senate race.
The moment came when Alaska U.S. Attorney Michael Heyman declined to identify what crime federal investigators were pursuing just days before Tuesday’s election.
“What’s the actual crime being alleged here?” a CBS News reporter asked during a news conference.
“You’re assuming that there is a crime being committed,” Heyman responded, explaining that investigators were still examining whether any laws had been broken.
Perez seized on that response immediately after the Friday news conference wrapped.
“He was asked what specific crimes they’re investigating, and he would not say. And I think that that is very telling,” Perez said.
“It appears that they don't know whether there's a crime,” he added. “And that is a very weird way to go about this,” particularly so close to an election.
Perez went on to question the extensive investigative activity, including dozens of subpoenas, while the Justice Department also seeks to intervene in the election certification process.
“That is not the way this is supposed to work," he said.
Former federal prosecutor Berit Berger also questioned the lack of specificity.
“I’m not sure actually why he wouldn’t name the crime,” Berger said on CNN.